Mount Takao
A Michelin three-star day hike an hour from central Tokyo, with a cable car for anyone short on time
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- About 90 minutes up Trail 1, or roughly 40 minutes with the cable car or chairlift
- Summit elevation
- 599 m
A short train ride from Shinjuku, Takao rises just 599 metres but packs in old-growth forest, the historic Yakuoin Temple and sweeping views that on a clear winter day reach as far as Mount Fuji. Trail 1, the main paved route, passes a small monkey park and observation decks on its way to the summit, with a cable car and chairlift shortcutting the steepest lower stretch for anyone pressed for time or energy.
Highlights
- The historic Yakuoin Temple partway up the mountain
- Views to Mount Fuji on clear winter days
- A small monkey park and squirrel garden along Trail 1
- Vivid autumn foliage in late November
Getting there
From Shinjuku Station, take the Keio Line direct to Takaosanguchi Station (about 50 minutes); the Trail 1 trailhead and cable car station are a short walk from the station exit.
Safety tips
Takao is a genuinely low-risk hike on a clear, well-maintained trail, but weekend and autumn-foliage crowds can make the paths and cable car queues very busy; an early start avoids the worst of it, and ordinary trainers are fine on Trail 1.
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes (Trail 1 is paved but still a real climb)
- Cash for the cable car, chairlift or monkey park
- Water and a light snack
- A camera for the Mount Fuji view on clear days