Hinata Kuraue is a central character and the primary catalyst for the events of Encouragement of Climb. She is a high school student, fifteen years old at the start of the story, with a birthday on November 11th. Her defining physical features are her black hair, which she typically styles into two short twin-tails on the sides of her head, and her purple eyes. She stands 155 centimeters tall.

Her personality is marked by an overwhelming and boisterous energy, fitting the archetype of a genki girl. Hinata is outgoing, bold, and unafraid to speak her mind, often coming across as blunt or impulsive. A significant part of her interaction with her friends, particularly Aoi, involves playful teasing and provocation, as she enjoys riling them up for her own amusement. Beneath this brash and sometimes lazy exterior, however, Hinata is a loyal and caring person who is deeply attentive to the feelings of those close to her. She is more perceptive than she often lets on, demonstrating a sensitive side, especially when it comes to her childhood friend, Aoi.

Hinata's deep love for mountain climbing and the outdoors is her primary motivation, an interest she inherited from her father, an experienced mountaineer. Her role in the story is driven by a childhood promise made to Aoi to watch the sunrise together from a mountaintop once again. After a period of growing apart during middle school, she reunites with Aoi in high school and makes it her mission to reignite Aoi's interest in climbing, which had ceased after Aoi developed a fear of heights from a bad fall. Hinata serves as the energetic instigator who pushes a reluctant Aoi out of her comfort zone, starting with small, manageable local mountains like Mount Tenran to help her friend gradually overcome her phobia.

The most central and defining relationship for Hinata is her friendship with Aoi Yukimura. They were inseparable in elementary school, and despite their time apart, their bond remains the story's emotional core. While Hinata constantly teases and drags Aoi on adventures, she holds her friend in the highest regard and becomes worried or jealous when Aoi forms new close friendships, such as with Honoka Kurosaki, revealing her own vulnerabilities and fear of their relationship changing. Hinata maintains a good-natured, if sometimes exasperated, friendship with other members of the climbing club, including the knowledgeable and mature Kaede Saito.

Throughout the series, Hinata undergoes significant development. She begins as a purely energetic force, but her character deepens as she navigates the complexities of her own emotions. A notable example is before their ascent of Mount Tanigawa, a mountain significant to their shared past, where she worries that fulfilling their childhood promise might alter the nature of their friendship. This moment shows her growth from a simple instigator to a character who reflects on interpersonal dynamics and the meaning of her connections. Her commitment to her shared goals with Aoi remains a constant, but she learns to temper her forceful encouragement with greater consideration for her friend's feelings.

In terms of abilities, Hinata is academically gifted, consistently ranking among the top of her grade and even working as a math tutor for younger students, which contrasts sharply with her sometimes air-headed demeanor. She is a beginner in mountaineering, lacking extensive experience despite her passion and her father's expertise. Conversely, her practical skills are notably uneven, as she is completely incapable in the kitchen, often relying on pre-made meals for climbing trips.