| H O M E ------- T R A V E L ------- J A P A N ------- T A K A O |
Sacred mountain that represents the Tama area Full of amusement at museums, zoo and botanical garden as well as hiking in the mountains
Mt. Takao-san, located in the western Tokyo and at the eastern edge of the Kanto Mountain Range, is a sacred mountain that represents the Tama area. It is designated as the Meiji-no-mori Takao National Park. Emperor Shomu ordered to build Yakuoin Temple halfway up this mountain in 744. The people have worshiped this temple for more than 1,200 years, and over 3 million worshipers visit here every year even today.
There is a statue of a tengu, a long nosed mythical figure, which is believed to be a deified image of a man who mastered rigorous ascetic disciplinary practice in the mountains and acquired magical power and spiritual power. This statue is a symbol of Mt. Takao-san in the traditional Japanese practice of mountain worship. You may see ascetic devotees in religious practice of standing under a waterfall between April and October at the Biwa-daki Falls and Hebi-daki Falls.
There are six well-maintained courses with different themes from the foot of Mt. Takao-san to the 600 meter-high mountaintops called Takao-san Natural Research Routes. You can enjoy watching over 500 kinds of plants along the path. You can also climb halfway to the top by cable car or lift, so climbing to the top is not difficult. There is Takao-san Natural Zoo and Botanical Garden near the terminal of the cable car, where monkeys ranging freely will greet you.
To Get there :
From Osaka, it takes 1 hour from Osaka Itami Airport to Tokyo Haneda Airport. From Osaka, take JR Tokaido Shinkansen Line for 2 hours and 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station to Tokyo Station. Take JR Narita Express Train for 1 hour and 5 minutes from Narita Airport Station to Tokyo Station. It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes from Tokyo Station to Takao Station by JR Chuo Line, and 5 minutes from Takao Station to Takaosan-guchi Station by Keio Line.
Trails
| The 1st Trail (Omote-sando Course) |
"The Nature of Mt.Takao" From the foot to the top of mountain is the Omote-sando, that is, the front approach to the gateway of Yakuoin Temple. It is a cuise choice to know the ample nature of Mt.Takao by walking Course1with broad width. There are many big trees where flying squirrels nest, which can be seen at night. (Distance: 3.8 km/approx. 90 min.) |
| The 2nd Trail (Kasumidai Loop Course) | "The forest of Mt.Takao" This course guides around the north and the south slopes with typical natural forests of Mt.Takao. Evergreen broad-leaved trees, with oaks mainly on the south slope and deciduous broad-leaved trees, with Inu-buna (a sort of Japanese beech) as the most part, on the north slope can be observed. (Distance: 0.9km/approx. 30min.) |
| The 3rd Trail (Katsura-bayashi Course) |
"The Vegetation of Mt.Takao" Winding on the south slope, up to the top, this course goes through the woods of evergreen broad-leaved trees (the trees are also called gloss-leaved trees as the surface of the leaves are glossy), many of them are oaks and Yabu-tsubaki trees (a sort of camellia tree). The spot is comparatively warm even in wintertime and a variety of birds are observable, such as bulbuls, Japanese white-eyes, etc, who come to suckle honey of Yabu-tsubaki blossoms. (Distance: 2.4km/approx. 60min.) |
| The 4th Trail (Tsuribashi Course) |
"Forest and Animals" Winding on the north slope, the course goes through woods of the deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Japanese beech as the most part of it, and beech, aka-shide and maple. Seasonal change in climate is great here. There is also a suspension bridge. Singing of blue-and-white flycatchers and black thrushes can be heard to in early summer, when the woods display fresh green. (Distance :1.5km /approx.45 min.) |
| The 5th Trail (Sancho Loop Course) |
"Human Being and Nature" The course goes around near the mountaintop, and there are planted woods of kunugi (a kind of oaks), konara (Japanese oak), kashiwa (a kind of oaks), Japanese cedar called edo-sugi, Japanese cypress, and katsura tree. Though it is so-called man-madenature, wild animals and plants are making a good life there. (Distance: 0.9km/approx. 30 min.) |
| The 6th Trail (Biwa-taki Waterfall Course) |
"Forest and Water" At Biwa-taki Waterfall, there may be seen a water ascetic sometimes. The course goes along the narrow valleys where creatures living in water could be observed. Various kinds of rocks, sandstone, faultect, of which Mt.Takao is composed, could be observed at the place of their cropping out, and also the Biwa-taki Waterfall, rare plants as chidorinoki and hanaikada and plenty ferns. (Distance:3.3km/approx. 90 min.) |