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.
Autumn leaves on Mount Takao peak from mid-November to early December. The higher summit turns earlier, in early November. Visit before late November, as many leaves fall by early December. Catch this golden window for 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 see autumn leaves at Mount Takao, mind the timing. The best viewing period is mid-November to early December, and the summit area turns around early November, so a mid-October trip is mostly too early for full-mountain color. The Mount Takao Autumn Leaves Festival runs 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 and consider postponing to November.
Avoiding the Crowds: A Practical Guide to Early-Morning Hiking
Foliage season means long cable car and chairlift queues. Take the first train from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi Station, arriving around 6 a.m. Reach the trailhead by 8 a.m. and descend before noon. If you cannot start early, stay nearby overnight.
Overview of Mount Takao’s 8 Hiking Routes
Mount Takao has 8 themed hiking trails: 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 to Mount Jinba. Combine them to suit your fitness and time. Mount Takao’s 8 themed hiking trails let you choose between an easy walk and a physical challenge.
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, a reserved-seat special train called Mt. TAKAO Go takes about 50 minutes and requires a separate seat fee. Do not get off at JR Takao Station by mistake, because it is farther from the trailhead.
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. Alternatively, buy the “Mount Takao Discount Ticket” from ticket machines at Keio Line and Inokashira Line stations. Adults and children both get 20% off train and cable car/chairlift round trip tickets, which are 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 links Kiyotaki Station at the foot with Takaosan Station on the mountainside. It is Japan’s steepest slope, about 1,000 meters long with a height difference of about 270 meters. The ride takes about 6 minutes. Kiyotaki Station is a great photo spot. Ride the cable car line from Kiyotaki Station at the foot up to Takaosan Station on the mountainside.
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. The cable car price for adults is ¥490 one way and ¥950 round trip.
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. Each open-air chairlift seat holds two people, so you feel the autumn breeze directly.
Ride the cable car up to feel the thrill of being surrounded by leaves. Then enjoy the autumn breeze and distant views over Tokyo while riding a chairlift down. The two offer different foliage perspectives, and both are 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 Emperor Shomu’s order. Its formal name is “Takaosan Yakuo-in Yuki-ji.” It heads the Chizan branch of Shingon Buddhism and, alongside Naritasan Shinshoji and Kawasaki Daishi Heiken-ji, is ranked among 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 is held, a fire-walking rite in which yamabushi mountain ascetics walk barefoot across glowing coals in prayer. It reflects a thousand years of Shugendo faith. The temple office offers amulets for traffic safety, good luck, and protection from misfortune, and goshuin stamps change design with the seasons, attracting collectors.
Mount Takao Summit: Mount Fuji and Autumn Leaves in One Frame
Enjoy autumn leaves from several spots near the summit plaza and viewing platforms. From the platform, Mount Fuji and the leaves frame a stunning view. Trees near the rest area turn red, and you can buy food and drinks nearby.
Several lookouts sit on the summit plaza. Mount Fuji is visible 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” hides the best autumn leaves on Mount Takao, about a 10-minute walk from the summit. Few visitors come, so you can rest quietly within a broad maple forest. If you have time, the detour is well worth it.
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 (May 30 to November 29, 2026), the “Takaosan Beer Mount” beer garden beside the summit cable car station serves all-you-can-eat barbecue and all-you-can-drink draft beer while you overlook Tokyo. It is open only in summer and autumn and is a lesser-known way to enjoy Mount Takao.
It seats up to about 500, and you can enter without a reservation. Groups of 4 or more can reserve in advance on weekdays, and groups of 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.
Several century-old shops stand around Takaosanguchi Station and along its approach. Momijiya Honten, founded in 1894 (Meiji 27), and Takahashiya, founded in the Tenpo era and about a 3-minute walk away, are signature names. Mugitoro Tsutaya and Hashizumetei have devoted fans, and Hashizumetei’s zaru soba costs about ¥640 while its weekday-only set costs about ¥1,000.
Tickets and Tours
Keio Line One-Day Pass + Mount Takao Cable Car Set
You can buy the e-ticket (QR code) online in advance 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 it a day ahead so you can set off early the next morning for Mount Takao, skip the on-site queue, and get the discounted price. The set usually covers transport and the cable car, plus 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. For independent travelers, it is the most hassle-free choice.
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. Riding a chairlift costs the same as the cable car, so choose by viewing preference.
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.
![[Tokyo Autumn Foliage Day Tour] Mt. Takao Momiji Festival & Showa Kinen Park Ginkgo Avenue Illumination & Yomiuriland Light Show | Departs from Tokyo](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/h_650%2Cc_fit/s1.kkday.com/product_153868/20240924101723_zwHph/jpg)
Mount Takao Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden Tickets
If time is short, visit only the Monkey Park and Wild Plant Garden on Trail 1 instead of walking all 8 routes. You still see the autumn leaves and wildlife. 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. Stop midway along the trail to rest and refresh, especially with families. The keepers’ humorous commentary also introduces 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. It has a guest house, coffee bar, lounge and terrace, plus concierge service and free Wi-Fi. TAKAONE is a 1-minute walk away. It offers custom itineraries, pottery experiences and free backpack loans, suited to staying before a hike. Gonsuke in Oku-Takao has hearth seating and private rooms. It 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 ride uses enclosed cabins and climbs Japan’s steepest slope through a tunnel of autumn leaves. It suits older travelers and those afraid of heights. Riding a chairlift puts you in open-air two-seat chairs, so you feel the autumn breeze and maples up close. Take the cable car up and the chairlift down to try both. The cable car ride uses enclosed cabins, so it suits older travelers.
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.
