Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri: A Guide to Tackling Tokyo’s Mountain Trio

Tackle Tokyo’s iconic mountain trio in one adventerous day that sees you summit three mountains, two of which are above 1000m.

The Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri route is located in the Okutama area in Ome city, technically part of Tokyo. It’s a 5-6 hour end-to-end trail that covers Mt Mitake (929 m), Mt Otake (1,266 m), and Mt Nokogiri (1,107 m), and can be started from either Mitake Station (the way this route is planned) or Okutama Station to walk the track in the opposite direction.

About Mt Mitake – Mt Nokogiri

Accessible by train from Tokyo (90 minutes from Shinjuku by train) Mt Mitake is one of the most well-loved trails by locals. It’s part of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, and while being an excellent hiking spot with plenty of trails, it’s also home to Mitake Shrine, and visited by pilgrims who come to practice a Shinto (Japan’s nature worship) tradition.

Want to hike Mt Mitake but don’t have anyone to go with?

Open Country is a Tokyo-based hiking club founded in the summer of 2022 with a few key ambitions in mind; create a space to showcase, share, and offer access to Japan’s hiking trails to build an inclusive community that can support those wanting to explore the outdoors, and to showcase a different side of hiking and Japan. The team run hiking trips open to all! For more info visit the Open Country website.

Mitake History

This hike is a nice little taster of Japan’s native religion, Shintoism, a form of nature worship. For the past 2,000 years, Mitake and its eponymous shrine have been cared for by generations of Shinto priests and their families.

How to Get to Mt Mitake Trailhead

From Shinjuku, it’s a relatively straight shot all the way to Mitake Station (on the Chuo Line). From there it’s a 30 minute walk, or short bus ride if you can catch one of the semi-regular buses, from Mitake Station to Mitake Tozan Railway cable car station. It’s at the top of this cable car you’ll find the start of the Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri hike.

If you’re a purist you can probably climb to the top in 30 minutes or so, but all in all the journey isn’t as beautiful as what awaits, which is a 4-6 hour climb, so in short, just take the cable car and save the time and energy.

Distance / Duration / Elevation Gain

14.5km (15-16km if you walk from the station) / 6.5 hours / 1,156m elevation

Skill Level – Intermediate

Given the length of the hike, and the occasional rocky inclines, this one is best for mid-level hikers and above.

Essential Gear for Hiking Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri

• Outdoor wear
• Proper hiking or trekking boots
• Water (1L at least)
• Lunch/ Light snacks
• Gloves for chain wrangling if you have them
• Camera

Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri Route

Section One – Mt Mitake/Musashi Mitake Shrine, the ‘Shrine in the Sky’

At the top of Mitake is Mitake Shrine and a small cluster of Japanese guesthouses and souvenir shops catering for tourists and pilgrims to Mount Mitake. It’s here the hike begins, for those who want something a little easier, there’s also the popular – and well-signposted– 2.5 hour Rock Garden Course, which in summer fosters pretty incredibly lush growth due to the humid rainy season. But if you’re dedicated to the three mountain mission, just keep following the signs for Mt Odake.

Section Two – Mt Mitake to Odake

The trail is relatively easy to start, but as it goes on, so do the challenges; flat, Cedar-lined paths lead to rocky chain-assisted sections. It’s exciting and diverse and with some small fences set up to prevent slipping off the mountain face – not for the faint of heart. Around 90 minutes in you’ll reach a clearance, a restroom (the final one), and Okutama Station. This is a great spot to stop, fuel up and prep yourself for the semi-long journey ahead.

Section Three – Mt Otake Summit

From the clearance, it’s a pretty arduous climb to the top of Mt Odake. Rock-faced, knotted roots make up most of this final pre-summit stretch, but the grubby hands and sore knees are all worth it once you get to the top, as are the pretty spectacular views of Mt Fuji that await.

Section Four – Mt Otake to Mt Nokogiri

A ridge road connects the last two peaks, a generally up and down journey, offering enough bouldering-esque challenges as well as small flat respites of relief. The landscape is pretty diverse but it’s most predominantly a densely occupied Cedar forest, so take in the views when you can.

Heading Back Down

From the top of Mt Nokogiri, you still have quite a way to return, around a third of the entire hike. Along the way though, you’ll pass a viewing spot along the ridge, from there you can see mountains Mizune and Takanosu, part of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. From here, it’s ladders, rocky terrain, and Cedar forests all the way down to Okutama.

Things to do in Okutama

Visit VERTERE（バテレ）right by Okutama Station on the way back to Tokyo. The very best about doing the hike this way ‘round? Yes avoiding the stairs, but also stopping off at VERTERE（バテレ), craft brewery on the way back to the station, which features a cozy menu and wooden deck that backs on to the Okutama River.

Tips for Visiting Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri

Mt Mitake has a lot of ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) so if you want to make a night of it, you can hike the route in reverse and stay the night.

In summer when it’s humid and rainy the moss garden is at its peak!

If you go in winter/after late October, start early as the sun starts to set around 5pm.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace!

There are some toilets along the route, but mountain loos typically request a donation (of ¥100, around $1.20AUD) to use.

A lot of the route is flanked by trees, so it’s much more ‘forest bathing’ than ‘mountain-scaling’ on the views front.

Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri FAQs

Where is Mt Mitake located?

Technically it’s in Tokyo! Well, the Okutama area in Ome city, a northwestern corner of Metropolitan Tokyo. It’s part of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park.

How do you get to Mt Mitake?

From Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, take the Chuo Line Express for Ome to Ome Station, then change to the local Ome Line for Okutama and get off at Mitake. The base of the mountain is a 10-minute bus ride (the bus schedule is timed with the train schedule) or a 30-minute walk.

When are Mt Mitake, Mt Otake, and Mt Nokogiri open?

All year round, but in winter, it can get a little snowy, and the sun sets pretty early, around 5pm, so give yourself plenty of time.

Is the route good for beginners?

The entire route from Mt Mitake to Mt Nokogiri is best for mid-level hikers and above. If you’re a beginner, start with just Mt Mitake, and explore the area around there. A hike to the moss garden and back down Mitake alone is a very manageable beginner route.

Can you drive up Mitake?

You can drive, but you probably wouldn’t want to – it’s narrow up there, and parking could be a nightmare. The train is very accessible and the Mitake Tozan Cable Car can get you to the top.

How high are the mountains?

Mt Mitake is 929m, Mt Otake 1,266m, and Mt Nokogiri 1,107m.