Report on TENGU Tour held on 6 June 2026

 

Our guests were a merry group of five who spent more time at more places of interest in Mt. Takao and took a lot of photos.

A fun group of five

 

TENGU guides included Satomi, Ken, Rico, Mika and Shiro as tour leader.

The weather was reasonably good on that day to the extent that we were able to see Tokyo Skytree and high-rise buildings in Shinjuku from Sumika-mae Observation Deck.

After the briefing on the dos and don’ts at Mt. Takao, the tour plan on that day, etc. in front of Takaosanguchi Station, we started the tour.

At the foot of the mountain, we showed our guests the statue of Osoji-kozo (young Buddhist trainee monk cleaning the temple) as a symbol of our Mt. Takao clean-up campaign that has proven highly effective and successful, and then statues of Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel native to Japan, another symbol of Mt. Takao.

At the statue of Osoji-kozo (young Buddhist trainee monk cleaning the temple)

At the statue of Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel

We took a cable car leaving Kiyotaki Station at 10:00 am where we showed our guests unique white or pale pink Sekkoku orchid flowers that grow on other plants without harming them while their peak blooming season was about to be over.

At Sumika-mae Observation Deck

At Kasumidai Observation Deck

 

After getting off the cable car, we showed our guests various landmarks such as some 500-year-old Octopus Cedar Tree, six-sense purification stone, wheels, Joshin-mon tori-i gate symbolizing the fusion of Shinto and Shingon sect of Buddhism, etc. along Trail 1.

At the statue of lucky octopus

 

At the information board about “Asagimadara” with its English name of Chestnut Tiger Butterfly, we explained the butterfly that is famous for its incredible long-distance migration across Asia,

Interestingly, one of our guests asked us what is the longevity of the butterfly. Looks like he thought that the butterfly’s long-distance migration should require a long life of the butterfly. Then, we explained that a key aspect of the flight mechanism of the butterfly is to ride ascending air currents which allows them to save time and energy rather than rely solely on constant wing flapping.

At a folk on Trail 1, the front approach to Yakuo-in Temple, our guests bravely chose the more challenging route called “Otoko Zaka”, literally, the Slope for Men

At Otoko Zaka

 

We spent some time at Yuki-en (Joyful Garden) featuring an outdoor fire altar and a photogenic Thai style white stupa we explained to our guests.

In front of Thai style white stupa

 

Before we got to the grounds of Yakuo-in Temple, we showed our guests a wooden plate mentioning TENGU as a donor to Yakuo-in Temple to demonstrate our loyalty to Mt. Takao.

Pointing to the wooden plate showing the name of TENGU as donor to Yakuo-in Temple

 

When we went into the grounds of Yakuo-in Temple going through Shitenno-mon (the Gate of Four Heavenly Kings), it was around noon which indicates that we moved so slowly.

In front of Shitenno-mon (the Gate of Four Heavenly Kings) 

In front of a pair of stone carved guardian lions

At the last stone steps before Izuna Gongen-do Hall

 

We got to the peak of the mountain around 1:00 pm. 

Unfortunately, we were not able to see clearly a graceful figure of Mt. Fuji from the peak of the mountain due to unwanted clouds. 

At the peak of the mountain 

At the lunch table

 

After having lunch together, we took a group photo at the peak of the mountain, and left there around 13:40 pm.

 

At the peak of the mountain

 

On the way back, after stopping by the restroom, we took a little different route by following Trail 1 briefly and then switching to Iroha no Mori Trail, then further switching to Trail 4 going through a suspension bridge.

At Ihoha no Mori Trail

At suspension bridge (Miyamabashi bridge)

Even after coming back to the Sumika-mae area, a curious group of five wanted to explore the observation deck of Takaosan Beer Mount, Tokyo’s beer garden closest to the sky while unfortunately we found that the observation deck was not open to the public at this time of the year.

Then, some of our guests tried a local dessert, beer at the shop of Takaosan Sumika.

A happy man having got a Mitsu-fuku Dango (Three Good Luck Dumplings)

 

On the return journey, we took a chairlift for a change.

Taking a chairlift

 

After coming back to the mountain base taking a chairlift, we took the final group photo in front of cable car Kiyotaki Station almost 4:00 pm, which was the end of the tour.

In front of Kiyotaki Station

 

Thereafter, the merry group of five appeared to have a plan to visit the Takao Trick Art Museum located in the vicinity of Takaosanguchi Station.

 

Written by Shiro

Dated: 8 June 2026