Overview
Makinoto Pass is a Category 2 climb in Japan, running 12.6 km from a start elevation of 796 m to a summit at 1,324 m. On paper that is a net elevation gain of 528 m at a moderate 4.18% average gradient — the kind of number that suggests a steady, manageable haul rather than a wall.
That average is misleading, and the reason is in the ascent totals. The climb records 884 m of total ascent against only 528 m of net gain, meaning roughly 356 m of the road is spent giving elevation back before you climb it again. This is an undulating pass, not a uniform grind. Every metre you descend is a metre you have to reclimb, so your legs do far more work than the net figure implies — plan for the 884 m of vertical, not the 528 m.
How the Gradient Unfolds
The 4.18% average is a blend of flat, downhill, and sharply uphill sections. The steepest recorded ramp hits 14.35%, more than three times the average, so there are pitches here that demand real force. Expect the road to break rhythm repeatedly rather than settle into one sustained grade.
- Flatter and recovery sections, including short descents, that pull the average down
- Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, producing the 356 m of extra ascent
- A steepest ramp of 14.35% where cadence will drop and torque spikes
Pacing Notes
On a uniform climb you can chase even speed. Here, even speed is a trap — holding pace over the 14.35% ramps would spike you far above threshold. Pace to even effort instead, riding to a target sustainable power output and letting your speed rise on the flatter recovery stretches and fall on the steep pitches.
Use the descents and false flats to soft-pedal and shed accumulated fatigue rather than hammering to "make up time." If you do not know your threshold number, run the FTP estimator before you go so your effort ceiling is grounded in data, not feel.
Gearing
The 14.35% maximum is what dictates your setup, not the 4.18% average. On a ramp that steep, a standard chainset will force you into grinding, muscle-heavy pushes. Fit a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the spin to protect your legs across the repeated steep sections. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are under-geared on the first 14% wall is not the place to find out.
Summary
- Length: 12.6 km
- Average gradient: 4.18%
- Maximum gradient: 14.35%
- Net elevation gain: 528 m
- Total ascent: 884 m
- Category: 2
Makinoto Pass rewards riders who read past the average. Respect the undulation, pace to effort, gear for the steep ramps, and the 884 m of climbing becomes a rhythm you can hold to the 1,324 m summit.