No spring outing is complete without cherry blossom viewing.
Take a trip to the natural splendor of Mount Takao a mere one hour from the city and encounter scenery found no
place else.
Mount Takao is in the city of Hachioji, a suburb of Tokyo near the border with Kanagawa Prefecture. In the Michelin Voyager Pratique Japon published in France by Michelin Guide,
Mount Takao has a three-star rating as a “must-see” destination. Accessible by a single train line from Shinjuku Station, Mount Takao is a scenic wonderland throughout all four
seasons. Springtime is especially recommended, as one can enjoy a hike while admiring the hillsides covered with cherry blossoms in full bloom.
One must-see attraction that can
be seen only in springtime is the rows of cherry trees known as the “One Thousand Cherry Trees of Takao.” Enjoy a hike at the height of spring when the mountainsides are bathed in
pink.
After arriving at Takaosanguchi Station, follow the Omotesando trail lined with soba restaurants and souvenir shops and then take a cable car or lift to the upper station. After this pleasant journey amid nature, you will enjoy the scenery during the approx. 40-minute hike from the station in the heart of the mountain to the summit. If it’s a sunny day, besides views of beautiful Mount Fuji you can even see Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, and other central Tokyo buildings and landmarks. When you reach the viewing deck on top of the 599-meter mountain, enjoy the stunning views of the mountains around Mount Takao and the Okutama landscape, as well as the panorama of the Tokyo suburbs below.
If you go all the way to the summit, just a short extra walk brings you to the cherry blossoms. Descend the stone stairway on the west side of the summit to Momijidai, a clearing filled with lush green 80-year-old Japanese maples. The rows of cherry trees planted along the mountain ridge that begin here are the “One Thousand Cherry Trees.” The path from this wide-open mountaintop clearing to the pleasant scenery of Kobotoke Shiroyama takes you through a pink canopy amid the fullness of spring. Be sure to visit one of the teahouses serving mountain vegetable dishes and nameko mushroom soup along the way.
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Mount Takao
Address:Takaomachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193-0844
https://en.mttakaomagazine.com/
