Report on the TENGU Tour held on 16 December 2018

It was another cold day.  During the tour the weather was not good enough for a clearer view of Tokyo Skytree and high rise buildings in the central Tokyo from the Observation Deck of Mount Takao Beer Mount.   

Our guests were two young ladies. One of them is from Sydney in Australia who has lived in the city of Yokohama for 4 years. The other is from Thailand and has a Japanese husband and two children living in the city of Hachioji for 1.5 years.  

On the way, we took a cable car leaving at 10:00 am from Kiyotaki Station and then as usual followed Trail No. 1 which is the front approach to Yakuo-in Temple, the main religious structure of Mt. Takao. 

When we started the tour, we did not see too many visitors at the foot of the mountain.  Looks like the season of autumn leaves is now over. So, Trail No. 1 was not so crowded either.  We spent more time than usual in guiding our guests.   

We were still, however, able to arrive at the main hall of Yakuo-in Temple around 11:30 am.  So, we thought that we should have been able to be  in time to witness the procession of Buddhist monks on the way back from their third performance of Buddhist fire ritual called “Goma Fire Ritual” of today which usually starts at 11:00 am and lasts about 30 minutes.  In fact, we failed to see their procession.  Looks like they terminated their ritual earlier than usual.  We were a little bit disappointed. 

Before we got to the grounds of Yakuo-in Temple, it started drizzling while it stopped before the end of lunch time.   

We took photos together with our guests at the peak of the mountain before having lunch there.  Unfortunately, we were not be able to see Mount Fuji from the peak of the mountain.  

We left the peak of the mountain around 1:00 pm.  On the way back, we took a different route by following Iroha-no-mori Trail seeing a huge old beech tree nicknamed “Beauty” then switching to Trail No. 4 going through a suspension bridge called "Miyama-bashi Bridge", which was the highlight on that route where we took photos with our guests again, and then came back to Trail No. 1. 

At the request of the guests, at Kasumi-dai Observation Deck, we changed the route from Trail No. 1 to Biwa-taki Trail to see the Biwa-taki Water Fall located at the southern foot of Mt. Takao where mountain priests take ascetic training of a standing under a water fall.  Fortunately, we happen to see one guy starting his training there.   

 We came back to the foot of the mountain around 2:30 pm and took photos with our guests again in front of the cable car station, which was the end of the tour.

  Written by Shiro

Tour Report on Dec. 8, 2018

Today’s guests were a group of 30 people from all over the world, such as UK, Sweden, China, US, and so on. The schedule was tight, so that we started the tour as soon as they arrived. Fortunately, we were able to get on the cable car without waiting time. 

We were separated into 3 groups and headed toward the Yakuo-in temple which was today’s final goal. Though the high season of colorful autumn foliage was close to the end, we still enjoyed colored leaves here and there. And it was lucky that we encountered the line of priests who are going to perform Goma fire ritual in the main hall. 

The guests listened to our talk carefully and were very helpful. Thanks to them, the tour was going smoothly until the end. They seemed to enjoy Takao Tour. If it’s true, it’s our great pleasure! Come again to Mt. Takao and next time please bring your partner, family or friends with you! 

Written by Sally

Private Tour on Dec.1st

On Dec. 1^st, beautiful autumn day, our guests were sisters from Singapore. They were travel lover and actually, they had already spent approx. 20days in Japan and they chose Mt. Takao for final destination of their trip.

We met at Takao san-guchi station at 9:00 o’clock in the morning and we decided to go up without cable car or chair lift. ( They had plan to walk Nakasendo, Japanese historical trail from Tokyo to Nagoya and Kyoto next year and they thought this was good for one of the training for it )

 On the trail to way up, we had wide range of conversations regarding not only Mt. Takao also for their travel in Japan, cultural and economic difference between Japan and Singapore etc. Actually, they traveled all over the world almost twice a year, that’s why they had wide range of interests and knowledge. So, we enjoyed conversations very much.

The day of trekking was little bit after the peak of autumn leaves but still good to see and take photo with beautiful red and yellow color of leaves, so lots of people were there and we had no place to have a lunch at the mountaintop. That’s why we went to Oku-Takao, a few minutes extra walk from the top to find the lunch place. Dec. 1^st was the nice weather and we could see the Mt. Fuji from the top. Everyone took photo with beautiful shape of Mt. Fuji behind them.

 The way back was we walked Inariyama trail, the very natural trail. Our guide, Sumo-san knew well about the plants so we had lots of talking about plants with descending the trail.

 We hope this trekking was the good memory of final destination of their Japan visit.

Sumo and Rocky

The Tour on the 1st of December, 2018

Today we had 9 guests from Bangladesh, Ecuador, El Salvador, Malaysia, Mongolia and Somalia.

Though the autumnal tint of leaves seems to be approaching to its end, the mountain still attracts many visitors and we had to wait for 15minutes or so to get on the cable car. But once on the cable car, we found that the 15minutes waiting was nothing, seeing the magnificent red and yellow under the sun all around.  

red & yellow all around

We took the trail No.1 to the summit, visiting various points of interest on the way including Yukien garden and Yakuoin Temple, which were ablaze with autumn colors and therefore the most popular places here during autumn season. 

After enjoying at the summit the view of Mt.Fuji in a thin veil of clouds, we had lunch, surrounded by autumn colors.

 We climbed down via Trail No.４, crossing the famous suspension bridge, which is one of the most popular spots in the mountain in all seasons.

suspension bridge

 

Mt.Takao is an attractive mountain all through the year, showing its different beauty in each season. Yet I dare say that visiting here on a fine warm day during mid-November to early-December like today is the best and I hope all the guests enjoyed the tour.

Written by Nori

Private Tour on 29th Nov. 2018

We welcomed Singaporean guest who have visited japan 10 times already.

She was taking hundreds of pictures.

Autumn colors was so beautiful.

On the suspension bridge.

we hoped to be rich.

We took a lunch at the colored maple leaves carpet. 

We finally arrived at the summit.

Written by Nosan

 

Private Tour on 27 November

Our guests were four young and cheerful Singaporean ladies,who wanted to walk up through the Trail No.1. We had a beautiful panoramic view at the first scenic point on the trail,called.”Konpiradaienchi”.

at the Konpiradaienchi

We visited “Beermount”, a popular beer restaurant operational only in summer season and now closed, not for beer but for the grand panoramic view from there.

Then we took them to the giant “Octopus Cedar Tree” . explaining how the name had come. 

      touching the good luck octopus

We visited “Yukien”, one of the best spots to see autumnal tints in Mt.Takao, where we enjoyed beautiful maple leaves in various colours. It seemed we were just in time for the best season.

at Yukien with the colored leaves behind 

We arrived at the top of Mt.Takao, but unfortunately could not see Mt. Fuji due to the hazy sky. Then we proceeded a little further to Momijidai for lunch. 

 at the summit of Mt.Takao  

We descended through the same Trail No.1 to get on the cable car.

 At the very end of our fully enjoyable tour , another splendid autumn colored leaves bade us good bye near the chairlift station which is close to the cablecar station.

near the chairlift station

We very much hope that all our guests had a very good time and will enjoy the rest of their stay in Japan as well.

Nori and Nobby

Private Tour on 26 November

We met a young Singaporean lady guest, Violet, early in the morning, and started climbing up via Inariyama Trail that was quiet and rich in nature.

at the view point of Inariyama Trail

We arrived at Momijidai, literally means “hill of crimson foliage”, which is well known for the beauty of coloured leaves of maple trees around as well as for the scenic view therefrom. The weather was fine and we enjoyed the beautiful Mt. Fuji over a range of mountains. 

Mt. Fuji covered with snow

Then we went the summit to find that the leaves in various colours were very beautiful also there, so our guest was busy taking photos and picking up a few well-shaped leaves for a souvenir.

 near the summit

at the summit 

We took the No. 4 Trail, enjoying the beauty of the autumnal colours of trees and crossing the famous suspension bridge. Our guest, fascinated by the coloured leaves illuminated by the sun, pushed the shutter many times in spite of herself.

on the No. 4 Trail

Then via No.1 Trail, we were headed for Yakuoin Temple, where our guest showed interest in Japanese culture and tradition, like washing hands at Temizuya, a story of Tengu and the God of marriage etc.

 praying to the God of marriage after tying a little bell 

After lunch, we took the chair lift to go down that was like an aerial walking, giving you a spectacular view of mountains and cities all around.

Near the terminal station of the chairlift, Mt.Takao had saved for us the one of the best spots of coloured leaves of maple trees, with which we ended the tour with full satisfaction.

Colored leaves all around near the terminal station of the chair lift

Thank you, Vilet, for joining us today and we very much hope that we will see you again.

Nori and Nobby

Report on the tour of 24th November

A clear view of snowcapped Mt. Fuji having gray clouds in lower quarter in tow seemed to have topped among various nice sceneries for our guests from Thailand, a female researcher of a PhD in Biochemistry, her mother and her aunt.

The view expanded even more when we moved from the summit of Mt. Takao to Momijidai reachable by further 10 minutes walking.

Of course, autumn foliage was in its best with sunshine and without much trouble thanks to early start before 8:00 in such a busy season.

At the temple, we showed some examples of syncretism of Buddhism and Shintoism, as they already visited Sensoji at Asakusa and Meiji Shrine during this stay, and animated phase of this temple contrasted well with conservative temples in Kyoto they are going to visit.

We never failed to visit a stupa where kept inside are remains of Buddha, given by the King of Thailand in 1930. 

Nancy and I also enjoyed the hiking on such a fine day similarly to our guests who were to drive to Lake Kawaguchi located at a foot of Mt. Fuji in the afternoon.

So, I’m sure the scenery of Mt. Fuji in the morning must have been a good appetizer. 

(By Sumo)

Hiking tour on Nov 18th

Here in Mt. Takao, the autumn color season is now on. The red leaves of maples and the yellow ones of gingko trees are seen here and there.

Today we had two guests from Hong-Kong, whose family names are same though they did not know each other at all. According to some reasons, we were not able to meet one of them at the starting time of the tour. But near the monkey park, half way up to top, five of us joined together. 

Weather was cloudy and many people came to expect to view beautiful autumnal leaves. On the trail-1, at temple and mountaintop are full of people to go around.

At the Yuki-en, where we usually see beautiful autumnal colors was slightly early in the peak of colored leaves.

We arrived at the summit around 1:00PM, then took lunch together. Unfortunately we could not see Mt. Fuji.

For going down, we went Trail-5, then Inariyama Trail after that we took Trail-6. Those are natural mountain path.

 One of guests said this was real hiking. We enjoyed walking Trail-6 along the small stream and felt unaffected nature.

We arrived at Kiyotaki cable car station at 3:10PM, then took group photos. We finished today’s hiking tour by thanking each other.

The autumn colors around Mt. Takao are at almost peak at the time of writing this blog and I expect the colors to continue to last for the next couple of weeks. (Comson)