Things to do in Hachioji

1. Hike Mount Takao

Hachioji's star: a 599-metre mountain of cedar forest, temples and Fuji views, rated three stars by the Michelin Green Guide. Trails range from a paved path to a stream walk with stepping stones, and there's a cable car if you'd rather ride. My Mount Takao hiking guide has everything you need.

Private tour · 5 hoursMount Takao: Beyond TokyoThe quiet trails, the temple and the tengu stories, with lunch where the locals eat.From ¥12,000 per person

2. Explore Hachioji Castle ruins

In 1590 Hachioji Castle fell to the armies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in a single day. Its mountain-top keep is long gone, but the stone walls, gate and a reconstructed bridge are still in the forest, and it's listed among Japan's 100 Fine Castles. It's one of the most atmospheric historic sites in Tokyo and almost nobody goes.

3. Walk the Musashi Imperial Graveyard

A long gravel avenue lined with tall cedars leads to the tombs of the Taishō and Shōwa emperors and their empresses. It's calm, grand and free to visit, and only a short walk from Takao Station.

Private tour · 5 hoursSamurai & Silk: Hidden HistoryThe castle, the imperial mausoleum and Hachioji's silk-road history in one day.From ¥12,000 per person

4. Eat Hachioji ramen

Hachioji has its own ramen style: a clear soy-sauce broth with a layer of oil and, the giveaway, a pile of chopped raw onion on top. Every local has a favourite shop, and the best are small counters near the station.

Private tour · 5 hoursThe Real Hachioji: A Local's LifeRamen, shopping streets and the places I actually go, on foot with me.From ¥12,000 per person

5. See Naka-chō after dark

Naka-chō was Hachioji's geisha district, and it's one of the few places in Tokyo where geisha still work. Its lantern-lit lanes of old wooden houses are at their best in the evening, before you head into the izakaya and tiny bars nearby.

Private tour · 3 hoursHachioji After DarkLanterns, the old geisha district and the izakaya, in three hours.From ¥9,000 per person

6. Visit the Takao 599 Museum

At the foot of Mount Takao, this free museum is a beautifully designed introduction to the mountain's plants, insects and animals. It's a good stop before or after a hike, especially with children.

7. Time your visit with the seasons

• Late February to March: thousands of plum trees blossom in the Takao Baigō groves behind Mount Takao.
• April: Tama Forest Science Garden, near Takao Station, has hundreds of cherry varieties, so the blossom lasts for weeks.
• Early August: the Hachioji Festival fills the streets with floats, drums and dancers.
• Mid-November: the Ichō (ginkgo) Festival, when more than 770 ginkgo trees turn gold along the old Kōshū Kaidō highway.

Private tour · 5 hoursHachioji in SeasonA different route for every season, so you catch whatever is best when you visit.From ¥12,000 per person

8. Hike the Jinba to Takao ridge

For proper hikers, the ridge from Mount Jinba to Takao is one of the best day walks near Tokyo: grassy summits, tea houses and Mount Fuji alongside for much of the way.

Private tour · 7–8 hoursRidge to Fuji: Jinba–Takao TraverseA full day on the ridge with Fuji alongside, for groups who hike regularly.From ¥18,000 per person

9. Soak in a hot spring

There's a hot-spring bath right next to Takaosanguchi station, with indoor and outdoor pools. After a day on the trails, nothing beats it.

Getting to Hachioji

The JR Chūō Line runs from Shinjuku to Hachiōji in about 40 minutes on a rapid train, and the Keiō Line runs from Shinjuku to Keiō-Hachiōji and on to Mount Takao. Both take IC cards like Suica and Pasmo. For the mountain, see how to get from Shinjuku to Mount Takao.