Mount Takao, located within the municipality of Hachioji City in the southeastern part of the Kanto mountainous region, is about 50 km from the center of Tokyo. Because of this convenient location, visitors can enjoy its natural beauty and the many other attractions all in a day's trip. In recognition of its magnificent beauty, the 2007 edition of Michelin's Voyager Pratique Japon, the famous French travel guidebook, awarded Mt. Takao and Mt. Fuji the maximum of three stars.

Visitors can climb Mt. Takao by taking a cable car or lift to a point 400 m up - halfway up the mountain. They can also climb to the top along one of three trails, each of which takes about one-and-a-half hours. There are six trails on Mt. Takao designated as nature study courses. Signs posted along each of the trails describe the animals, plants, insects, and birds in the area, which make the courses virtually open-air nature museums.

From a vantage point further up near the mountain's summit, you can also see the Tanzawa Mountains to the south. On a fine day even Mt. Fuji is clearly visible from here, and in winter, when the air is clear, you can also get a distant view of the Japanese Alps.

Mt. Takao is endowed with a rich and varied natural environment, where trees belonging to the temperate and sub-tropical regions flank majestic cedars hundreds of years old. In 1967, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration, Mt. Takao was named the Meiji Memorial Forest Takao, and became the eastern starting point of the Tokai Nature Trail that connects Mt. Takao with the Mino Quasi-national Park in Osaka.

Unfortunately, on this occasion, I was there on a wet raining day, but the trek was still enjoyable. We took Route 3 up and then Route 1 down. Here is a link to the hiking trail options. http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/course/index.htm.