A week after coming back from Kyoto, here I am again, leaving for another trip to see beautiful autumn leaves, to Mount Takao. Only 50 minutes away from Tokyo (from Shinjuku station), Mount Takao is a popular destination among people living in Tokyo, being a great escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. It is especially crowded in November, when most people come to enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves.
There are several hiking trails that lead to the 599m high summit. The most accesible one is trail number one, that can be climbed even by inexperienced people. For someone like me, with little or no experience, even path 1 was a little tough but not impossible, and after taking several breaks, I reached the top. From the top, you could see Mt Fuji’s outline, which I hope to be able to climb someday.
Mount Takao is considered a sacred mountain and many people come to Yakuoin buddhist temple, located close to the summit, to pray for good luck to the mountain gods (tengu).
We were lucky to go there on a sunny day and enjoy beautiful landscapes. The hiking trail we chose took about 3 hours, including the breaks. We came back by cable car because we didn’t want to hike in the dark. Roasted mochi cakes were a real delight and they could be found at every stop corner, near souvenir stands and vending machines. I definitely recommend them if you are going to climb Mount Takao!
