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Offered languages
- Japanese
- English
- English
Suitable for children, couples, guests with tattoos, travelers unsure about train travel or Mt. Takao routes, and first-time and active hikers.
Samurai Guide Sho, a former JR Chuo Line conductor who worked on trains for 22 years, will guide you round trip from Shinjuku to Mt. Takao by JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating), with a comfortable ride.
This is not only a hike up Mt. Takao, but also a train journey with a former JR conductor, where you can step away from the crowds of central Tokyo.
At Mt. Takao, we adjust the day for your private group depending on weather, crowds, walking pace, facility availability, and your interests.
Possible options include:
・hiking
・cable car or chairlift
・Yakuoin Temple visit, with the Goma fire ritual if timing allows
・local food such as sweets, ramen, or soba
・Monkey Park
・natural onsen, not tattoo-friendly
・bathing and sauna facilities, tattoo-friendly
・a Mt. Takao craft beer taproom
Towels can also be arranged at the bathing facilities.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet at Suica Penguin Square, directly in front of JR Shinjuku Station’s New South Gate. Search “Suica Penguin Square” on Google Maps. The address is shown as Shibuya City, but it will take you to the correct meeting point. Your guide Sho will wear modern samurai attire and be easy to find.
Itinerary
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1
Departure from Shinjuku: Journey to Mt. Takao After 22 years guiding passengers along the JR Chuo Line as a train conductor, Samurai Guide Sho now leads you on a journey to Mt. Takao. This experience begins not when you reach the mountain, but already at Shinjuku Station. The complexity of the station, buying a Green Car ticket, and making transfers all begin to fall into the rhythm of the journey when you are guided by a former train conductor. Leave the crowded center of Tokyo behind, avoid the busy train ride, and usually travel quietly and comfortably in a seat on the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating). Enjoy the gradual shift from Tokyo’s cityscape to mountain scenery along the way.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Mt. Takaosan Hiking Course
Choose the Best Way Up Mt. Takao and Enjoy Local Food At Mt. Takao, the route is adjusted to your group’s fitness level, weather, crowds, and facility availability. For guests who are not confident in their fitness, first-time hikers, or families with children, we may combine the cable car or chairlift with an easier walking route. For intermediate or advanced hikers, or guests who want a more active climb, we can choose a more rewarding hiking route. No special hiking gear is required, but comfortable walking shoes are recommended. During cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, the cable car and chairlift can be crowded. In that case, we may take a beginner-friendly hiking route with a traditional training waterfall, reaching the summit in about 1.5 hours. Depending on the weather and shop availability, you can enjoy local food such as sweets, ramen, or soba along the way or near the summit. In rain or poor trail conditions, we may use the cable car or another easier option.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Mt. Takao
Reach the Summit Reach the summit of Mt. Takao by a route adjusted to your group. If we hike to the top, there is a special sense of reward that comes from reaching the summit under your own power. On clear days, you may even see Mt. Fuji. A view that feels far removed from central Tokyo awaits at the top.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Takaosan Yakuo-in Yuki-ji Temple
Visit Yakuoin Temple and Goma Fire Ritual Visit Yakuoin Temple, a historic temple on Mt. Takao. Rather than simply seeing a sightseeing spot, this is time to place yourself within its atmosphere. Let’s spend a moment resetting the mind. If timing allows, you may also see the Goma fire ritual at Yakuoin Temple. It is a memorable temple experience where prayers are offered in front of sacred fire. The Goma fire ritual is available only if the timing works.
40 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
Monkey Park Depending on opening conditions, crowd levels, and your group’s interests, we may also stop at the Monkey Park. This is especially enjoyable for families with children. It adds a light and fun moment to the day, different from the mountain nature and temple atmosphere.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6
Descend from the Mountain After the temple visit and optional Monkey Park stop, we descend by chairlift, cable car, or on foot depending on the weather, crowd conditions, and your group’s fitness level. During busy periods, we may walk down instead of using the chairlift or cable car. The downhill walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes. In case of rain or poor trail conditions, this may be changed to the cable car or another easier option.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Mt. Takao
Onsen / Sauna / Craft Beer After the hike, Yakuoin Temple, and optional stops adjusted to your group, you can choose a bathing option to finish the day. The standard option is a natural hot spring at the foot of Mt. Takao. Please note that guests with tattoos cannot use this facility. If you have tattoos and are 20 or older, you can choose a tattoo-friendly bathing and sauna facility, where you can also enjoy craft beer brewed inside the facility. If you have tattoos and are traveling with children, a tattoo-friendly local public bath with an open-air bath can be arranged. A short taxi or bus ride may be used if needed. Towels can be arranged at all bathing facilities. You can also skip the spa entirely and end the tour with food, drinks, or a relaxed return to Shinjuku. This private tour will not leave you confused by Japan’s hot spring rules. You can end the day in a way that fits your group.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8
Return to Shinjuku Usually, we return comfortably to Shinjuku by JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating). Whether you enjoyed a hot spring or sauna, or chose to skip the spa, the final ride stays relaxed and unhurried. After the hike, Yakuoin Temple, and a finish that fits your group, enjoy the lingering feeling of the mountain as you return to Shinjuku.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is independently operated and is not affiliated with JR East.
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is independently operated and is not affiliated with JR East.
- The round-trip train fare, including Green Car, is approx. ¥3,800 for adults and approx. ¥2,900 for children age 9–11. Please have enough balance on your Suica card or bring extra cash.
- If the JR Chuo Line service is suspended, we may travel to Mt. Takao by Keio Line instead. In that case, the round-trip train fare will be about ¥1,000 instead of about ¥3,800.
- A physical Suica or PASMO card is recommended for a smoother Green Car experience. If you use only Suica in Apple Wallet, you cannot purchase a Suica Green Car ticket, so you will need to buy a paper Green Car ticket with cash. This costs ¥260 more than the Suica Green Car fare.
- If you are not sure how to top up your Suica card, I will guide you at the start of the tour.
- The Green Car has seat tables, drink holders, power outlets, a restroom, and trash bins, so you can enjoy your own snacks or drinks on board, and it is also convenient for charging your phone or other devices.
- After arriving at the nearest station to Mt. Takao, you can buy drinks or light food before the hike. You can also withdraw cash at a bank ATM or store your luggage in coin lockers.
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Depending on your group’s fitness level, the weather, and crowd conditions, the tour may include hiking on mountain trails.
- Rain gear is needed in wet weather, warm clothing is needed in colder seasons, and heatstroke prevention is needed in hot weather.
- The tour operates in light rain. In severe weather, on very hot summer days, or when trail conditions are poor, the itinerary may be adjusted for safety and heatstroke prevention by combining hiking routes, the cable car, the chairlift, or other easier options.
- Food stops and optional visits on the mountain may be changed or skipped depending on weather, shop opening conditions, and crowd levels.
- The Yakuoin Goma fire ritual is available only if timing allows. It is a Buddhist prayer ritual with chanting in front of sacred fire. The prayer fee is approx. ¥3,000.
- When the cable car or chairlift is crowded, we may walk instead. The uphill hike takes about 1.5 hours, and the downhill walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Bathing facilities after the hike are optional. The choice depends on your group’s interests, tattoos, ages, and facility availability.
- The standard option is a natural hot spring at the foot of Mt. Takao. Guests with tattoos cannot use this facility.
- For guests with tattoos, a tattoo-friendly bathing and sauna facility can be arranged. Guests aged 20 and over can also enjoy craft beer at the facility.
- For guests with tattoos traveling with children, a tattoo-friendly local public bath with an open-air bath can be arranged. A short taxi or bus ride may be used if needed.
- Bathing facility fees and related local transport are usually about ¥1,000–¥2,000 per person. Towels can also be arranged at the bathing facilities.
- You can also skip the spa entirely.
- If you have dietary restrictions, please contact me before or at the time of booking. Availability of suitable options depends on the details.
- Guests with strict dietary restrictions are recommended to bring their own safe food.
- Payments during the tour, such as at shops, hot springs, and for craft beer, can often be made by credit card or IC card, such as Suica. Some places, such as small shops at Yakuo-in Temple, accept cash only.
- Alcohol is available only to guests aged 20 and over.
- As this tour includes hiking, every reasonable effort will be made to ensure safety. Participants are also asked to take responsibility for their own health and safety.
- The guide travels to the meeting point by train. Due to train delays or service suspensions on the day of the tour, the guide may not be able to arrive exactly at the scheduled meeting time. In that case, the guide will contact you as soon as possible and adjust the itinerary with safety as the top priority.
- If there are major train delays or service suspensions from Shinjuku, arrival at Mt. Takao and the tour itinerary may be delayed. In that case, the hiking time, temple visit, and final stop may be adjusted according to the situation on the day.
- The organizer is not responsible for illness, injury, or loss or damage of personal belongings during the tour.
- The tour may be terminated without refund in case of disruptive behavior.
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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