Mount Takao

Yesterday I went to the mountains west of Tokyo to do some hiking.  It was a cold, clear day... perfect for catching views of Mount Fuji.  I went to Takao-san (Mount Takao) by train, less than 45 minutes from Setagaya on the Keio Line.  There are many different trails to ascend 600m high Takao-san, ranging from trail 1, a wide paved trail that passes sacred shrines and temples and carries many visitors, to trail 6, which is less travelled and follows a valley route and then a steep climb.  I actually chose a non-numbered trail called Inariyama Trail, which ascends a ridge of Takao-san.  It was quite busy at the start of the trail with a group of school children but eventually thinned out.  The top of Takao-san was packed with hundreds of people who had walked trail 1 or ascended by cable car or chair lift.  The highlight for me was hiking past Takao-san to Shiro-yama, another mountain peak about 45 minutes farther along the trail.  There were less people here, good views of Mount Fuji, and a mountain hut that served oden (hot pot), mushroom soup, drip coffee, and cold beer!