I had already walked the Okutama Old Road, also known as the Okutama Historical Road, twice before; however, it had been 8 years since my last visit, so I decided to hike it again to refresh my memory of this interesting trail. I would start from Okutama Lake and walk mostly downhill to Okutama station; by doing it in this direction, I could tackle the steeper sections near the lake first, and also get better views of the Tama river valley.
Hiking in the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park
秩父多摩甲斐国立公園
Start of the Hiking Trail (left) Short Uphill Section (right)
Level Section (left) Near the Highest Section (right)
To get to the start of the hike, I would ride the green car on the Ome line from Shinjuku, and then change to a regular car on the Okutama line at Ome station; from Okutama station, it was a short bus ride to the lake. The weather was supposed to be mostly cloudy without rain and temperatures in the low twenties, ideal for some light hiking. I was looking forward to a relaxing, and hopefully spider-free, hike in the mountains west of Tokyo.
Trail before the Rest Spot (left) Road after the Rest Spot (right)
Steps (left) and Forest Section (right) near the End of the Hike
I was delighted to ride a mostly empty bus to Okutama lake, possibly because in this season most hikers prefer to head to higher destinations. After a quick lunch at a picnic table with a view of Okutama Lake and Oguchi Dam, I set off at 12h30. Soon after, I reached the entrance of the “Old Road” (むかし道 mukashi michi), hidden behind the Mizune Parking lot. After carefully crossing the busy Ome-Kaido Avenue, I headed up a steep paved road.
View of Okutama Lake and Ogouchi Dam
The Okutama mountains from the “Old Road” (2012 Photo)
I was startled to feel some raindrops as I reached a fork; I opted for the shorter, right branch, in case it turned into a downpour, which happened in 2017. Fortunately it soon let up, and after passing a bamboo grove and a view of Okutama lake on the right side, I arrived at the start of a hiking trail; this is also where it meets up with the longer, left branch. After a short uphill section, the trail descended steeply through thick forest, but became level after crossing a stream on a moss-covered concrete bridge.
View of the Tama River from the “Old Road” (2012 Photo)
Paved Part of the Okutama Old Road
I had forgotten the first part of the trail was so narrow, hugging a steep mountainside; however, a metal railing on the valley side ensured it could be walked safely. After some ascending, I reached a metal cross at the highest point of today’s hike, also the turnoff for Mt Mutsuishi; beyond this point, the trail descended into the valley; on the way down, I had another glimpse of the Ogouchi dam through a gap in the vegetation.
Some Sun on a Cloudy Day
Shidakura Bridge across Tama River
I was shocked how close the dam still was after one hour of hiking; however from now I’d be following the Tama river, moving in a mostly straight line towards my destination. I eventually reached the end of the trail near a rest spot with picnic benches and momiji trees; I now found myself walking along a paved road, the river at times visible through the tree branches. At 2h30, I passed Shidakura bridge (しだくら橋), the second of two suspended footbridges; I walked to the halfway point although it’s not part of the Old Road.
View of the Tama River from Shidakura Bridge
Walking on a Gravel Road
I enjoyed views of the Tama River looking down from the bridge; I also had views of spiders when looking up through the steel wires supporting the bridge. At 3pm, I passed by a modern, clean bathroom inside a traditional building, courtesy of OPT or Okutama Pikapika Toilet (“pikapika” means “with a sparkle”). In total, I saw three such toilet buildings, each as sparkling clean as the other; apparently they are also in charge of the one next to Okutama station.
Modern Bathroom inside a Traditional Building
Traces of the Old Railway Line
Past a house with a huge firewood stack, I saw remains of the railway that used to run through the valley; it was abandoned 80 years ago after the completion of the present-day road. At a bend in the road, a signpost guided me onto a footpath on the right side; I followed it through tall cedars, down a small valley, across a narrow bridge, and around a rocky outcrop, after which I found myself walking on a stone-paved path.
Footpath near the End of the Hike
Stone-paved Section Near the End of the “Old Road” (2012 photo)
I stepped up the pace as the light was starting to fade quickly on this cloudy day. Shortly after crossing another disused railway section half-hidden by grass, I arrived back at the Ome-Kaido Avenue at 4h30, also the trailhead of the Okutama Old Road. It took another 5 minutes to get to Okutama Station, from where it was a ninety-minute ride back to Shinjuku.
Watch a Video of the Old Okutama Road Hike
See More Pictures of the Hike
Hiking Around Tokyo 