You look up and see yellow and red mountains
and the unique color of the water,
and beneath your feet, fresh green moss and
and endless rows of bright red autumn leaves.
It's a magical landscape.

Just a quick walk…
I started out light-heartedly,
but the closer we got to Shiromaru Dam,
it turned out to be a more serious hike than I had thought.

to satisfy the outdoor travelers
who have always wanted to hike near Tokyo
It's one of Tokyo's hidden travel course.

Before entering the valley, you'll find this
literal "cafe in the forest."
Before and after your hike,
it's nice of them to give you a caffeine transfusion.

you can see the Hatonosu Valley
where you can soak in the hot springs,
and the fatigue of the day instantly disappears.

Oh, by the way,
Hatonosu Station
is not manned by a station attendant.
So without an IC card like Suica,
Travelers using cash to get on and off
press a button on the red machine
that pops out a boarding station ticket,
which looks like a white piece of paper,
that you give to the station attendant at the station where you get off
and pay the corresponding amount.
It's worth checking out :)

Get off at Okutama Station.
Before starting the Hikawa Valley hike,
we stopped by Okuhikawa Shrine.
A cat came up to me and cuddled up to me,
and we played with it for a while.

I prayed for a safe hike today
toward the giant sacred tree,
and then we turned our steps towards the hike.

If the beginning of the Hatonosu Valley
was Hatonosu Kobashi,
the bridge that marks the beginning of the Hikawa Valley Trail
is Hikawa Kobashi.

No matter where or how you look
From the color of the water to the color of the leaves
there's no place that isn't beautiful this time of year.

With a view of the most beautiful part of the valley
a small bridge overlooks Tokebashi.
I want to count it as one of Hikawa Valley's best viewpoints :)

This is a small restaurant located right in front of the bus stop.
The hand-made rolled noodles and soba are so delicious,
we went to the restaurant at 12 noon
just in time for the restaurant to open.
To reach our next destination, Lake Okutama
We had to take the bus.
As we waited for the bus departure time,
it was the perfect chance for a leisurely meal.

From Okutama Station.
Lake Okutama is about
a 20-minute bus ride away.

The weather was so nice
As we hiked in the Hikawa Valley,
but as soon as we arrived at Lake Okutama
it started to rain.

Okutama Water and Nature Center
You can see Okutama Mizu-to-Midori-no-Fureaikan (Water and Green Museum) (奥多摩水と緑のふれあい館)
We took a break from the rain to explore the exhibit :)
Here you can learn about the uses of water, watch a 3D movie,
see the structure and role of the dam, and see the four seasons of Okutama Forest.
The history of the lake and dam
Important annual events in the area
Kashima Dori and Shishimai.
costumes and dolls used in Kashima Dori and Shishimai.

With the vast reservoir at your back
you go up, up, up, up like a mountain climber
At the top, you'll be rewarded with
a panoramic view of Lake Okutawa.
Located upstream of Tamagawa, Lake Okutawa
is managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau.
It is an important man-made lake responsible for Tokyo's water supply.
Its official name is Ogouchi Reservoir (小河内貯水池),
but everyone seems to affectionately call it Okutama Lake :)

If I had the chance, I wanted to go to the Hapoiwa Observation Deck
have a look around, take a break on the benches, and then go back down.
But Ogouchi Dam has an observation deck at the very top.
The dam observatory is only open until 4 pm...
We descended in a bit of a hurry and climbed to the dam lookout point.

It serves as Tokyo's water storage
and is responsible for generating electricity for the city
It is the Ogouchi Dam.
And here we can quietly look down
in the rainy late afternoon.
On this trip to Japan,
the two days in Tama
were truly a time for health and healing.
I can't wait to return.

Escaping away from people and buildings,
I saw nature in a familiar yet unfamiliar state.
I enjoyed healthy food and fresh air.
Every day is my journey as far as I walk.
For those who want to spend such a fulfilling day
The Tama area,
which is accessible by train from the center of Tokyo,
I believe that it's a great place to visit.
I conclude my Tokyo travel story.