Discover the tranquil beauty of the Okutakao Traverse Trail as it meanders through the scenic landscapes of Mt. Takao and Mt. Jinba, two iconic peaks just an hour away from Tokyo.
Starting at the foot of Mt. Takao, this trail presents a fusion of breathtaking views and nature’s serenity. It’s especially breathtaking during autumnm which is when we went but it’s pretty much beautiful all-year round!
As you ascend Mt. Takao (599 m / 1965 ft), taking in views of landmarks like Mt. Fuji and Tokyo Skytree, the trail unfolds into a network of well-maintained paths.
The journey then leads to a series of interconnected peaks, including Mt. Kobotoke-shiroyama and Mt. Kagenobu, you might even run into a yamabushi or two!
The final ascent to Mt. Jinba’s summit, standing tall at 855 m (2,805 ft), rewards you with an awe-inspiring view and the “strange” statue of a white horse.
This hike from Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba offers a delightful adventure rich with panoramas and a touch of wilderness close to the heart of Japan‘s capital city.
How to Get to the Mt. Takao
Keio Railway
Travel from central Tokyo (Shinjuku) to Takaosan by taking limited express trains departing from the underground Keio Shinjuku Station.
Trains leave every 20 minutes, and the journey takes about 50 minutes, costing 390 yen one way to reach Takaosanguchi Station, the terminal station at the foot of the mountain.
The Mt. Takao + Keio 1-Day Ticket is available for 1690 yen, providing a small discount on the round trips by train and cablecar.
Japan Railways (JR)
If you have the Japan Rail Pass, you can take the JR Chuo Line from central Tokyo to Takao Station.
This journey costs 580 yen and takes about 40 minutes from Shinjuku.
Transfer to the Keio Line for one more station to Takaosanguchi Station, which costs 130 yen and takes 3 minutes. The JR Pass does not cover this final leg of the journey.
This useful map was from Yamakei
What to Know About the Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba Hike
Difficulty
The Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba hike is an amazing trail for both novice and seasoned hikers. Well-maintained and marked, depending on where you begin either from Mt. Takao or Mt. Jinba’s side, it’s usually the initial ascent that’s the most challenging especially if you’re skipping out on the cable car.
We found Mt. Takao to be quite crowded but the remaining mountains were crowd-free and provided a much more intimate encounter with Mother Nature.
After summitting either Mt. Takao or Mt. Jinba, it becomes smooth-sailing and you can take the time to admire the amazing views as you pass through Mt. Kobotoke-shiroyama and Mt. Kagenobu.
The elevation gain of 1583 meters, reaching a highest point of 857 meters, makes some sections moderately demanding.
However, the beautiful views and the opportunity to enjoy nature at its finest make it an enjoyable and rewarding hike for those prepared to take on the challenge.
Distance
The Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba hike stretches over an impressive distance of 17.2 km (10.6 mi), providing a robust journey through scenic landscapes.
Traversing between two prominent peaks, the trail offers an extensive exploration of the natural beauty found in the Tokyo and Kanagawa regions.
Take the time to rest up at the various panoramic view points throughout the trail, there are benches there for a reason! Especially the one in the middle of Mt. Kobotoke-shiroyama and Mt. Kagenobu as it offers you a beautiful view of Sayama Lake and Mt. Fuji in the distance on clear days.
Duration
The hike from Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba is a rewarding full-day adventure that spans approximately 6 hours in total. You’ll certainly feel it as you as pass by the second or third mountain, but most of the trail in between the two peaks is flat so think of it as a long leisurely stroll in the lap of nature.
The Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba Hike
- Distance: 17.2 km (10.6 mi)
- Time: 6 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Summit: 855 m (2,805 ft)
- Best Time to Go: Year-round (Spring and Fall are particularly beautiful for cherry blossoms and autumn foliage; Winter offers clear views of Mt. Fuji)
- Crowds: Mt. Takao side can be crowded, especially during weekends. The rest of the hike is crowd-free
Mt. Takao to Mt. Jinba Hiking Experience
Today was another fun little excursion I planned for myself and some friends.
We were going to do a multi-mountain hike in one day to view some autumn foliage.
Libby from Australia (who later hosted me back in Niseko over at Hokkaido!) and Pacho from Mexico, were Couchsurfing with me at that time.
Also coming with us were Nikita, my friend from Russia who I did the Mt. Fuji hike with. Lisa who was also from Russia, Mariam from Kyrgyzstan and Veda from India (Another group that I did a Hiroshima trip with). A pretty international group!
We arrived quite early, it was still very foggy and cold but we went straight for it.
The starting hike from Takao was the steepest part, but as we reached higher heights, the path started to flatten a bit until it started to become more fun as we left the worst behind.
We were able to see a lot of the red maple leaves of Mt. Takao. There were a lot of people doing the hike as well, it is a popular mountain since it is so close to Tokyo.
We reached the top and took our photos, the views were spectacular as it was peak autumn. We saw the map and planned our route on which mountains to hit and where to go next and we went on our way.
The next mountain, Mt. Kobotoke-shiroyama provided us with a much more quiet space, with less people we were able to enjoy the mountain a bit more. The concrete roads of Mt. Takao paved way to dirt and soil, just the way I like it.
There was a viewing point with an amazing view of Mt. Fuji and Sayama Lake, we had a short picnic here before continuing on towards the deciduous forest.
We pushed on from one mountain to the next, taking a commemorative photo on each summit. Mt. Kagenobu gave us an amazing view of the Kanto plains, even Tokyo Skytree was visible from way over here just because the weather was amazingly clear.
The last mountain, Mt. Jinba, was going to be the one furthest away from here, also at a higher elevation. It was going to be the last hurdle and everyone still had enough energy to go for it.
The hike to Mt. Jinba was definitely the longest one, it is also where we started to feel a bit fatigued.
The hike itself was awesome, with giant roots as stairs and some boulders to climb, we were totally alone for quite a long time.
We found an abandoned shack and played around for a bit.
We also met another hiking pair and I was asking them about the bus but they had no idea. Actually, it turns out the bus station on the other side of Jinba was closed due to the typhoon so we were left to come up with a plan B on the spot on how to go home.
Still, we decided to go on ahead and finish the hike. We went up the final steps and saw this weird horse statue at the top, it had a somewhat phallic shape and it was such a bizarre thing to find on top of the mountain.
We also saw a wild racoon which was super rare apparently.
We chilled and snacked here for a bit before starting to long way down. Rushing a bit as the sun started to set, but still blessed with beautiful sceneries all the way.
We saw an honor-system shop for fruits where people can just take fruits and put money.
While we were able to reach the base, our legs were aching from all the downhill but we still had to walk a couple more kilometers to the nearest train station. The walk took us through a rural neighborhood, not even street lights were present.
It was dark and even a bit eerie, accompanied by the sounds of the night. We went through a tunnel before finally arriving at the train station and starting the long journey back home.
