Mount Takao hiking guide

Why Mount Takao is worth the trip

Takao holds three stars in the Michelin Green Guide, the same rating as Mount Fuji, and it is one of the busiest mountains in the world. It's easy to see why: within an hour of central Tokyo you're in old cedar forest, climbing past a temple founded in 744, with Fuji on the horizon on a clear day.

It's also a proper walk without being a hard one. The main trails are well marked, there's a cable car if you want to skip the steepest part, and there's food at the top. That makes it the ideal first taste of hiking in Japan, for families as much as keen walkers.

How to get there

Take the Keiō Line from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi (高尾山口), the station at the foot of the mountain. It takes about 50 minutes and costs under ¥500 each way with an IC card like Suica or Pasmo. Some trains run straight through; on others you change at Kitano. I've written a step-by-step train guide from Shinjuku with everything you need.

From Takaosanguchi the trails start about five minutes' walk away, past the cable car station and the soba shops.

The trails, compared

Takao has several numbered trails. These are the ones worth knowing, from busiest to quietest:

• Trail 1 (Omotesandō): the main paved route, about 3.8 km and 100 minutes to the top. It passes Yakuō-in temple and the food stalls, and it's the busiest.
• Trail 6 (Biwa Falls): follows a mountain stream through the forest, with stepping stones and a small waterfall still used for ascetic training. About 3.3 km and 90 minutes. Lovely, but it can be wet and muddy.
• Inariyama Trail: a ridge path with open views over the Kantō plain and a lot of wooden steps. About 3.1 km and 90 minutes, and much quieter than Trail 1.
• Trails 2, 3 and 4: shorter loops near the top. Trail 4 crosses a suspension bridge and makes a nice way down to the cable car.

The cable car and chairlift

If you'd rather save your legs, the cable car (said to be the steepest in Japan) and the open-air chairlift both climb from the foot of the mountain to around the halfway point. That cuts about 40 minutes off the hike and leaves an easy walk to the temple and summit. Many people ride up and walk down. Keep some cash or an IC card handy for tickets.

Yakuō-in and the tengu

Halfway up stands Yakuō-in, a Buddhist temple founded in 744. It's guarded by statues of tengu, the long-nosed mountain spirits said to protect Takao, and surrounded by cedars hundreds of years old, including the gnarled "octopus cedar" on Trail 1. Even if you're not religious, it's the atmospheric heart of the mountain.

The best time to visit

• Autumn (mid to late November): the maples turn red and gold. Spectacular, and the busiest time of year.
• Winter (December to February): cold, crisp and clear, with the best Fuji views. Around the winter solstice the sun sets right on Fuji's peak, known as Diamond Fuji.
• Spring (April): cherry blossom on the lower slopes, and plum blossom in the valley behind the mountain from late February.
• Early summer (May to June): the freshest green of the year and fewer people. Hydrangeas in June.
• Summer (July to September): hot and humid, so start early, or go late for the Beer Mount beer garden halfway up.

There's something different every month. My seasonal tour changes its route to follow whatever is best when you visit.

How to avoid the crowds

• Go on a weekday if you can. Autumn weekends can be shoulder to shoulder.
• Start before 9am, when the trails are cool and quiet.
• Choose the Inariyama Trail or Trail 6 rather than Trail 1.
• Come down a different way from the one you went up.
• Keep going past the summit: an hour along the ridge to Shiroyama brings you to tea houses and far fewer people.

What to bring

• Shoes with good grip. Trainers are fine on Trail 1, but Trail 6 and Inariyama have roots, mud and steps.
• Water, plus a snack if you're starting early.
• A warm layer: the summit is noticeably cooler than Tokyo.
• Cash for food stalls, plus an IC card for the train and cable car.

Food and an onsen to finish

Takao's signature dish is tororo soba, buckwheat noodles with grated mountain yam, served at little restaurants at the foot of the mountain and near the top. Look out for grilled dango at the stalls on Trail 1 too. At the bottom, the free Takao 599 Museum is a beautiful small introduction to the mountain's wildlife, and the hot-spring baths right next to Takaosanguchi station are the perfect end to the day.

Private tour · 5 hoursMount Takao: Beyond TokyoWant the quiet trails, the stories behind the temple and someone to handle the logistics? This is my most popular tour.From ¥12,000 per person

Private tour · 7–8 hoursRidge to Fuji: Jinba–Takao TraverseFor keen hikers: a full-day ridge walk from Mount Jinba to Takao with Fuji alongside.From ¥18,000 per person