I recently visited Mt. Takao for the first time in a year, and fully enjoyed myself there. At the same time, I was surprised that many visitors including young people, old people and inbound tourists were spending there even though it was a weekday. Why do they like Mt. Takao so much?
That's because it is rich in nature... Yes, but Hakone and Nikko are richer in nature than that of Mt. Takao. That's because of a good reputation... to be sure, Mt. Takao was granted the highest rank of three stars in the Michelin Voyager Pratique, but that's it? That's because of an easy access to the summit taking a funicular... Good point, but is that the major reason? That's because of a hot spring near the mountain... Possible, but is it essential?
My answer is very simple. That's because it is near downtown Tokyo. It takes less than two hours from Shinjuku subcenter to the summit of Mt. Takao at 599 meters above sea level. To get to the gateway station to the mountain namely Takao-sanguchi, I took the Keio line. My vehicle was the EMU 9000 series, a standard commuter train on the line. The 9000 series stood out against the green forest around Takao-sanguchi terminal. After getting off the terminal, I transferred to the funicular of the Takao-tozan Electric Railway, and was able to reach near the summit easily. Beautiful sceneries, a historical temple, comfortable cafes and restaurants were waiting for me there. It's nice to have this kind of day.
