Just a stone’s throw away from Tokyo, lies the serene and spiritual Mt. Mitake, a mountain that has been worshiped as a sacred since ancient times.
Rising majestically at 929 m (3,048 ft), this mountain offers you a blend of nature’s beauty and ancient Japanese spirituality.
Lush forests, rock gardens, and age-old shrines await, if you choose to embark on this journey.
A hike up Mt. Mitake is more than just a physical ascent; it’s a journey for the soul.
For this hike, we paired it up with the nearby Mt. Hinode and ending it at Tsuru-tsuru Onsen for that perfect itinerary.
How to Get to the Mt. Mitake
If you’re coming from Tokyo, reaching Mt. Mitake is both straightforward and scenic. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Depart from Central Tokyo: Begin at a central station, such as Shinjuku or Tokyo Station. Look for the orange JR Chuo Line, which will be your ride towards Ome Station. This leg of the journey typically lasts about 75 minutes from Shinjuku. A tip to note: Some trains travel directly to Ome, while others may necessitate a change at Tachikawa, which is about 40 minutes from Shinjuku.
Switch at Ome Station: Once you arrive at Ome Station, you’ll need to hop onto another train. Conveniently, the JR Ome Line (also orange) usually awaits passengers on the opposite platform. This train will take you to Mitake Station, a short 20-minute ride. For those with a Japan Rail Pass or Tokyo Wide Pass, this entire journey will be covered, otherwise, it will cost you 950 yen one-way.
From Mitake Station to the Cable Car: After disembarking at Mitake Station, you have two options to reach the base of the Mt. Mitake cable car.
- By Bus: There are buses available, approximately 2 per hour, that will take you directly to the cable car’s lower station. This is a 10-minute journey and will set you back 290 yen one way.
- On Foot: If you’re in the mood for a brief stroll before the main hike, you can walk to the cable car’s lower station. Maybe even passing by Mitake Gorge on the way. The walk is picturesque and takes about 40 minutes.
Cable Car Ride: The cable car, which runs 2-3 times an hour, offers a swift and scenic ascent to the mountain’s upper reaches. A round trip will cost 1130 yen. (Of course, if you’re here to hike then feel free to skip the cable car.)
What to Know About Mt. Mitake
At its summit, you’ll find the ancient Musashi Mitake Shrine, which has a history spanning almost 2000 years. It’s dedicated to the Shinto deity Oguchimagami. You can also see Mt. Fuji on clear days.
For centuries, this mountain has been a place of ascetic training for Shugendo practitioners. Shugendo is a form of Japanese mountain asceticism that integrates Shinto and Buddhist concepts, a form of religious syncretism.
Its followers, known as Yamabushi, undergo rigorous training in the mountains to attain enlightenment.
Tengu, supernatural creatures often depicted with both human and avian characteristics, are commonly associated with the Shugendō tradition. They’re believed to be the protectors of the forest and mountains.
In the Rock Gardens, you can find a special boulder called Tengu-iwa (Tengu Rock) which is believed to carry a shape similar to a Tengu’s head facing upwards.
Difficulty
If you start your hike from the very base, you will experience a consistent incline with an overall elevation gain of 774 m (2,539 ft). While the trail is well-trodden and generally safe, it can be steep in sections, especially as you approach the summit.
The incline from the upper cable car station to the summit is milder in comparison to starting from the base.
While it’s not particularly high compared to other mountains in Japan, it’s still a significant elevation. The terrain varies, with some sections being steep and requiring careful navigation, especially if the ground is wet.
Most of the paths are paved and we were able to enjoy that natural feel a bit more over at Mt. Hinode.
Still, there are also stretches that are quite gentle and offer a pleasant walk through the woods with plenty of vantage points to just rest and absorb the scenery.
For us, it’s really just the initial part that was difficult as it was mighty steep. After your body gets used to it, it becomes much more manageable.
Distance
If you decide to hike directly from the base of Mt. Mitake to the summit, it covers a distance of approximately 3 to 4 km (1.9 to 2.5 mi).
If you use the Mitake Tozan Cable Car, you start higher up the mountain. From the upper cable car station to the summit, the distance is roughly 1 to 1.5 km (0.6 to 0.9 mi).
Duration
If you take the Mitake Tozan Cable Car, it considerably reduces the hiking duration to the summit. From the upper cable car station to the summit, it might take about 40-60 minutes for the average hiker. If you choose to hike from the base, factor in an additional 1.5 to 2 hours.
The Mt. Mitake Hike
- Distance: Approximately 3 – 4 km (1.8 – 2.4 mi)
- Time: 2 to 3 hours for the main trail
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Summit: 929 m (3,048 ft)
- Best Time to Go: Late spring (for lush greenery and temperate weather) and autumn (for vibrant fall colors)
- Crowds: It’s a popular weekend hike, so better to hike during weekdays. It gets even more crowded during autumn as Mt. Mitake is famous for momiji (maple leaves).
- GPS & Map: Mt. Mitake Hike, Mt. Mitake & Mt. Hinode Hike
Mt. Mitake Hiking Experience
I took this hiking trip with Evie, a good friend from Germany whom I met at the Couchsurfing bar while I attended a Couchsurfing meet up in Otsuka. (We later met again in Berlin!)
We went to Mitake from Tokyo and opted not to use the cable car.
The hike was gruesome, especially at the first part which was surprisingly steep from the get-go, having no time to get used to the incline, I was easily out of breath and my legs felt tired but I pushed on.
The hike was mostly paved as Mt. Mitake is quite popular. Mt. Mitake started slow with concrete grounds, but scenery started to turn lush with greenery after a while, boosting our mood.
It was an amazing feeling to reach the top which was also a bit of a commercialized place with shops and restaurants on all sides.
It was interesting to find some funny sculptures on the stairs but the main highlight was of course, Musashi Mitake Jinja, the shrine perched on the summit.
We had some noodles for lunch as I forgot to bring snacks, I literally had to do the hike on an empty stomach but the hike was far from over because we were going to conquer a second summit at Mt. Hinode.
