Report on TENGU Tour held on 3 October 2026

 

Our guests were a group of ten (10) JICA trainees from overseas. TENGU guides included Sally, Rie, Akao, Yuan and myself as a tour leader. 

This time, we divided our gusts into two (2) groups with Group A led by myself and Group B led by Sally.

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 around 9:40 am.

In front of Takaosanguchi Station

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, another symbol of Mt. Takao.

In front of the statue of Osoji-kozo

In front of the statue of Japanese Giant Flying Squirrel

 

Group A took a cable car leaving Kiyotaki Station at 10:00 am while Group B took the next one.

In the cable car

 

It appears that the persistent autumn rains have come to an end.　So, the weather was reasonably good that we managed to see Tokyo Skytree and high-rise buildings in Shinjuku from Sumika-mae Observation Deck, though hazy.

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 Joshin-mon tori-i gate

 

At the information board about “Asagimadara” with its English name of Chestnut Tiger Butterfly, we, Group A guides, explained that the butterflies are famous for their incredible long-distance migration across Asia and that they are toxic in both their caterpillar and adult stages because their caterpillars feed on milkweed plants called “Kijoran” which contains harmful alkaloids making them unpalatable to their predators.

Interestingly, one of our guests, who is from Keniya, explained that they have a similar butterfly in their country.

At a folk on Trail 1, the front approach to Yakuo-in Temple, the majority of 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 Group A went into the grounds of Yakuo-in Temple going through Shitenno-mon (the Gate of Four Heavenly Kings), it was around 11:30 am, which indicates that we moved relatively slowly.

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

At the purification basin

She was trying to multiply her coins by washing then at the mysterious spring

At the Main Hall of Yakuo-in Temple

At the Izuna Gongen-do Hall

 

Group A got to the peak of the mountain around 12:30 pm some 20 minutes earlier than Group B. 

Unfortunately, as it was a little too cloudy, we were not able to see a graceful figure of Mt. Fuji from the peak of the mountain. 

At the peak of the mountain

At the lunch table

 

After having lunch together, we took a group photo around the peak of the mountain with the elusive Mt. Fuji in the background, and left there around 13:40 pm.  

With the elusive Mt. Fuji in the background

 

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)

 

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 around 3:30 pm, which was the end of the tour.

 

In front of Kiyotaki Station

 

Some of our guests appeared to have a plan to visit Yokohama together after the tour.  To that end, they asked us for an advice to check on the most efficient transit route and otherwise. 

What energetic guests!  My muscle pain hasn’t gone away yet!

 

Written by Shiro

Dated: 5 October 2026

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