Mt.Takao is about 600m high located in the west of Tokyo. It's quite popular and lots of people - kids, young people and the old - visit there through the year. Especialy in autum to see beautiful red maple leaves.
It has a few courses to get to the peak including a cable car and a lift.
Takao-san-guchi Station of Keio Line
Mt. Takao !
Yakuoin Temple
Biwataki Falls
Miyama Suspension Bridge
Beautiful Japanese Cedar trees
Wonderful view of Mt. Fuji from the top !
Takao-san-guchi Station
It's not difficult to get the summit on foot.
It'll take about 1 hour to 1 hour and half on every trail.
Trail 1 is paved so that you can walk easily even in the rain with yuor umbrella.
On the Trail 1, you can visit Yakuoin Temple.
On the Inariyama Trail, you can enjoy a nice scenery on the way to the peak.
On the Trail 4, you'll cross a suspension bridge.
On the Trail 6, you can see the Biwataki Falls.
If you like or the weather is not preferable, you can take a cable car.
Around the sumit there are some food shops so you can try some Japanese snacks.
After hiking, you can take a bath at Keio Takaosan Onsen (hot spring) Gokurakuyu located next to theTakao-san-guchi Station.
There are some soba noodles restaurants. Soba with grated yams is a specialty of Takao.
In autumn, usually in the middle of November to the end, you can see not only beautiful colored leaves but Mt. Fuji from the sumit when it's clear.
Sample route : Takao-san-guchi Station - Biwataki Falls (Trail 6) - Through Biwataki Falls Road - Takosugi (Trail 1) - Miyama Suspension Bridge (Trail 4) - Peak ! - Yakuoin Temple (Trail 1) - take a lift to the bottom
Of course it depends on you. I'll customise a good course for you.
guide fee
guide transportation fee (home to Takao-san-guchi Station : return)
lunch : around 1000yen
hotel pick up fee
cable car (you and guide) : 480yen/one way (6min)
lift (you and guide) : 480yen/one way (12min)
not 2 days in a row
less than 4 hours
daytime only (till around 3pm)
Only available in April, May, June, October, November, December
Sneakers are highly recommended.
How red leaves turn to of course depends on the weather. Usually they are nice in the middle of November.
Bring your lunch, snack and drink.
You can buy some at the Takao-san-guchi station and on the summit.
Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu : 1000yen/person / there are shampoos and soaps, not towels. (you can rent them)
* Their brochure says that people who have tattoos can't enter this facility. (Sorry about this but most of Japanese don't have a good impression of tattoos.)
Keio Line
Shinjuku to Takao-san-guchi : 390yen/one way (about 1 hour)
Katie is fantastic! Thank you for showing us your home city. We enjoyed our time With you??
Thank you for your review, Shannon. I enjoyed being your guide. Now leaves in Mt. Arashi-yama in Kyoto are turning to red and yellow. I hope all of you have a great time during the rest of your trip. Bon Voyage !