A Day Trip to Mount Takao in Western Tokyo Is a Breath of Fresh Air
One morning in late October I boarded the Chuo Line from my home base at Mitaka, and headed west. I wanted to revisit Takao, and check out some things that I had missed in previous trips.
Oddly, the best place to get off the train is not Takao Station. It's Takaosanguchi Station. But that is with one caveat. If you interested in seeing the Mausoleum of Emperor Shōwa (known during the war as Hirohito), you will need to get off at Takao and ready yourself for a 20 minute hike. I did this on a separate trip because for me I can only handle one hike a day (at my advanced age!).
Otherwise, you'll switch trains at Takao Station for the Keio-Takao Line and get off at Takaosanguchi Station. There, right across the street from the station, your eye will undoubtedly be caught by the Mount Takao Trick Art Museum. I was curious about it on this trip so I dished out 1500 yen to find out what it was all about. Well, it was a bit like a maze, and definitely targeted at kids and teens, so take heed lest you get sucked into its vortex and get lost trying to get out as I did.
But I digress. My primary goal on this day was to walk the Takao trail #1, which is the main destination for most visitors. The mountain's trails are numbered, with the #1 trail the longest and most popular. To get there, I wanted to take the cable car or the chair lift at Kiyotaki Station up to the mountain side in order to avoid the long uphill climb.
On my way I made a quick stop at the TAKAO 599 MUSEUM, which is a visitor center of sorts. It is a little free museum that focuses on the creatures large and small that inhabit Mt. Takao. Incidentally, the number 599 in the name of this museum is the actual height of the mountain in meters.
When I arrived at Kiyotaki station I made an executive decision to ride the chair lift instead of the cable car. Yes, the pretty yellow cable car looks so cute, but I knew the chair lift would be much more fun and even a bit dangerous, which is exciting, right?
Anyway, I got up to Takaosan Station at the top of the hill, and made my way to the main trail.
So what is there to see? Well, right near Takaosan Station there is an observation deck, from which you can see the rolling hills of trees and the town in the valley below.
But the mountain temples are the real attraction, dating back a 1000 years. The main spiritual focal point is Yakuo-in, a temple established in the year 744 by Emperor Shomu. Yakuo-in is the head temple for the mountain asceticism practice of Shugendō, a form of mountain asceticism that blends Shinto, Buddhist, and local folk beliefs.
Asceticism is the practice of strict self-denial and austerity, often for spiritual or personal discipline. It involves renouncing worldly pleasures to achieve a higher spiritual or intellectual state. (Ok, I confess, I had to look that one up.)
Worship of tengu, mythical mountain spirits believed to be messengers of the gods, is also a key part of the sect. Tengu are often depicted with a long nose or a crow's beak and are seen as guardians who can bring good fortune. You'll see the statues of tengu at each of the temples on Mount Takao, guarding the temple with fierce poses.
There are a number of festivals held at Mount Takao throughout the year. The most popular one is the Autumn Leaves Festival, or Kōyō Matsuri, which features above all the turning of the leaves. It begins in late October and ends in mid-December. I think the best time for kōyō viewing is towards the middle to end of November.
A final quick note about getting here. Hop on the Chuo Line heading west towards Tachikawa. You'll have to pay attention to which train you board, as some of them go to Ome, and others go towards Hachioji. You'll want the Hachioji train. Once you get to Takao station, you'll need to change trains to board the Keio-Takao Line towards Takaosanguchi Station, which is the last stop. Alternatively, you can take the Keio Line going west past Shinjuku to the end of the line. From Takaosanguchi, using your handy smartphone map, head towards the Takaosan Cable Car at Kiyotaki Station. Happy climbing!
