Mount Takao · Autumn

Mount Takao autumn leaves

Every November, Mount Takao turns red and gold, and half of Tokyo comes to see it. I've watched the colour come and go on this mountain every autumn since 2013. Here's when to go, where the best maples are, and how to enjoy it without spending your day in a queue.

By Luke, local guide since 2013Updated 22 October 20266 min read

Best colour: Mid-Nov to early Dec
Momiji festival: Late Oct to mid-Dec
Best maples: Yakuō-in, cable car area
Busiest: Weekends, 10:00–14:00

When the leaves peak

The colour starts near the summit, usually in early November, and works its way down the mountain over the following weeks. Most years the whole mountain is at its best from mid-November to early December. Autumns have been getting warmer, and this year forecasters expect Tokyo's colour to peak around the end of November.

The mountain holds its Momiji Matsuri (maple festival) through the season, usually from late October to mid-December (in 2025 it ran from 25 October to 14 December), with stalls and events near the station and on the mountain.

Where to see the best colour

Around the cable car stations: the maples by Kiyotaki station at the bottom and Takaosan station at the top are some of the most photographed on the mountain.
Yakuō-in temple: red maples around the halls, with incense smoke and the tengu statues. The most atmospheric spot on Takao.
Momiji-dai: literally "maple terrace", five minutes past the summit. Maples, a tea house and, on a clear morning, Mount Fuji.
Itchōdaira: further along the ridge towards Shiroyama. Wide, open and much quieter than the summit.
The quiet trails: Trail 6 and the Inariyama Trail have fewer famous trees, but you walk through the colour instead of past it, with a fraction of the people.

Snow-capped Mount Fuji above blue ridges, seen through pines from Takao's summit — Fuji from Takao's summit. Clear November mornings are often the best of the year.

How to beat the crowds

Autumn weekends are Takao's busiest days of the year, and at the peak the queue for the cable car can take 30 to 60 minutes. A few things make a huge difference:

Go on a weekday if you possibly can.
Start early. Be at Takaosanguchi by 8:30 and you'll have the trails and the temple almost to yourself.
Walk up instead of queueing. The Inariyama Trail takes about 90 minutes and is far quieter. Save the cable car for the way down.
Eat early or late. The summit is packed from about 11:30 to 13:30. Momiji-dai, five minutes on, is calmer.
Check the trail signs. On the busiest days Trail 6 can become one-way, uphill only.

A photographer's tips

Shoot maples against the light. Leaves glow when the sun is behind them, so look up into the canopy late in the morning.
Overcast days are good days. Soft light makes the reds richer and stops the forest floor turning into harsh shadows.
Frame Fuji with maples at Momiji-dai early in the day, before the haze builds.
At Yakuō-in, look for smoke and light together: incense drifting through a sunbeam makes the shot.

A good autumn day on Takao

1Arrive at Takaosanguchi by 8:30, about 50 minutes from Shinjuku (train guide).
2Climb the Inariyama Trail through the forest, with views over Tokyo on the way.
3Summit and Momiji-dai for Fuji, maples and hot nameko mushroom soup at the tea house.
4Down past Yakuō-in on Trail 1, then the cable car or chairlift to the bottom.
5Late November? Finish under the golden ginkgo avenue of the Kōshū Kaidō, a short ride away.

Private tour · 5 hoursHachioji in SeasonMy autumn tour: the quiet maple trails, tea at the summit, then the golden ginkgo avenue.From ¥12,000 per person

Private tour · 5 hoursMount Takao: Beyond TokyoOr the classic Takao day on the quiet trails, with the temple and the summit.From ¥12,000 per person

Questions people ask

When is the best time to see autumn leaves on Mount Takao?

Usually from mid-November to early December. The summit colours first and the lower slopes last, so late November is often the best all-round time.

When is the Mount Takao Momiji Matsuri?

It usually runs from late October to mid-December. In 2025 it ran from 25 October to 14 December.

How busy is Mount Takao in autumn?

Very busy on weekends, when the cable car queue can reach 30 to 60 minutes. Go on a weekday, start early, or walk up a quieter trail.

Can I see Mount Fuji in autumn?

Often, especially on clear, cold mornings in November. By the afternoon, haze can hide it.