Report on the TENGU Tour held on 26 April 2017

While it was cloudy yesterday, the weather held steady during the tour. We started the tour at 10:00 am, 30 minutes later than usual.

Our guests were a couple from Australia. This time, they visited their daughter who lives in Tokyo with her family including two children (i.e. grandchildren for them).

The husband originally from the Netherlands used to be in the IT business and have been enjoying his retirement life for the last 17 years and is now an enthusiastic photographer while his wife originally from South Africa has long been in the pharmaceutical business and is expected to become the regional head of the Rotary Club next year.

They explained to us that they got to know each other in the cyberspace or the Internet.  So, adopting the most up-to-date style of marriage, they didn’t need the assistance of Dragon King Krikara, the god of match-making enshrined at Mount Takao.

On the way, we took a cable car leaving 10:30 am and then followed Trail No. 1 going through the precinct of Yakuo-in Temple that is the main religious structure in Mount Takao and then headed for the peak of Mount Takao.

Just after we got off the cable car, we saw a group of Japanese tourists guided by one of the young Buddhist monks of Yakuo-in in the costume of mountain priest blowing a trumpet shell, which was the great subject for the enthusiastic photographer.

We also saw a lot of elementary school children on their school trip to Mount Takao and also interestingly a cheerful group of hairdressers on the way.

Mainly because we started later than usual by 30 minutes, we arrived at the main hall of Yakuo-in around noon so that we heard the temple bell rung 9 times there.

We arrived at the peak of Mount Takao around 0:30 pm. Fortunately, school children and hairdressers had already started on their way home. So, we could easily find vacant stone benches. After having lunch there, we took photos with our guests.

Although it was always cloudy during the tour, we managed to see a part of the figure of Mount Fuji from the peak of the mountain which is fortunate.

On the way back, we took an easier route to avoid too many stairways for the Rotarian who has injured knees and took a cable car again.

Coming back to the foot of the mountain around 2:30 pm., we said "Good-bye" to our guests in front of the Takaosanguchi Station. Looks like our guests enjoyed the tour very much, which is great.

Written by Shiro

Close Encounters of the Musasabi

On clear fine day of April 14th, we had three guests from Tokyo SGG club which offer guide service to the visitors from abroad. These days some international tourists wish to visit Mt Takao in order to feel unaffected Japanese nature.

We met up at Takaosan-guchi station of Keio-line at 9:30 AM, then went up using cable car to midway, Takaosan-eki. From where we took Trail no-1. Along the trail, we enjoyed panoramic view from Kasumida observatory, explained about Musasabi, Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel, Octopus cedar tree, history of Mt. Takao, Tengu's tale, mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism and Yakuo-in temple.

At summit, we were able to see beautiful Mt. Fuji through spring hazy air.

After lunch at top, we took trail no-4 for return to foot. After crossing point of Irohanomori-trail, long before Suspension bridge, we saw it! Musasabi at the middle of ceder tree. they are nocturnal animals. Maybe it was not able to go back it's nest before sun rise for some reasons.

Then it flaw to next ceder tree. We are very, very lucky. After this unexpected encounter, we became too cautious not to meet any rare opportunity of unluckiness.

                                                                             (Comson)