Hiking fans will love this lush mountain close to Mitake Station. If you’re reasonably fit, the walk to the summit is roughly 90 minutes, or you can take the Mitake Tozan cable car, which drops you off 20-30 minutes’ walk from the top. The ancient Musashi Mitake Shrine graces the peak of Mt Mitake, and whichever route you take you’ll pass through the tiny Mitakesan village, home to a few souvenir shops and old minshuku (Japanese-style inns) that have been serving both pilgrims and tourists for decades.
Stop by the combined guest- and teahouse Higashibaba for some traditional Japanese sweets or a light meal. One of the oldest minshuku on the mountain, this striking wooden building with its thatched roof has been designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Tokyo.
The Musashi Mitake Shrine greets you at the summit along with gorgeous panoramic views of the Kanto area. A 90-minute hiking trail, which starts and ends at the shrine and loops around the mountain, takes you through the dense forest. On your way you’ll pass the Nagaodaira Observatory as well as the Ayahiro Falls and a rock garden with impressive moss-covered stone formations