Peak Pleasure
Early summer is the perfect season to escape the city and head for the hills.
If you tell a Tokyoite you want to go hiking, most will recommend Mount Takao on the western fringes of the capital. While the 599-meter peak offers a variety of climbing routes (and a funicular for those looking for a more sedate day out), there are plenty of great day hikes within reach of Tokyo.
MOUNT NABEWARI
People in these parts don’t believe in switchbacks. So while the Tanzawa mountain range is popular with experienced trail runners, Nabewari is more tourist friendly. The proprietor at the summit hut has been serving his nabeyaki udon noodles for more than 30 years. Stop by nearby Mount To (1,491 meters) for stunning views of Fuji.
Height: 1,272 m; Duration: 7 hrs; Difficulty: 3.5/5; Transportation time: 90 min
Nearest station: Shibusawa Station
(then a Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu bus to Okura)
www.kankou-hadano.org
MOUNT JINBA
In the vicinity of Mount Takao, Jinba is popular with novice trail runners. The hike to the top of Jinba is a good 45-minute pull. From there, it is a flat traverse along the ridge (18.5 kilometers) that ends at Takao, where a beverage at the outdoor beer garden is as refreshing as a cool, mountain stream.
Height: 857 m; Duration: 7 hrs; Difficulty: 2.5/5; Transportation time: 60 min
Nearest station: Takao Station (then a
Nishi Tokyo Bus to Jinba Kogen Shita)
www.takaotozan.co.jp
MOUNT KAWANORI
Without any toilets or noodle stands, Kawanori is definitely rustic by Tokyo standards. The uncongested trails overlooking the Okutama Valley offer a pleasant climb, scenic picnic spots and an up-close and personal view of the majestic Hyakuhiro Falls.
Height: 1,363 m; Duration: 6 hrs; Difficulty: 3/5; Transportation time: 110 min
Nearest station: Okutama Station (then
bus no. 1 to Kawanoribashi)
www.town.okutama.tokyo.jp
MOUNT ODAKE
Start at 929-meter Mount Mitake, which can be accessed by funicular or a nondescript 45-minute walk. Pay a visit to the 2,000-year-old Musashi Mitake Shrine and then head off to Odake, the tallest mountain in Tokyo. Take in a natural rock garden and the tumbling waters of Ayahiro Falls along the way.
Height: 1,267 m; Duration: 5 hrs; Difficulty: 3/5; Transportation time: 90 min
Nearest station: Mitake Station
www.mt-mitake.gr.jp
MOUNT MITSUTOGE
Overlooking Lake Kawaguchi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, the well-marked trail to Mitsutoge offers a combination of steep climbs, comfortable switchbacks and rope bridges. Near the top, you’ll pass 88 Buddhas and a popular, all-levels rock-climbing wall. The summit is littered with antennas and power lines, but the view of Fuji dominates.
Height: 1,785 m; Duration: 6 hrs; Difficulty: 3/5; Transportation time: 110 min
Nearest station: Mitsutoge Station
www.fujisan.ne.jp
MOUNT OYAMA
Mount Oyama is a fairly standard Kanto hike. The first part of the path takes you through concession stands, a deer park and ancient shrines, including one built by Japan’s 10th emperor. You can also take a cable car up to Afuri Shrine. From there, it’s a 1.5-hour climb to the Kanagawa summit.
Height: 1,252 m; Duration: 5 hrs; Difficulty: 2.5/5; Transportation time: 100 min
Nearest station: Isehara Station (then
bus no. 4 to the last stop)
www.odakyu.jp/english/destination/tanzawa_oyama
MOUNT OKU SHIRANE
To really get away from it all, the mountains surrounding Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture offer unobstructed, panoramic views and plenty of breathing room on the trail. Oku Shirane is the highest peak in the Nikko National Park and offers scenic resting spots alongside serene mountain lakes. Driving is the most manageable way to complete in one day.
Height: 2,578 m; Duration: 7.5 hrs; Difficulty: 3.5/5; Transportation time: 250 min
Nearest station: Nikko Station (then a
bus to Yumoto Onsen)
www.nikko-japan.org
MOUNT TSUKUBA
The bad: scenic spots blocked by cable lines, trails crowded with senior citizens and a summit littered with noodle stands and gift shops. The good: the Ibaraki mountain’s elaborate shrine and cool rock formations that depict local myths (though the information signs are all in Japanese).
Height: 877 m; Duration: 4 hrs; Difficulty: 2.5/5; Transportation time: 90 min
Nearest station: Tsukuba Station (then
a Kanto Tetsudo bus to Tsukuba Jinja Mae)
www.mt-tsukuba.com (Japanese only)
MOUNT HODO
The trail up the stumpy Hodo-san, located next to Nagatora in Saitama, is relatively easy and features different flowers in bloom for every season. At the top, hikers are rewarded with a small zoo and Okunoin Shrine, one of the three major shrines of Chichibu.
Height: 497 m; Duration: 2 hrs; Difficulty: 2/5; Transportation time: 120 min
Nearest station: Nagatoro Station
www.hodosan-jinja.or.jp
Keep on climbing…
Instead of going to Mount Odake, take a left at the summit of Mount Mitake and head to Mount Hinode. Also in Nikko, but not as far as Oku Shirane, is Mount Nantai. The Kamakura Alps (don’t imagine towering Swiss peaks) offer a fun way to visit Kamakura’s shrines, while Mount Kobo, a small hill in Hadano, is beautiful during cherry blossom season.
Words: Nick Narigon
