Complete guide to sightseeing at Mount Takao: This guide will cover both the charm and the highlights!

For those who want to know the estimated time required for each hiking course, please refer to the table below. Please note that the table does not include time for breaks or visiting sightseeing spots along the way to the summit, so it’s advisable to anticipate that the actual time may be longer than what is listed in the table.

Trail 1 is the most popular trail and suitable for children and beginners. Most of the path is paved, making it easy to hike in casual attire and sneakers.
Along the way, there are tea houses offering local delicacies like dango (sweet rice dumplings) and soba (buckwheat noodles), as well as attractions such as a monkey park, cedar-lined paths, and the Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji Temple. This trail is appealing because it offers a fun hiking experience with various sightseeing spots.
Trail 1 allows you to visit the main tourist attractions of Mount Takao, making it a popular choice for climbers.

Located around the middle section of Mount Takao, Trail 2 is approximately 1 kilometer long and takes about 40 minutes to complete. It’s accessible from the point where you arrive via cable car or lift.
Divided by Trail 1, it encircles the southern and northern slopes of Mount Takao, offering a looped route. This trail is also suitable for hiking beginners and children.
On the southern slope of the course, you’ll find evergreen trees, while the northern slope features deciduous trees, providing opportunities to observe various plants and flowers as you hike.

For those who prefer relatively fewer climbers and want to ascend without the hustle and bustle, we recommend Trail 3. While there are some steep slopes along the route, most of it consists of gentle inclines, making it suitable for beginners.
You’ll encounter plenty of evergreen forests, along with cedar and fir trees, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Mount Takao.

Trail 4 is quite popular among climbers, mainly due to its suspension bridge. This trail, which traverses along the mountainside, has many narrow sections, so beginners should be cautious of their footing.
Being the only trail on Mount Takao with a suspension bridge, many climbers use it for taking photos. During the autumn foliage season, the deciduous trees such as beech, fir, and maple display vibrant colors, making it a delightful course for enjoying the autumn foliage while hiking.

Trail 5 encircles just below the summit of Mount Takao. With minimal elevation changes and a relatively short distance, it’s a course that anyone can enjoy casually.
One of the highlights is the oldest human-made forest on Mount Takao called the “Edo Cedar,” planted during the Edo period. Some cedar trees exceed 39 meters in height, with an estimated age of 150 years.

Trail 6 features challenging mountain paths, offering the most immersive natural experience among the Nature Observation Trails. As most of the trail is unpaved, it is considered a relatively difficult course suitable for experienced climbers.
Along the way, you’ll encounter waterfalls and places where you climb streams using stepping stones, allowing you to fully experience the refreshing negative ions in the air.

For those who want to enjoy hiking through mountain trails rather than paved roads, we recommend the Inariyama Course. Compared to Trail 6, it has a lower difficulty level, making it suitable for beginners.
From the observation deck along the way, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Tokyo skyline with its cluster of buildings. With good sunlight and relatively gentle slopes, the Inariyama Course offers a pleasant hiking experience through natural trails.

For those seeking a more challenging mountain climbing experience, we recommend the Takaosan-Jinbasan Course. This approximately 15 km route starts from the summit of Mount Takao, passes through Shiroyama (Mount Shiro) and Kagenobuyama (Mount Kagenobu), and heads to the summit of Jinbasan (Mount Jinba). It’s a course suited for intermediate to advanced climbers.
The area known as “Okutakao,” visited along this course, is less frequented by tourists, making it beloved by hiking enthusiasts for its tranquility. The numerous breathtaking views along the way are spectacular, including the scenic spot selected for the “Kanagawa’s 50 Most Scenic Spots” at the summit of Jinbasan, as well as the view of Mount Fuji, selected for the “100 Views of Mount Fuji in Kanto.”

Nestled in the natural surroundings halfway up Mount Takao is the Mt. Takao Monkey Park and The Wild Plant Garden. The monkey park is home to approximately 90 monkeys, led by the alpha male, forming a well-ordered society.
You can observe them grooming each other, huddling together for warmth on chilly days, and living vibrant lives up close. It’s also popular to listen to explanations provided by the caretakers. Don’t miss the adorable baby monkeys born every year from early April to early August.

The Mount Takao Cable Car connects the foothills to the mid-levels of the mountain, covering a distance that would take about an hour on foot in approximately 6 minutes. It provides a comfortable way for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.
The cable car runs between Kiyotaki Station at the foothills and Takaosan Station at the mountain top, spanning approximately 1,000 meters with a vertical height difference of about 270 meters. At the steepest point near Takaosan Station, the gradient reaches 31 degrees, making it the steepest cable car in Japan.
The breathtaking views of Mount Takao and its changing scenery throughout the seasons from inside the cable car are a must-see.

“Takosugi” is a giant cedar tree estimated to be around 450 years old, standing approximately 37 meters tall with roots spreading about 6 meters wide. Its distinctive feature is its roots resembling octopus tentacles.
Designated as a municipal Natural Monument, Takosugi is a popular power spot on Mount Takao. It can be found along Trail 1, a little uphill from Takaosan Station of the cable car, so be sure not to miss it.

Proceeding along Trail 1 and further ascending from the Takosugi, you’ll encounter the Joshinmon Gate. This gate marks the entrance to the precincts of the Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji Temple, which has a history of over 1,200 years, signifying the sacred sanctuary beyond.
While the Yakuōin Temple is a Buddhist temple, this gate is distinctive for its structure resembling a Shinto shrine’s torii gate. In Japan, as a national policy aimed at reconstructing faith, there has been a historical tradition of syncretism between Shintoism and Buddhism, with the two religions merging in various contexts.
The Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji Temple is one of the places that allow you to feel the history of syncretism between Shintoism and Buddhism, known as shinbutsu-shugo.

In 744, under the decree of Emperor Shōmu, the temple was founded by the venerable Buddhist monk Gyōki Bodhisattva. Situated on the mountainside of Mount Takao, its formal name is “Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji.” It belongs to the Shingon sect as a major temple and is counted as one of the three major temples in the Kanto region alongside the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple and the Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple.
Having an incarnation of Fudo Myo-o known as Iizuna Dai-Gongen as the principal deity, the place is said to be inhabited by the tengu who serve him. Within the temple grounds, there are numerous statues of tengu.
There are various objects of worship that bestow different blessings, such as “Rokkon Shojou Ishiguruma,” where turning a stone wheel purifies one’s six senses, and “Negai-kanau-wakuguri,” where passing through a large stone ring and striking a large staff at the back grants wishes. In recent years, it has also gained popularity as a power spot.

On clear days, you can see Mount Fuji and the mountains of the Tanzawa Range from the Mount Takao Summit Observation Deck. To keep as a memory of reaching the summit of Mount Takao, consider taking a photo with the summit marker.
At the summit, there is a large flat square area with amenities such as a roofed resting space and a tea house that has been loved by hikers since its establishment in 1945.
You can purchase food items from the tea house and other shops, and enjoy them in the resting area as takeout.
Local delicacies such as tororo soba (buckwheat noodles topped with grated yam) and curry rice, along with refreshing treats like soft-serve ice cream during the hot summer months, are highly recommended.
In the center of the square, there is a facility called the Takao Visitor Center, which provides information about the nature surrounding Mount Takao.
There are two restroom facilities available, so you can rest assured even during peak times. It’s a good idea to use them before descending the mountain.

This soba restaurant is located on the slope between Keio Takaosanguchi Station and the cable car’s Kiyotaki Station. It’s popular among hikers descending from Mount Takao.
The signature dish here is Mt. Takao’s specialty, "Jinenjo Soba". Unlike regular yam, the jinenjo (wild yam) used here has a stronger stickiness, fragrance, and a richer flavor. Stir the grated yam until it becomes frothy, then enjoy it with your preferred seasonings. Don’t forget to order an additional serving of barley rice and mix it with the remaining grated yam to savor the delicious "Jinenjo Rice".

Trail 1 of Mount Takao is the most popular among hikers because all paths are paved, making it accessible even for beginners. At the junction of Otoko-zaka and Onna-zaka hills, you’ll find Gongen-chaya, a bustling tea house located a 15-minute walk from the cable car’s Takaosan Station, offering a perfect spot to catch your breath. Their specialty is the sesame dango, grilled over charcoal, emitting a delightful aroma that fills the air around the shop.
Each dango stick, incorporating about 2,300 sesame seeds, is available in two varieties: gold sesame and black sesame. Customers can choose from three types of sauces made with Tokyo's soy sauce: mitarashi, a special soy sauce glaze, and walnut miso (the latter two being limited in quantity).

Mt. Takao is a popular place for mountaineering in Hachioji city, Tokyo. A souvenir shop in the complex facility called Mount Takao Sumika is located near Takaosan station on a cable car halfway up the mountain, it should be recommended to drop by when you visit Mt. Takao.

Mount Takao is a Michelin 3-star destination that sees countless tourists from Japan and across the world. It’s also home to Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu, a coveted daytrip hot springs spot located conveniently near Takaosan-guchi station so you can easily tack on a dip to your next hiking or sightseeing trip.

In July of 2021, an inn was opened in front of Keio Takao Line’s Takaosanguchi Station. Not only just staying, but you can also have hands-on experiences at this “activity hotel.”

Their activities cover pottery, order-made tours in Takao, leather craft, etc., all guided by local guides and creators. Firewood is provided to all guests. Enjoy a campfire at night. You can have experiences that you don’t usually have such as starting a fire and roasting your dessert over it.

Takao Baigo consists of eight plum groves: the Yuhodo (walking trail) Plum Grove that starts from the Kamikunugida Bridge on the old Koshu Kaido road, the Sekisho Plum Grove, the Tenjin Plum Grove, the Arai Plum Grove, the Yunohana Plum Grove, the Surusashi Plum Grove, the Kogesawa Plum Grove, and the Kobotoke Plum Grove. Walking around everything takes about 1.5 hours one way.

The ruins of Hachioji Castle, which was built by the Odawara Hojo clan based in Odawara. Due to its well-preserved condition as a mountain castle from the Warring States period, it was designated as one of the “100 Famous Castles of Japan” in 2006.

Lush greenery and clear babbling springs hug the space around this irori charcoal grill restaurant, just steps from the foot of Mt. Takao. A visit here will reveal about 6,000 tsubo (approximately 19,842 square meter) of sprawling grounds, gassho-style houses relocated from Etchu Gokayama and a Japanese garden that uses Mt. Takao as a backdrop, that together create a truly unforgettably scenic landscape.
The restaurant menu features a colorful array of dishes, all of which use painstakingly selected seasonal ingredients, like the meticulously raised charcoal-grilled chicken. Delight your tastebuds in the rich flavors of chicken, select Japanese beef, raised in the full glory of nature, and fresh-caught river fish from the clearest of streams, all slowly grilled over charcoal. Taste the four seasons of the Satoyama foothills in a treat for the mouth and the soul, all while gazing out at the scenery that waits just outside the window.

Nestled in a small village in the serene nature of Okutakao Mountain, this homely diner offers a traditional setting and authentic irori where you can enjoy robatayaki (hearth-grilled cuisine) plates of select mountain and sea delicacies, along with grilled meats, fish, and local delights.