Our guest was a jovial young lady

 In spite of the rain on the previous day, the weather turned out to be perfect for the tour. The guest this time was a jovial young lady from Malaysia. She was energetic as well. Arriving at Japan early in the morning on the day and after checking in at the Hotel in Asakusa, coming straight to Takaosanguchi Station to meet us. 

 She arrived at the station much earlier than the time we had mutually arranged and thanks to her timely contact with us, we could start the tour around 10:00am, 30minutes earlier than the original plan. 

 The tour started at the statues of “Osoji Kozo” (Sweeper Boy) and Giant Flying Squirrel in front of cable car’s Kiyotaki Station, then we took the cable car up to Mt.Takao Station (the upper station). As it was a weekday, visitors were not so many as we had been worried, making it unnecessary for us to que for the cable car for long time. 

 Our first visit was to Beer Mount (a beer garden near Mt.Takao station). It is not that we wanted beer but that it is one of the best look out point at Mt.Takao. (to prove our innocence, I have to tell you that Beer Mount is operational only in summer season). From the terrace at Beer Mount, we enjoyed a panoramic view of Shinjuku and other Tokyo metropolitan area (though the Sky Tree was in a haze), as well as nearby mountains and trees.

 Then we took the Trail No.1, covering Monkey Park (we didn’t get in, though), Takosugi (Octopus Cedar Tree), Vegetation Cover of Mt.Takao, Johinmon Gate.

We were lucky that the guest could read and understand the writings on the tablet and board hung on the Gate, which made our job as a guide much easier. We kept going on the Trail No.1 to Yakuoin Temple via Otokozaka (Men’s slope with 108 step stairs), visiting Yukien on the way, where we enjoyed reddening leaves of maple trees.

 Before visiting the main hall of Yakuoin Temple, we visited Eight Dragon Kings Hall (Eight Dragon Kings are believed to multiply your money if you put your money in the basket and wash it in the water there) and Kulikara-do Hall (Dragon King Kulikara is enshrined there, who is considered to be the god of match making).

Guess which the young lady guest were more interested in. See the photo for the answer!

 We made it to the top of the mountain where Mt.Fuji welcomed us. After lunch there, we started climbing down, taking Trail No.4 to cross the famous suspension bridge, which, with the background of red and yellow leaves, is a photographer’s favorite spot.

 We went down the mountain by chair lift, enjoying the splendor of the mountain and city view in autumn color. As mentioned at the beginning, today’s guest is young and energetic, so the tour didn’t end there. We then walked 15minutes or so to “Komagino Garden”, where a pre-war modern Japanese traditional private house with traditional Japanese style garden are exhibited together with the exhibition of well taken care of Bonsai trees. 

 Inside the house, they serves drinks (coffee, tea, juice etc.,) and sweets to visitors and our guest was so kind as to offer us, guides, a cup of coffee, which we accepted with thanks. We walked to the nearby railway station (Takao Station) and we bid each other a good-bye there.

 All of us, the guest and we, the guides, had a really good time and we hope her visit to Mt.Takao will be a part of her happy memory of her stay in Japan this time.

(Written by Nori)