[Kanto day trip] A motorcycle trip to the sacred mountain Mt. Mitake to cleanse your mind and body! A solo trip to the mysterious Okutama and 100 Famous Mountains
Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time I went on a motorcycle tour from central Tokyo to Mt. Mitake. Mt. Mitake is a 929 meter high mountain located in Ome City, Tokyo, and is a historical place that has been revered as a sacred mountain since ancient times. It is a spot full of attractions, such as the rich natural scenery, the rock garden with a clear stream flowing through it, and the mysterious Musashi Mitake Shrine. This time I would like to tell you about its charm.
Mt. Mitake is a mountain located in the center of Okutama and has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. Musashi Mitake Shrine is located at the top of the mountain and has been worshiped as a sacred site for Shugendo since ancient times. Mt. Mitake is also a treasure trove of living things such as wild birds, insects, and plants, and you can enjoy a variety of nature throughout the four seasons. It is especially cool and comfortable in the summer, and is famous for its beautiful rock garden with a clear stream flowing between moss-covered rocks. In autumn, you can listen to the changing leaves and the chirping of the queen of songbugs, Kantang, and in winter, you can see the night view in the distance in clear clarity.
Route to Mt. Mitake
This time I went on a motorcycle tour from central Tokyo to Mt. Mitake. The starting point is Kamei Bridge in Chuo Ward. From here, head towards Ginza via Kobikicho Street and enter the Shuto Expressway Inner Loop Line. From the Shuto Expressway’s Inner Loop Line, transfer to the Shuto Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line and enter the Chuo Expressway. Drive on the Chuo Expressway and enter the Ken-O Expressway at Hachioji JCT. Drive along the Ken-o Expressway, get off at Hinode IC, and enter Nagatabashi Street. From Nagatabashi Street, take Route 251 and enter Yoshino Kaido. From Yoshino Kaido, take Route 201 and head towards Mt. Mitake.
This route is approximately 120 kilometers long and takes approximately 2 hours. Along the way, you will use toll roads such as the Shuto Expressway and the Chuo Expressway. Additionally, along this route, you can enjoy the cityscape of Tokyo, the scenery of the Hachioji Basin, and the nature of Okutama.
When you arrive at Mt. Mitake, first take the cable car from Takimoto Station to Mt. Mitake Station. At Cable Car Takimoto Station, local specialties, specialties, and original cable car goods are sold. Particularly recommended are the millet mochi daifuku and the wasabi pickles. Kibimochi Daifuku is a confectionery made of mildly sweet mashed bean paste wrapped in a chewy skin made with millet, and once you try it, you’ll be addicted. Wasabi pickles are made using fresh wasabi and carefully pickled in sake lees, giving it an addictive, stimulating taste.
Ride the cable car and arrive at Mitakeyama Station in about 6 minutes. From here, it is about a 15 minute walk to Musashi Mitake Shrine at the top of the mountain. Along the way, there is a colony of Rengeshoma that is said to be the largest in Japan, and is crowded with people during August. Rengeshoma is a beautiful flower with white petals and red style, and is also called “Tennyō no Hana”.
Musashi Mitake Shrine is a shrine located at the top of Mt. Mitake, and has been worshiped as a sacred site for Shugendo since ancient times. The deity enshrined here is Oyama Kui no Mikoto, a god of mountain worship, who is said to have blessings such as warding off fires, warding off epidemics, and bringing good fortune. In addition to the main shrine and worship hall, the precincts are dotted with inner shrines and set shrines. Also, before you go up to the shrine, there is a plaza with a nice view called Nagaodaira. From here, you can see a panoramic view of Lake Okutama and Hachioji city.
A short distance down the stairs from Musashi Mitake Shrine, there is a branch. From here you will enter a course called Rock Garden. The rock garden is a scene created by a clear stream flowing between moss-covered rocks, and is cool in the summer and filled with negative ions. As you walk through the rock garden while crossing stepping stones, you will come across waterfalls such as Nanashii Falls and Ayahiro Falls along the way. Nanashiro Falls is a collection of eight waterfalls of various sizes with a height of 50 meters, and the one you can see here is the fourth from the bottom.
After passing through the rock garden, you will arrive at Mitake Keikoku Station. From here, take the bus back to Mitake Station. It takes about 15 minutes from the bus stop to Mitake Station.
This time I toured by motorcycle, and there are motorcycle parking lots around Mt. Mitake.
You will be parking your bike in the cable car parking lot, so you will have to negotiate space with other cyclists.
Summary
This time I went on a motorcycle tour from central Tokyo to Mt. Mitake. Mt. Mitake is a spot full of attractions, including rich natural scenery and historic shrines. The rock garden is especially cool and comfortable in the summer, and you can enjoy clear streams and waterfalls. We also recommend local specialties and specialty products, which are delicious. If you are traveling by bike, it is convenient to use the nearby bike parking lots. Mt. Mitake, which is close to Tokyo and easily accessible, is the perfect spot for motorcycle touring.
[Kanto day trip] A motorcycle trip to the sacred mountain Mt. Mitake to cleanse your mind and body! A solo trip to the mysterious Okutama and 100 Famous Mountains
