Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Day Trip Guide 2026: The Complete Michelin Three-Star Foliage Guide
Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Day Trip Overview
Mount Takao stands in Hachioji in western Tokyo at 599 meters. It was awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide in 2007 and sees about 3 million hikers a year, said to be the most in the world. It is Tokyo’s most famous autumn foliage spot, with relatively easy trails that even beginners can enjoy.
The best time to see autumn leaves on Mount Takao is from mid-November to early December. Because the summit is higher, color arrives earlier there, in early November. We recommend visiting before the end of November; by early December a lot of leaves have already fallen. Catch this golden window to see the full tapestry of red, yellow and green.
Plan the foliage trip together with the cable car, a visit to Yakuo-in and nearby food, and you can enjoy Mount Takao’s seasonal charm at a relaxed pace in anywhere from half a day to a full day.
Can You See Autumn Leaves on Mount Takao in October? The Autumn Leaves Festival and Best Timing
If you want to visit Mount Takao for autumn leaves in October, mind the timing. The best viewing period is mid-November to early December. The summit area turns earlier, from around early November, so a trip in mid-October will mostly be too early for full-mountain color. The “Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Festival” is scheduled from late October to mid-December, with the maples along the cable car and chairlift as the main attraction. If October is your only option, check that year’s foliage start report before you go and decide whether to postpone to November.
Avoiding the Crowds: A Practical Guide to Early-Morning Hiking
The foliage season is when Mount Takao is most crowded: long queues for the cable car and chairlift, and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on the trails. Take the first train from Shinjuku, arriving at Keio Line “Takaosanguchi Station” at around 6 a.m., reach the trailhead before 8 a.m., and come down before noon to beat the crowds. In the early morning you can enjoy the cool air and morning sun and quietly take in the leaves. If you cannot start early, stay at a place near Mount Takao the night before and set off first thing the next morning for a more relaxed schedule.
Overview of Mount Takao’s 8 Hiking Routes
Mount Takao has 8 themed routes: Trail 1 (Omotesando), Trail 2 (Ring Trail Scenic Route), Trail 3 (Katsura Forest Road), Trail 4 (Suspension Bridge Route), Trail 5 (Summit Loop), Trail 6 (Biwa Waterfall Route), the Inariyama Route, and a long-distance route that continues to Mount Jinba. Combine them flexibly according to your fitness and time.
Most visitors take Trail 1 with the cable car or chairlift. The other routes suit those who want deeper scenery or a physical challenge. Each route takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes to reach the summit, with different views along the way, and all offer autumn leaves.
Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Transport Guide: From Shinjuku
From Shinjuku: Keio Line Access at a Glance
From Shinjuku Station, the Keio Line takes about 1 hour to “Takaosanguchi Station,” or about 50 to 55 minutes by limited express. On autumn weekends and holidays there is also a reserved-seat special train, the “Mt. TAKAO Go,” taking about 50 minutes with a separate seat fee. Do not get off at JR “Takao Station” by mistake, which is farther from the trailhead.
Ticket options: you can first buy the “Keio Line One-Day Pass + Mount Takao Cable Car Set” e-ticket and exchange it for a physical ticket at the Keio West Exit gate in Shinjuku Station without queuing. Or buy the “Mount Takao Discount Ticket” from ticket machines at Keio Line and Inokashira Line stations: adults and children both get 20% off, including train and cable car/chairlift round trip tickets, ready to use right away.
Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Spots Guide
Mount Takao Cable Car: Japan’s Steepest Slope and a Tunnel of Autumn Leaves
The Mount Takao Cable Car runs between Kiyotaki Station at the foot and Takaosan Station on the mountainside. It is the steepest cable car slope in Japan, about 1,000 meters long with a height difference of about 270 meters, and the ride takes about 6 minutes, with superb autumn views along the way. Around Kiyotaki Station is also an excellent photo spot.
Fares: adults ¥490 one way, ¥950 round trip; children ¥250 one way, ¥470 round trip, and you can freely mix the cable car and the chairlift. Uphill peak is 9:00 to 11:30 and downhill peak is 15:00 to 17:00, when waits can reach 60 to 90 minutes, so plan your timing during foliage season.
Mount Takao Chairlift: Up Close with the Autumn Leaves
Chairlift fares are the same as the cable car. The open-air two-seat chairs let you feel the autumn breeze and the maples directly, with more of a sense of presence than the enclosed cable car, a romantic choice for many foliage seekers.
We recommend riding the cable car up to feel the thrill of being surrounded by leaves, and the chairlift down to enjoy the autumn breeze and the distant views over Tokyo. The two offer different foliage perspectives and are both worth trying.
Official website: Takao Tozan Electric Railway (takaotozan.co.jp)
The “Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Festival” runs from late October to mid-December every year. During this period the maples along the cable car and chairlift are at their thickest, the best time of year to visit Mount Takao.
Takao-san Yakuo-in: A Thousand-Year-Old Temple Amid Autumn Leaves
Takao-san Yakuo-in was founded in 744 by the priest Gyoki on the order of Emperor Shomu. Its formal name is “Takaosan Yakuo-in Yuki-ji,” and it is the head temple of the Chizan branch of Shingon Buddhism, ranked alongside Naritasan Shinshoji and Kawasaki Daishi Heiken-ji as one of the three great head temples of the Kanto region.
In autumn, red leaves fill the grounds, and the Buddhist relic pagoda and torii gate are framed against vivid crimson maples, creating the unique charm of an ancient temple.
Every year on the second Sunday of March the “Hiwatari Festival” (fire-walking festival) is held, in which yamabushi mountain ascetics walk barefoot across glowing coals to pray, showing a thousand years of Shugendo faith. The temple office offers amulets for traffic safety, good luck and protection from misfortune, and the goshuin stamps change design with the seasons, drawing collectors.
Mount Takao Summit: Mount Fuji and Autumn Leaves in One Frame
At the summit of Mount Takao, you can enjoy mountains full of autumn leaves from several spots near the plaza and the viewing platforms. From the platform you can see Mount Fuji and the autumn leaves framed together in a stunning view. The trees near the rest area also turn a beautiful red, and you can buy food and drinks from the nearby shops and sit on a bench to enjoy the leaves at leisure.
The summit plaza has several lookout areas. Mount Fuji can be seen to the west; on clear days you can see Fuji and the Tanzawa Mountains, and in winter, when the air is clear, you can even see the Southern Alps in the distance. The summit of Mount Takao is listed as one of the “100 Views of Mount Fuji in the Kanto Region.”
This is where autumn color begins earliest on Mount Takao, with early November the best time. Those who want to see leaves at the summit should note the timing and avoid going too late and missing the most vivid colors.
Momijidai: A Hidden Spot Only Insiders Know
“Momijidai” is where the most beautiful autumn leaves on Mount Takao are found, about a 10-minute walk from the summit, a hidden spot only insiders know. Most visitors head down after viewing the summit leaves and few extend their walk here, so you can escape the crowds and rest in a quiet spot within a broad maple forest, feeling a deepening autumn and a serenity quite different from the summit. If you have time, it is well worth the detour, and it is the best-value hidden spot on the whole route.
Mount Takao Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden: A Family Favorite
It sits at the liveliest stop on Trail 1, ideal as a rest stop when hiking with children.
About 90 monkeys live at the “Mount Takao Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden” on the mountainside. Keepers humorously explain the monkeys’ social order and habits, and the attached wild plant garden has about 300 kinds of wild plants.
From the rooftop space you can enjoy autumn leaves and the monkeys’ interactions at the same time, which families love.
Takaosan Beer Mount: A Limited-Season Beer Garden
From late May to late November each year (May 30 to November 29 in 2026), the open-air “Takaosan Beer Mount” beer garden opens beside the summit cable car station, offering all-you-can-eat barbecue and all-you-can-drink draft beer while you look out over the Tokyo cityscape. It is a summer-and-autumn-only experience and a lesser-known way to enjoy Mount Takao.
It seats up to about 500 and you can enter without a reservation; reservations can be made in advance for groups of 4 or more on weekdays and 10 or more on weekends and holidays. In November it is mostly open during the day, and until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Check the official website before you go.
Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu: The Top Choice for Relaxing After a Hike
Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu is right next to Takaosanguchi Station, so you can soak away the fatigue right after hiking. Admission is ¥1,100 on weekdays and ¥1,300 on weekends, holidays and other busy periods such as the foliage season. Open 8:00-22:30.
With easy access, it is a good last stop on a Mount Takao autumn leaves day trip, letting you return to the city in comfort after a soak.
When visiting in autumn, you can also walk the nearby golden ginkgo avenue along the Koshu Kaido, about 4 kilometers long, for a double dose of autumn leaves and ginkgo.
Mount Takao Specialty: A Tour of Old Tororo Soba Shops
Warm “tororo soba” (buckwheat noodles with grated yam) after a hike is the most representative taste of Mount Takao. At peak mealtimes, go early or reserve by phone; queues are long at midday on holidays.
Around Takaosanguchi Station and along the approach are several century-old shops. “Momijiya Honten,” founded in 1894 (Meiji 27), and “Takahashiya,” founded in the Tenpo era and about a 3-minute walk away, are both signature names. “Mugitoro Tsutaya” and “Hashizumetei” (zaru soba about ¥640, weekday-only set about ¥1,000) also have their devotees.
Tickets and Tours
Keio Line One-Day Pass + Mount Takao Cable Car Set
You can buy the e-ticket (QR code) in advance online and exchange it for a physical ticket at the basement-level counter by the “Keio West Exit gate” in Shinjuku Station. Hours follow Keio’s announcements. We recommend exchanging a day ahead so you can set off early the next morning for Mount Takao, skipping the on-site queue and getting the discounted price. Besides transport and the cable car, the set usually includes discounts on various nearby experiences. It suits travelers on a tight schedule who do not want to work out the ticket system on the spot, and is the most hassle-free choice for independent travelers.
Mount Takao Cable Car and Chairlift Tickets
In peak foliage season, waits can reach 60 to 90 minutes. Ride in the early morning when crowds are thinner, or consider simply walking up Trail 1.
Fares are exactly the same for both; the only difference is the riding experience and viewing angle. Choose flexibly according to your preference and who you are traveling with.
Adults ¥490 one way, ¥950 round trip; children ¥250 one way, ¥470 round trip. Tickets can be bought on site, and you can also ride the cable car one way and the chairlift the other to experience two very different foliage perspectives.
In peak foliage season, waits can reach 60 to 90 minutes. Ride in the early morning when crowds are thinner, or consider simply walking up Trail 1 and taking transport down to save energy.
Mount Takao Cable Car and Yakuo-in Day Tour Packages
Book a month ahead for foliage or cherry blossom season. Package tours are especially good for first-time visitors to Tokyo who want a hassle-free way to experience Mount Takao’s highlights.
Check beforehand whether the tour includes transport; some packages include only admission and not round-trip fares, so read the details carefully before booking.
Travel platforms such as KKday and Klook offer day-tour packages combining the Mount Takao cable car, a visit to Yakuo-in and a nearby hot spring, priced at about ¥2,500-4,500. They include cable car/chairlift tickets, a guide and hot spring discount coupons, saving you from buying each item on site, and are themed by season around foliage, flowers or forest bathing.
Mount Takao Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden Tickets
If time is short, plan an easy trip with just the Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden on Trail 1 rather than walking all 8 routes; you still get both the autumn leaves and the wildlife fun. Avoid midday on weekends and holidays, when crowds at the monkey interaction show are largest; going at another time gives a better visit. Tickets for the Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden can be bought on site. Plan it midway through your hike as a rest and refreshment stop for families; the keepers’ humorous commentary is also great for introducing children to animal ecology.
Where to Stay near Mount Takao
Nearby Accommodation: The Best Bases Before and After the Hike
“Mt.TAKAO BASE CAMP” is a 3-minute walk from Keio Takaosanguchi Station, with a guest house, coffee bar, lounge and terrace, plus concierge service and free Wi-Fi. “TAKAONE” is a 1-minute walk away, offering custom itineraries, pottery experiences and free backpack loans, suited to staying before a hike. “Gonsuke” in Oku-Takao has hearth seating and private rooms and is known for charcoal-grilled irori cooking, a good place to treat yourself after a hike.
Mount Takao Autumn Leaves FAQ
How do I choose between the Mount Takao cable car and chairlift?
The cable car has enclosed cabins and runs on Japan’s steepest slope through a tunnel of autumn leaves, suited to older travelers and those afraid of heights. The chairlift has open-air two-seat chairs that let you feel the autumn breeze and maples up close. We recommend the cable car up and the chairlift down so you try both.
Is Mount Takao suitable with children or older family members?
Very much so. Trail 1 is paved and gentle the whole way, and casual shoes are fine. The Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden along the way offers a place to rest, and riding the cable car or chairlift up saves most of the effort.
How long does it take to get from Shinjuku to Mount Takao?
The Keio Line limited express takes about 50 to 55 minutes to Takaosanguchi Station. On autumn weekends and holidays the reserved-seat “Mt. TAKAO Go” runs direct in about 50 minutes, making this one of the most convenient foliage spots near Tokyo.
How many hiking routes does Mount Takao have?
There are 8 themed routes in all: Trail 1 (Omotesando), Trails 2 to 6 with their own characters, the Inariyama Route, and the long-distance route extending toward Mount Jinba. Choose flexibly according to your fitness and time.
Are there restrooms and shops on the mountain?
Trail 1 has good shops and restrooms along the way. Other routes have fewer facilities, so prepare what you need at the foot of the mountain before you set out, and plan supplies especially carefully if you choose a more challenging route.
