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I wanted to do a short and easy hike close to Tokyo for Christmas Eve. I had been doing bits and pieces of the Kanto Fureai no Michi for a while now, and this was a good chance to explore the final section of the Kanagawa trail, starting at Tsukui Lake and ending at Takaosan-guchi Station. I had previously hiked Mt Shiro on the other side of the lake, as well as the first part of the Tokyo Fureai no Michi, from Takaosanguchi station to Mt Shiro (no relation to the Kanagawa one). Since the hike was relatively short, I could leave later than usual, and since it probably had few views, I could expect fewer people. At the end, I could take a hot bath at the Keio Takaosan Onsen, my first time to visit this hot spring right next to the station. The weather was supposed to be cloudy over Tokyo, but sunny over Kanagawa. I would take an express train to Hashimoto Station, and there, transfer to one of the frequent buses for Shiroyama. Afterwards, I could take an express train directly back to Shinjuku. I was looking forward to a relaxing Christmas hike and hoped I could still catch the very last of the autumn colours.
Hiking on the Kanto Fureai no Michi 関東ふれあいの道
Hiking up to Misawa Pass (left) Exploring the Tokyo Fureai no Michi (right)
Hiking down from Misawa Pass (left) Heading to the Takao Green Center (right)
The sky was grey and gloomy as I made my way to the bus stop at Hashimoto station. However, blue sky miraculously appeared as I approached my stop, just before Shiroyama dam. I walked a short distance to a viewpoint of the dam where I had breakfast, warming up under the midday sunshine. It was nearly noon when I finally set off, first on a road next to the lake, then along a forest road up the mountain side. I met no other hikers till I arrived at a Buddhist temple called Mine no Yakushi (峰の薬師), at the halfway point.
Shiroyama Dam and Bridge from the Observation Deck
Forest road for Mine no Yakushi
I was delighted to get some views through gaps in the trees on the southeast side. Directly below, I could see Mt Shiroyama, lake Tsukui; filling up the rest of the horizon was the city of Tokyo. Soon after, the forest road turned into a hiking trail, leveling out as it reached the ridgetop. At 1h30, I arrived at Misawa Pass (三沢峠) where the Kanagawa Fureai no Michi intersects with the Tokyo one. I was tempted me to have lunch at one of the tables there, but was dissuaded by the lack of sun. Instead, I headed up a path on the right and soon reached the top of Mt Enokubo (榎窪山 えのくぼやま enokubo-yama), completely surrounded by trees.
View of Mt Shiro and Lake Tsukui from Mine no Yakushi
View of western Tokyo from Mine no Yasushi
I was happy to see that one of the three benches was bathed in sunlight and I immediately claimed it for my lunch spot. After my break, I returned to the pass and made a short loop along the Tokyo Fureai no Michi, along which I was lucky to spot some fiery orange “momiji” (Japanese maple). At 2h30, I followed a forest road into the valley on the north side, already in the shade; I had the trail entirely to myself. At one point, I thought I heard a wild animal to my left, but it was just my imagination; later on, I thought I heard water coming from the right side.
Clouds were still hanging over Tokyo
Where the city meets the mountains
I was surprised to see that a stream had appeared at the bottom of the valley, turning my forest walk into a river walk. Soon after passing the Takao Green Center, I was back on a paved road surrounded by fields. I sneaked a peak at the outer gardens of Ukai Chikutei, a Japanese restaurant on the way, and was enchanted by the small waterfall and its carp pond. At 3h30, I joined a busy road at Ume-no-ki-Daira (梅ノ木平) that took me under the impressive Takao interchange. Suddenly, shops appeared on both sides of the road, and a few minutes later, I reached the beautiful Takaosanguchi station. After a satisfying hot spring bath, I hopped on the train for the one-hour ride back to Shinjuku.
Waterfall Outside Ukai Chikutei Restaurant
A Rare Shot of Takaosanguchi Station without People
I was glad I was able to stretch out this hike to just over 4 hours, making it a nice Christmas day stroll. The Fureai no Michi frequently follows paved roads but in this case, most of this section was along forest roads and hiking trails. The views from Mine no Yakushi, the hot bath at the end and the easy access at both ends, made it worthwhile. It would be good to return one day to redo the first section of the Tokyo Fureai no Michi, or even a Mt Takao hike.
Watch the Video of the Hike on Youtube
See a Slidehsow of more Pictures of the Hike
Hiking Around Tokyo 