Mt. Takao Part 1: A Guide to Tokyo's 3-star Sightseeing Spot, Tokyo, Japan

Mount Takao (Takao-san/Takao-zan in Japanese) has been a mountain for local hikers and elementary school students in Western Tokyo.

It surprised those locals that Michelin Voyager Pratique gave Mt. Takao 3 Stars as a tourist spot, the BEST RATING! That’s one of the reasons why more and more international travelers visit there these days.

So it is a great place to explore Japanese nature without any hard trip. Now it’s time to go on an adventure! Please go down for tourist information.

They hold Maple Leaf Festival in the entire of November and there are some events in weekends. I went there a bit early, but I found many beautiful trees.

The hiking trails are well-paved surrounded by the deep forest. The trees are beeches and Japanese cedars mostly. Cedars are tall and very straight and beeches are freer.

I was impressed to learn that forests are different in other countries when I traveled in Australia. The kinds of plants, shapes of leaves, textures of the trunks… My ideas about “forest” changed. The world is bigger than I had thought!

And Mt. Takao’s forest is very Japanese-forest-like. Small, soft and fresh green leaves are relaxing and tender.

If you are a Ghibli film fan, how about viewing Japanese forests in Ghibli movies, visiting Ghibli Museum in Tokyo and finally explore the real Japanese forest in Mt. Takao? ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).