Located in the far western corner of Tokyo’s rural Ome City, Mount Takamizu is a stone’s throw from the mountainous district of Okutama. Popular with both hikers and trail runners, the mountain forms part of the impressive Takamizu Sansan Hiking course, which actually consists of three peaks: Mount Takamizu (769 meters), Mount Iwatakeishi (793 meters) and Mount Sougaku (756 meters).
This interesting course traverses over 9 kilometers of rugged terrain, pine forests, craggy peaks and features many interesting ascents and several steep descents. Although the course is not particularly challenging, hikers should exercise some caution when traversing over certain sections since it can be easy to lose your footing. This is something that I experienced firsthand! Depending on your level of fitness, the hike can take from around three to four hours to complete. The course features many impressive views of some of the nearby peaks in Okutama, as well as a picturesque temple called Takamizu-Sanjofukuin (高水山常福院) which is close to the mountain’s peak. This temple provides an excellent place to rest and soak in the atmosphere.
This course can either be started from Ikusabata Station or Mitake Station, which are both located on the Ome train line. However, I would recommend doing the former option, since this allows you to traverse the highest peak first, and then gradually descend to Mitake Station via Mount Iwatakeishi and Mount Sougaku. This trail can be done throughout any time of the year, although you can expect to find some snow, especially at the top of all three peaks, during the winter.
Getting there
The hike is conveniently located on the JR Ome Line, which is about a 90 minute train ride from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station. Single fares cost around 1000 Yen, and usually require a transfer at JR Tachikawa to the Ome Line. Most people tend to start from JR Ikusabata Station and finish at Mitake Station, which is 3 stops along the same line.
