National Parks · Saitama, Tokyo, Yamanashi, Nagano

Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park

秩父多摩甲斐国立公園ちちぶたまかいこくりつこうえんChichibu-Tama-Kai Kokuritsu Kōen

Forest headwaters and wolf shrines on Tokyo's doorstep

Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park protects the Chichibu mountains west of Tokyo, where Saitama, Tokyo, Yamanashi and Nagano meet. Designated in 1950 as Chichibu-Tama and renamed in 2000, it is a landscape of deep forested valleys, granite peaks and sacred mountains, and the source of the Arakawa, Tama and Fuefuki rivers.

Elevation: 2,601 mArea: 1,262.59 km²National park · 1950

Overview

Chichibu-Tama-Kai covers the Chichibu mountains, a massif of steep forested ridges on the western edge of the Kantō plain. Its main crest runs from Kumotori-yama on the Tokyo border west to Kobushi-ga-take and the granite peaks of Kinpu-san and Kita-Okusenjō-dake, the park's highest point at 2,601 m, with Mizugaki-yama further south-west. The eastern foothills include Mitake-san and the valleys of Okutama and Chichibu.

The park is essentially a forest park. Its sedimentary mountains carry some of the most intact natural forest in central Japan, and they form the watershed for the Tokyo metropolis: the Tama River supplies much of Tokyo's drinking water, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has managed forests in its headwaters since 1901.

Designated in 1950 as Chichibu-Tama National Park, it was renamed in 2000 to include Kai, the historic name of Yamanashi. Because it lies so close to the capital, the park offers one of the most accessible mountain wildernesses in Japan, from easy shrine walks to multi-day ridge traverses.

Landscape and formation

Most of the park is built of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of the Chichibu and Shimanto belts, including limestone, chert and sandstone, folded and uplifted along the edge of the Kantō mountains. Rivers have cut them into deep V-shaped valleys with gorges and waterfalls. Limestone gives rise to caves such as Nippara in Okutama.

In the west, granite intrusions form the higher summits: Kinpu-san, crowned by the rock tower Gojō-iwa, Kita-Okusenjō-dake and Mizugaki-yama with its eroded granite spires. On the Yamanashi side, a second Arakawa, a tributary of the Fuefuki, has cut the granite gorge of Shōsenkyō, and the Fuefuki River the waterfalls of Nishizawa Keikoku.

Highlights

Kumotori-yama
雲取山Kumotori-yama
The highest mountain in Tokyo (2,017 m), approached on a long ridge from Okutama or via Mitsumine Shrine.
Kinpu-san
金峰山Kinpu-san
A 2,599 m granite peak topped by the Gojō-iwa rock, sacred in the Shugendō tradition of Kai.
Kobushi-ga-take
甲武信ヶ岳Kobushi-ga-take
A 2,475 m peak where three provinces met and three great rivers begin.
Mitake-san
御岳山Mitake-san
A 929 m sacred mountain in Tokyo with Musashi-Mitake Shrine, pilgrim lodgings and the Rock Garden valley walk.
Shōsenkyō
昇仙峡Shōsenkyō
A granite gorge north of Kōfu with cliffs, rock formations and the Sengataki falls, a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
Nishizawa Keikoku
西沢渓谷Nishizawa keikoku
A valley of emerald pools and waterfalls, including the five-tiered Nanatsugama Godan-no-taki, at the source of the Fuefuki River.
Lake Okutama
奥多摩湖Okutama-ko
The reservoir of the Ogōchi Dam, completed in 1957 to supply Tokyo with water.

Ecology

The park spans an altitude range of some 2,000 m and holds a sequence of forest types, from evergreen oak on the lowest slopes through deciduous beech and oak, fir and hemlock to subalpine forests of Veitch's fir and spruce. The old-growth forests of Ōdawa, Okusenjō and Jūmonji Pass are among the best preserved in the Kantō region.

The mountains are home to Japanese serow, sika deer, wild boar and Asian black bears. Deer numbers have risen strongly, and their browsing is changing the undergrowth of many forests. Golden eagles and mountain hawk-eagles hunt over the ridges, and the migratory Oriental dollarbird breeds in the valleys.

Flora

Rhododendron of Jūmonji Pass
十文字峠のシャクナゲJūmonji-tōge no shakunage
Large stands of Azuma rhododendron flower along the old pass between Chichibu and Shinano in late May and June.
Subalpine conifer forest
Veitch's fir, Maries' fir and Japanese hemlock on the high ridges around Kobushi-ga-take and Okusenjō.
Beech and oak forest
Deciduous forest on the mid-slopes, colouring the valleys in autumn.
Limestone flora
Plants specialised to limestone crags occur on the cliffs around Nippara and Ryōkami.

Fauna

Japanese serow
ニホンカモシカnihon-kamoshika
Seen on rocky slopes throughout the park.
Sika deer and wild boar
ニホンジカ・イノシシnihonjika, inoshishi
Abundant; the deer's growing numbers are a major conservation issue.
Golden eagle and mountain hawk-eagle
イヌワシ・クマタカinuwashi, kumataka
Both breed in the remote mountains.
Oriental dollarbird
ブッポウソウbuppōsō
A summer visitor to the forested valleys, rare in Japan.

Culture

The Chichibu mountains have long been sacred. Mitsumine Shrine in Chichibu and Musashi-Mitake Shrine in Okutama, both reached by pilgrims for centuries, are associated with the legendary prince Yamato Takeru, who according to tradition was guided through the mountains by a white wolf. Confraternities of pilgrims (kō) from the Kantō plain still visit and stay in the shukubō (pilgrim lodgings) run by hereditary priestly families on Mitake-san.

In the west, Kinpu-san was a centre of Shugendō in the province of Kai, and the Arakawa and Tama valleys were routes of the silk trade and timber floating to Edo. The Chichibu area is also known for its silk weaving and its winter night festival, held in the town below the park.

Mitsumine Shrine
三峯神社Mitsumine-jinja
A mountaintop shrine at about 1,100 m in Chichibu with wolf guardians and ancient cedars.
Musashi-Mitake Shrine
武蔵御嶽神社Musashi-Mitake-jinja
The summit shrine of Mitake-san, surrounded by a village of pilgrim lodgings reached by cable car.
Nippara Limestone Cave
日原鍾乳洞Nippara shōnyūdō
One of the largest limestone caves in the Kantō region, in the upper Okutama valley.
Okutama Visitor Center
奥多摩ビジターセンターOkutama Bijitā Sentā
Visitor centre near Okutama station with trail information for the Tokyo part of the park.

History

Nara–Heian periods
Mitsumine and Mitake develop as sacred mountains visited by ascetics.
Edo period
Pilgrim confraternities from the Kantō plain make Mitsumine and Mitake major pilgrimage sites; timber is floated down the Tama and Arakawa to Edo.
1901
The Tokyo authorities begin managing headwater forests of the Tama River to protect the city's water supply.
1950
Chichibu-Tama National Park is designated on 10 July.
1957
The Ogōchi Dam is completed, creating Lake Okutama.
2000
The park is renamed Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park.
2019
The Kobushi area is designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Through the seasons

Spring

Fresh green climbs the valleys from April; rhododendrons flower on the ridges and at Jūmonji Pass in late May and June.

Summer

Cool, humid valleys are popular for river walks and gorges such as Nishizawa and Hatonosu; the high ridges offer relief from Tokyo's heat.

Autumn

Maple and beech colours from mid-October on the ridges to November in Shōsenkyō, Okutama and Mitake.

Winter

Clear, dry weather with snow on the high ridges; lower walks such as Mitake-san remain accessible, and frozen waterfalls form in shaded valleys.

Routes and trails

Kumotori-yama from Kamozawa
The classic route from the Okutama side along the Ishione ridge, usually with a night at a hut near the summit.
Mitake-san and the Rock Garden
From the cable car top station to the shrine and down a mossy valley with small waterfalls; an easy half day.
Kobushi-ga-take from Nishizawa
A long ascent on the Nishizawa ridge from the Yamanashi side to the three-river summit.
Kinpu-san and Mizugaki-yama
Granite peaks climbed from Mizugaki-sansō or Ōdarumi Pass, with views of Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps.
Nishizawa Keikoku circuit
A loop of about 10 km along the gorge and back on an old forest railway track.

Practical notes

The Seibu Chichibu Line (from Ikebukuro) and the Chichibu Railway serve Chichibu; the JR Ōme Line reaches Mitake and Okutama; the JR Chūō Line reaches Kōfu and Enzan for the Yamanashi side.
Mountain roads are narrow and sometimes closed after heavy rain; buses to trailheads run infrequently.
Asian black bears are present even near popular trails; carry a bell and check local sightings.
The deep valleys are prone to landslides in typhoon season; heed trail closures posted by the prefectures.

Frequently asked questions

Why was 'Kai' added to the park's name?

In 2000 the park was renamed to acknowledge that a large part of it lies in Yamanashi, the former province of Kai, alongside Chichibu (Saitama) and the Tama area (Tokyo).

What is the highest mountain in Tokyo?

Kumotori-yama (2,017 m), on the border of Tokyo, Saitama and Yamanashi, is the highest point of the Tokyo Metropolis and one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan. It is usually climbed over two days with a night at a mountain hut.

Why are wolves associated with these mountains?

Mitsumine Shrine and Musashi-Mitake Shrine revere the wolf (ōkuchi-no-makami) as a divine messenger that protects crops from deer and boar and homes from fire and theft. Their talismans show wolves, even though the Japanese wolf became extinct in the early 20th century.

Where does Kobushi-ga-take get its name?

The peak stands where the old provinces of Kai, Musashi and Shinano met, and its name combines their initial characters. Its slopes feed the Fuefuki, Arakawa and Chikuma rivers, which flow to the Pacific and the Sea of Japan.

Can the park be visited as a day trip from Tokyo?

Yes. Mitake-san, Okutama and the Chichibu valleys are one to two hours from central Tokyo by train, and many trails start from stations on the JR Ōme Line or the Seibu Chichibu Line.

Sources

1.秩父多摩甲斐国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
2.国立公園の概要 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
3.Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park (opens in a new tab) — Ministry of the Environment, Japan