Mountains · Tokyo
Mount Takao
高尾山たかおさんTakao-sanTokyo's own sacred mountain, an hour from Shinjuku.
Mount Takao (高尾山), 599 m, is a forested mountain in Hachiōji on the western edge of Tokyo, about an hour by train from Shinjuku and among the most climbed mountains in the world. A sacred site of the Shugendō temple Yakuōin, it combines an exceptionally rich flora with easy trails, a cable car and chairlift.
Overview
Mount Takao is the first real mountain west of Tokyo, where the Kantō plain gives way to the forested hills of the Okutama and Tanzawa ranges. Easy access by the Keiō Line from Shinjuku, a cable car, a chairlift and a network of well-kept trails have made it one of the most popular hiking destinations in the world, visited by very large numbers of people each year.
The mountain has been protected for centuries as the temple forest of Yakuōin, which explains its old trees and rich wildlife so close to a metropolis. In 2007 it received three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, raising its profile among international visitors.
Landscape and formation
Takao belongs to the Kantō Mountains and is built of sandstone and mudstone of the Cretaceous Shimanto belt, sediments folded and uplifted at the margin of the Pacific plate. Rivers have cut steep valleys into the hills, and the south and north slopes differ markedly in their vegetation. From the summit a ridge continues west to Shiroyama and Jinba-san, part of the long Kantō Fureai no Michi trail.
Highlights
Summit
高尾山山頂Takao-san sanchōAn open terrace with a visitor centre and views to Fuji, Tanzawa and, eastwards, the Tokyo skyline.
Octopus cedar
たこ杉Tako-sugiAn old cedar on Trail 1 whose tentacle-like roots are said to have been twisted by a tengu.
Biwa waterfall
琵琶滝Biwa-takiA small waterfall used for ascetic water practice, on Trail 2 near Trail 6.
Shiroyama
城山ShiroyamaA 670 m summit on the ridge west of Takao, about an hour further on.
Ecology
Takao lies on the boundary between warm-temperate evergreen forest and cool-temperate deciduous forest, so both types meet on one small mountain. As a result it supports over 1,000 species of vascular plants and a very rich insect fauna, and several plants were first described from specimens collected here.
Flora
Japanese cedar
スギsugiOld temple cedars line the approach to Yakuōin.
Beech
ブナbunaScattered beech on the north slope at unusually low altitude.
Takao-sumire
タカオスミレtakao-sumireA violet with dark leaves, named after the mountain.
Fauna
Japanese giant flying squirrel
ムササビmusasabiGlides between the temple cedars after dusk.
Japanese macaque
ニホンザルnihonzaruA monkey park near the cable car station houses a troop.
Culture
Takaosan Yakuōin is said to have been founded in 744 by the monk Gyōki on the order of Emperor Shōmu, and revived in the fourteenth century as a centre of Shugendō devoted to Izuna Daigongen. Tengu statues, ascetic practices at waterfalls and fire-walking ceremonies keep the mountain's religious character alive. The warlords of the Hōjō clan and later the Tokugawa protected its forests, which is why they survived close to Edo.
Takaosan Yakuōin
高尾山薬王院Takaosan YakuōinThe Shingon temple on the upper slopes with its colourful Izuna Gongen hall.
Hiwatari-sai
火渡り祭Hiwatari-saiA fire-walking ceremony held by yamabushi at the foot of the mountain in March, in which visitors may also take part.
History
744
Traditional founding of Yakuōin by Gyōki.
1375
Revival of Yakuōin as a Shugendō centre by the monk Shungen.
1927
The Takao cable car opens.
1967
Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park is designated.
2007
Three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan.
Through the seasons
Spring
Cherry blossom along the ridge to Shiroyama in April, and many wildflowers on the valley trails.
Summer
Hot and humid; a beer garden at the cable car top station is a Tokyo summer institution. Trail 6 along the stream is the coolest.
Autumn
The busiest season: maples turn red in mid to late November, when trails and trains are crowded.
Winter
Clear views to Fuji; Diamond Fuji sunsets around the winter solstice.
Routes and trails
Trail 1 (Omotesandō)
The paved main path from Takaosanguchi via Yakuōin, about 90 minutes; easy.
Trail 6 (Biwa-taki course)
Along a stream through forest, partly in the streambed, about 90 minutes; easy to moderate, slippery after rain.
Inariyama course
A ridge path with steps and viewpoints, about 90 minutes; moderate.
Takao – Jinba-san traverse
Continue west along the ridge via Shiroyama and Kagenobu-yama to Jinba-san, 4–5 hours; a full day with bus return.
Practical notes
- Takaosanguchi station is about one hour from Shinjuku on the Keiō Line; the cable car and chairlift start next to the station.
- Weekends in November are extremely crowded; weekdays or early mornings are quieter.
- Proper shoes are advisable on all trails except Trail 1; unpaved paths become muddy after rain.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to climb Mount Takao?
Trail 1, the paved main path past Yakuōin, takes about 90 minutes from Takaosanguchi station. With the cable car or chairlift the walk from the upper station to the summit is about 40 minutes.
Which trail is best?
Trail 1 is the easiest and passes the temple; Trail 6 follows a stream through forest and is quieter; the Inariyama course follows a ridge with views. Many walkers go up one and down another.
Can Fuji be seen from Mount Takao?
Yes, from the summit on clear days, above all in winter. Around the winter solstice the sun sets directly behind Fuji's summit, an event known as Diamond Fuji.
What are the tengu of Takao?
Long-nosed and crow-beaked mountain spirits regarded as messengers of the deity Izuna Daigongen worshipped at Yakuōin; their statues stand throughout the temple grounds.
Related
Sources
- 1.日本の主な山岳標高 (opens in a new tab) — 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)
- 2.明治の森高尾国定公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)
- 3.東京都公式ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 東京都 (Tokyo Metropolitan Government)