Getting away to Mount Takao
Escaping the hustle and bustle of Tokyo with a day trip to Mount Takao

Back down trail number 1 I headed, enjoying the tranquility as the path wound around the mountain with thick forest on either side, making for a very serene and atmospheric walk. I headed back through Yakuoin and then along more meandering pathways before arriving at the final spot on today's adventure.

A few steps from the cable car top station is the beer garden, called Mt. Takao Beer Mount. At 500 meters above sea level, it is the highest altitude beer garden in Tokyo and certainly among the highest in all of Japan! It is open annually from mid-June to mid-October, while for the rest of the year it serves as a regular restaurant.

The unique charm of this place is the ability to drink beer and eat delicious food while taking in spectacular views down the mountain of the urban landscape in the distance. After a day of hiking in the early summer sun, I couldn't wait to sit down to eat, drink and relax. I ordered a beer, and then took advantage of the buffet-style food stations, which have all manner of foods on offer from stone-baked pizza to Chinese sweet and sour, and yakisoba to French fries.

All in all, sipping ice cold beer and enjoying the food while watching the sunset wasn't a bad way to end the day. Replete and happy, I finally made my way to the cable car, which has extended operation hours during the opening of the Mt. Takao Beer Mount in summer, and made my way down the mountain and back towards central Tokyo.