Takao-san

Sunday, September 3, 2006Hachiōji, Tokyo

高尾山

Cover photo: Takao-san — Summer woods and mossy stones
View 7 photos

Distance: 7.9km
Ascent: 413m; 389 m of descent
Walking time: 2 h 21; 5 h 58 with breaks
High point: 599m; low point 192 m
Season: Autumn; September 2006

Stones in the woods

On Takao, the walk passes a small waterfall, stone statues and religious buildings beneath the trees. In early September, the foliage is still dense. From the heights, the view opens onto a plain whose outlines fade in the distance.

The Jizō wear red caps and bibs. A sacred rope with its folded papers adorns the entrance of a building; moss covers the head of a stone guardian.

GPS reception was poor in the forest, which affected the accuracy of the tracks.

Map and profile

Download the GPX track How to read this map Hover over the profile to follow the track on the map. The thumbnails show where each photo was taken; click one to enlarge it.

Photos 7

A shrine and its sacred rope (shimenawa) — Near Biwa-taki (琵琶滝), a shrine and its sacred rope (shimenawa).

A komainu, the temple’s stone guardian — A komainu, a stone guardian, at Biwa-taki.

Mauve and white hydrangea flowers in the woods, at about 320 m, above Biwa-taki.

View of the plain from the summit of Takao-san (高尾山), 599 m.

Small shrine beside the trail — Near Biwa-taki, the buildings of a small shrine beside the trail, in the forest.

Dense woods on the slopes — Dense woods and green foliage near the Miyama-bashi bridge (深山橋), at about 460 m, in the afternoon.