Trailrunning in Takao without the crowds? The solution is simple and effective: night running!
\n", "content_html": "Trailrunning in Takao without the crowds? The solution is simple and effective: night running!
\n\nThere's an ironic twist to Mount Takao: when most people talk about trail-running there, they are actually referring to the surrounding areas, not the peak itself.
\nSpots like Kobotoke-Shiroyama, Jinba, and Minami-Takao offer plenty of scenic, runnable paths waiting to be explored—yet the summit sees remarkably few runners. Some popular resources, such as takao-trail-manners.jp, even omit it entirely from their maps.
\nThe culprit is overcrowding. With Takaosanguchi Station positioned right at its base and a cable car/chairlift combo carrying visitors halfway up the slope, Mount Takao ranks among the world's most visited summits. Arrive at the wrong time, and you'll find yourself navigating more like Harajuku during rush hour than conquering a mountain path.
\nFortunately, there's a beautiful workaround: night trail-running. Most day-hikers descend around 16:00 once the huts and shops shut down, leaving only scattered individuals chasing the sunset. Head up around 19:00 instead, and you'll likely have the entire mountain to yourself—with perhaps a handful of nocturnal insect enthusiasts as your only companions. No worries for your return: trains will be waiting for you until 23:00 and beyond.
\nRunning counter to the usual flow rewards you with more than just space. As the city's twinkling lights spread beneath you and the temple settles into silence nearby, you'll discover a rare tranquility. And since Trail 1 remains electrically lit all the way to the summit, solitude becomes optional—you'll feel as isolated or connected as you choose.
\nSo bring your favorite head-lamp and enjoy this beautiful Tokyo adventure!
\n\n| 📏 Distance | \n7,6 km | \n
| 🗻 Climb | \n480 m | \n
| 📌 Start | \nKeio Takaosanguchi station | \n
| 🏁 End | \nKeio Takaosanguchi station | \n
| 💪 Level | \nBegginners. The trail is wide and not technical or steep | \n
| 👟 Shoes | \nGrippy sneakers are sufficient | \n
| 🚄 Access | \nFrom Shinjuku Station, you can take the Keio Line for approximately 50 minutes to disembark at Takaosanguchi station. The trains run very frequently, arriving even every 10 minutes. Depending on the time of the day, your best solution could be an express train going to Takaosanguchi or taking an express to Hachijoji and then switching to a local train to Takaosanguchi in Kitano station. | \n
| 🗄 Lockers | \nThere are multiple lockers placed both to the left of the exit of the station (where the onsen is) or to the right (past the toilets) | \n
| ♨ Hot springs | \nKeio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu sits conveniently just behind Takaosanguchi Station. For groups—or those planning repeat visits—it's worth considering the 10-ticket bundle, which brings the cost down significantly from 1,300 to 600 JPY per visit. | \n
| 🚻 Toilets | \n\n Restrooms can be found both inside and outside Takaosanguchi Station. If the indoor facilities and the ones near the entrance are busy, head for the restroom located on the opposite side, in the low building past the large red torii gate—it tends to draw fewer crowds. Facilities are also available at the ropeway's lower station and again near the summit should you need them along the way. \n | \n
| 🍽 Food | \nThere are multiple restaurants around the road leading to the ropeway station (mostly selling soba) and a couple huts on Trail 1 going to the summit (selling snacks). However, the only places open after sunset will be the restaurant inside the onsen or the two convenience stores along the road to Takao station. | \n
\n
From the Takaosanguchi Station exit, turn right and follow the road toward the ropeway station. Just past it, you'll spot a small bridge with a staircase on your left—that's the Inariyama Trail, which you'll be descending from later. For now, keep heading forward along the wide, paved path that winds its way up.
\nAfter a series of switchbacks and steep sections, you'll arrive at the upper stations for both the chairlift and the ropeway. Beyond this point, the trail levels out and opens up to sweeping views over the city below.
\nPassing through the wooden gate of Takaosan Yakuo-in Josshinmon, you'll face two options: the stairs to the left (otokozaka) or the ascending path to the right (onnazaka), both leading to the shrine complex. While most visitors cut straight through the shrine itself to reach the summit, that stretch isn't really runnable.
\nTo make the most of the climb, I usually take time to admire the tengu statues near the gate and enjoy the view from the terrace, then ascend the stairs to Izuna Gongen Shrine. From there, I immediately take the stairs to the left going down to the wooden Kuromon Gate—which, ironically, you're not permitted to pass through—. To continue, take the path behind you to the left, starting between the two large trees.
\nAfter running alongside an old pavilion, the trail resumes its climb along the mountainside toward the summit. This marks your first section without lighting—a good moment to test your headlamp. A few minutes in, you'll reach a fork with a tree at its center. Follow the paved road as it turns sharply right and continues upward toward the summit. Once you rejoin the main trail near the washrooms, turn left for the final push to the top.
\nAt the summit, you'll find drinking water, vending machines, and a bit further along, restrooms and a couple of tables where you can sit and eat if needed.
\nAfter snapping the obligatory photo at the summit marker, make your way across the square to the Omiharashidai Viewpoint. While you won't catch any Fuji views after dark, this is where the Inariyama Trail begins, guiding you back down to the ropeway's lower station.
\nThe trail is wide and easy to follow, just be careful about your footing while you descend back to the start.
\nWith fun climbs, stunning views and delicious hut food, this is one of the most accessible and rewarding trail adventures in Tokyo.
\n", "content_html": "With fun climbs, stunning views and delicious hut food, this is one of the most accessible and rewarding trail adventures in Tokyo.
\n\nMt. Jinba is one of the most breathtaking peaks that you can easily hike within a morning from Tokyo. In just a few hours, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, the surrounding mountains, and Mt. Fuji itself, all while relaxing at a welcoming teahouse. It is remote enough to be rarely crowded, but runnable ridges leading to Mt. Takao and Mt. Kagenobu make it popular with trail runners on both weekdays and weekends.
As is common in the area, the trails are very well marked and maintained, providing a safe and relaxing experience. The Jinba Kogen-shita bus stop, located about a 20-minute walk north of the summit and served hourly, offers an easy way to return if needed.
| 📏 Distance | \n14 km | \n
| 🗻 Climb | \n885 m | \n
| 📌 Start | \nJR Sagamiko | \n
| 🏁 End | \nJR Fujino | \n
| 💪 Level | \nIntermediate. The trail is wide and not technical, but fairly steep | \n
| 👟 Shoes | \nTrailrunning shoes are recommended for safety | \n
| 🚄 Access | \nFrom Shinjuku Station, you can take the Chuo Line for approximately 55 minutes to disembark at Sagamiko Station. Since there are few direct trains, you will probably need to transfer to a local train at Takao Station. The trains run frequently, arriving roughly every 30 minutes. | \n
| 🗄 Lockers | \nThere are no lockers available at Sagamiko or Fujino stations. However, you may use lockers at Takao Station if you're transferring there. | \n
| ♨ Hot springs | \nJinya onsen can be reached via a detour from either the Jinba summit or the Sawai area. It offers a fun, traditional experience, but the descent to Fujino is quite long, so you might prefer to take a taxi instead. The opening hours are somewhat irregular, so it's a good idea to call ahead to confirm. | \n
| 🚻 Toilets | \nRestrooms are available at Sagami Station, Miyo Pass, Jinba summit, Sawai, and Fujino Station. | \n
| 🍽 Food | \nThere are two huts at the top of Mount Jinba and a small local food shop at the Sawai bus stop. While there are no convenience stores in Sagamiko or Fujino, interestingly, there is a long staircase leading to the Family Mart at the Fujino westbound highway rest area, about a 10-minute walk from the station. | \n
From the Sagamiko Station exit, turn to your right and follow the narrow paved path along the railway line. You will arrive at a large overpass terrace that crosses over the Chuo Expressway, serving as the unexpectedly scenic entrance to Yose Shrine. Both the shrine gate and the steep staircase afterward make for memorable photo spots.
Once you reach the shrine, the trailhead to Jinba begins to your left and quickly becomes steep, winding in zigzag fashion up to an initial rest area with a few benches and views over Lake Sagami. As you enter the forest, the trail gradually smooths out and becomes more runnable (be cautious of a small trail collapse in this area) before reaching a steep staircase leading up to Myoo Pass. At the pass, you'll find views of Mt. Fuji, a public toilet, and a mountain hut that is rarely open.
Beyond Myoo Pass, you'll join the main ridge connecting Takao and Jinba, which tends to be more crowded than the earlier sections. Enjoy the wide, runnable trail for the next 2 kilometers up to the 855-meter summit of Mt. Jinba. On clear days, you can enjoy spectacular views stretching from Mt. Fuji to Tanzawa and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku. At the summit, there's a -uhm- distinctive modern horse statue, inspired by the literal meaning of Jinba (\"Horse camp\") and its history as a feudal campsite, built by the Keio Railway Company.
There are two huts at the summit, plus a third that I have never seen open in 15 years. They mainly serve mushroom soup, yuzu-flavored soba and udon noodles, yuzu soda, and yuzu sherbet. Indeed, Fujino is known for its yuzu orchards.
From here, the trail descends enjoyably to Fujino Station. Alternatively, you may choose the Tochiya Ridge route to reach the Jinya Hot Spring nestled along the Tochiya River in the mountains (see details above). Both routes converge near the Sawai Post Office, where you'll find a public toilet, a farm selling local beans, and a small food shop next to the bus stop.
If you prefer to run back to the station, the 2.5 km road to Fujino Station is fairly flat and runnable, though unremarkable.
", "image": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/media/posts/20/PXL_20241012_015812423~2.jpg", "author": { "name": "Alain Dellepiane" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-06-14T09:57:57+09:00", "date_modified": "2026-06-14T11:59:14+09:00" }, { "id": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/kobotoke-sagamiko/", "url": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/kobotoke-sagamiko/", "title": "From Takao to Kobotoke to Sagami lake 🍧👺", "summary": "A refreshing summer route with rivers, greenery, lake views and tasty shaved ice-cream!
\n", "content_html": "A refreshing summer route with rivers, greenery, lake views and tasty shaved ice-cream!
\n\nDuring the summer months, this is one of the best trailrunning routes near Mount Takao, featuring refreshing riverside trails, a shaded and gentle climb, a popular rest spot with delicious shaved ice (kakigori), and stunning panoramic views of Lake Sagami. It’s also a great, easy hike for winter, when the cold air makes Mount Fuji very visible.
\nAs usual in the area, all trails are very safe and well-maintained, and public transportation makes it easy to access both the start and end points. Plus, you can always conveniently stop along the way if needed, making trail running in Takao always accessible and family-friendly. Compared to the routes going through the summit, which can become crowded on weekends and holidays, these more off-the-beaten path trails around Takao remain enjoyable year-round.
\n\n\n
| 📏 Distance | \n16 km (~3h) | \n
| 🗻 Climb | \n587 m | \n
| 📌 Start | \nJR Takao Station North Exit | \n
| 🏁 End | \nJR Sagamiko Station | \n
| 💪 Level | \nAll levels, the run is a smooth, shaded 14 km with 450 meters of climbing and 60% paved | \n
| 👟 Shoes | \nTrailrunning shoes are recommended, but grippy running shoes can be sufficient | \n
| 🚄 Access | \nTakao Station can be reached in approximately 50 minutes from both JR and Keio lines, costing around 500 JPY. Sagamiko Station is the next stop after Takao and is accessible from there in about 10 minutes for roughly 200 JPY. Both lines run frequently, with trains arriving roughly every 30 minutes. | \n
| 🗄 Lockers | \nSagamiko Station does not have lockers, but Takao Station offers several, notably on the train platform near the North Exit, with costs of 400 or 500 JPY. | \n
| ♨ Hot springs | \nIn the area, there are two hot springs (onsens). The most accessible is Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu, located just behind Takaosanguchi Station, about a 15-minute walk or one train stop from Takao Station. The other is Ururi Onsen, situated near Morimori Theme Park, accessible via an hourly bus from Sagamiko Station, taking about 8 minutes. | \n
| 🚻 Toilets | \nBathrooms are available at Takao Station, at the start of Hikagezawa Forest Road, before the Sagami Dam, and at Sagamiko Station. | \n
| 🍽 Food | \nOutside Takao Station’s North Exit, there are two 24/7 convenience stores. There are also small huts on top of Kobotoke-Shiroyama that are open from early morning until around 4 PM, as well as two small food shops at Sagamiko Station —one in front of the station and another nearby— both with limited options and hours. Both Takao and Sagamiko stations have multiple vending machines for drinks. | \n
You can start this hike from either Takao Station or Takaosanguchi Station, as the trail begins somewhere between them. I usually choose Takao Station since it is accessible via both Keio and JR lines. After exiting Takao’s North Exit, head west along the road toward Takaosanguchi Station. Just before crossing under the Keio Line bridge, I recommend taking a small detour to Shinmei Shrine, which offers lovely river views.
From there, turn left onto Takao Plum Tree Road, a shaded and refreshing trail that follows along the Minamiasa River first, then the Koshu Kaido Road, all the way to the trout fishing pond. Along the way, you'll pass an abandoned atelier with half-finished statues—perfect for some fun photos.
After reaching the fishing pond, you can turn left onto Hikagezawa Forest Road to begin a gentle climb toward Kobotoke Shiroyama, surrounded by the tall trees of the Iroha Forest. The Hikagezawa Camping Ground has public restrooms with non-potable water. Depending on your pace, the way up from here can be one of the most easy to challenging trail runs around Takao.
After a few ascents and switchbacks, you'll arrive at Mt. Shiroyama, which offers panoramic views over Tokyo and, weather permitting, Mount Fuji. This spot is especially popular in autumn because of its stunning foliage. Here, you can take photos with two famous Tengu statues and enjoy large servings of shaved ice. In autumn, local nameko mushroom soup is also a popular treat, making this one of the most popular trailrunning paths near Tokyo.
After a well-earned rest, follow the Tokai Nature Trail —it starts steep but becomes wide and easy to walk. Cross National Route 5 at the Chigira Bus Stop, then descend to Sagami Lake. The final stretch of the hike has some charming surprises, including a shelter for wild cats, Benten Bridge, and Sagami Dam, before finally arriving at Sagami Station. If you wanted some off-the-beaten-path trailruns near Mount Takao, you will not be disappointed!
For the curious, there’s also Obarajuku Honjin (小原宿本陣), a rare 200-year-old preserved lodging that was once used by feudal lords during the Edo Period.
", "image": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/media/posts/19/PXL_20230917_022833078.MP.jpg", "author": { "name": "Alain Dellepiane" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-06-12T18:58:29+09:00", "date_modified": "2026-06-14T11:43:12+09:00" }, { "id": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/kogesawa-valley/", "url": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/kogesawa-valley/", "title": "From Takao to the Kogesawa valley 💮♒", "summary": "
A fresh hiking idea in Takao: doing a scenic trailrun along a clear mountain river surrounded by lush greenery.
\n", "content_html": "A fresh hiking idea in Takao: doing a scenic trailrun along a clear mountain river surrounded by lush greenery.
\n\nAlthough Kogesawa is mainly famous for its plum grove and the stunning white and pink flowers that bloom in March, I always find myself revisiting the area during the warmest summer months. Its riverside trail consistently provides a vibrant green canopy, refreshing air, and -naturally- crystal-clear water perfect for splashing! Definitely a unique trail running experience in Tokyo.
\nLike always in the Takao area, the trails are really safe and well-maintained, and public transportation makes it easy to get to both the start and finish. Plus, you can easily find a bus stop nearby if needed, so trail running in Takao is always accessible and great for families. Unlike the routes up to the summit, which can get pretty crowded on weekends and holidays, these quieter trails are fun and enjoyable all year round.
\n\n| 📏 Distance | \n16 km (~3h) | \n
| 🗻 Climb | \n258 m | \n
| 📌 Start | \nJR Takao Station North Exit | \n
| 🏁 End | \nJR Takao Station North Exit | \n
| 💪 Level | \nAll levels, the run is smooth and shaded, about 50% paved | \n
| 👟 Shoes | \nTrailrunning shoes are recommended, but grippy running shoes can be sufficient | \n
| 🚄 Access | \nTakao Station is accessible in about 50 minutes from both the JR and Keio lines, with a fare of approximately 500 JPY. Both lines operate frequently, with trains arriving roughly every 30 minutes. | \n
| 🗄 Lockers | \nTakao Station has several, notably on the train platform near the North Exit, with costs of 400 or 500 JPY. | \n
| ♨ Hot springs | \nKeio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu is situated just behind Takaosanguchi Station, roughly a 15-minute walk or a single train stop away from Takao Station. | \n
| 🚻 Toilets | \nBathrooms are available at Takao Station, and at the start of Hikagezawa Forest Road (about 15 minutes off the main path) | \n
| 🍽 Food | \nTwo convenience can be found opposite the North Exit of Takao Station, open 24/7. Additionally, there are a couple vending machines located aound Takao Station and along the way. | \n
You can begin this hike from either Takao Station or Takaosanguchi Station, as the trail starts somewhere between them. I usually opt for Takao Station since it’s accessible via both Keio and JR lines. After exiting from Takao’s North Exit, run west along the road toward Takaosanguchi Station. Just before crossing under the Keio Line bridge, I recommend taking a short detour to Shinmei Shrine, which offers beautiful river views.
From there, turn left onto Takao Plum Tree Road, a shaded and scenic trail that follows the Minamiasa River initially, then continues along the Koshu Kaido Road all the way to the trout fishing pond. Along the route, you'll encounter an abandoned atelier with partially finished statues: a great spot for some interesting photos.
After arriving at the fishing pond, turn right to ascend toward Kogesawa Valley. At first, you'll be surrounded by the plum orchard, which is unfortunately fenced off and closed for most of the year.
Then, the river trail begins winding up the valley, initially as a wide forest road leading to a hut used for community events. The trail then narrows, with barriers to prevent vehicle access and occasional collapses.
\nAfter a few kilometers of scenic views, lush greenery, and waterfalls, the river will disappear from sight, signaling the end of this summer hiking escape in Tokyo and the perfect time for a fun downhill run back to the start.
\nFor those interested, the trail continues up the ridge to Dodokoro-yama and connects to a broader network of trails leading to Kagenobu and Jinba.
\n", "image": "https://trailrunning.tokyo/media/posts/1/PXL_20260703_234824109.MP.jpg", "author": { "name": "Alain Dellepiane" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-06-11T22:30:00+09:00", "date_modified": "2026-07-04T18:14:04+09:00" } ] }