Mt. Mitake + Rock Garden

Hiking route on Mitakesan (御岳山) with a Mononoke Hime vibe that is perfect for beginners.

Getting there 🚂

Nearest train station: Mitake Station / 御嶽駅 (JR) 🚉

Cable car station: Mitakesan cable car station / 御岳山駅 🚠

Travel from Shinjuku: 2 hr ⏱️

• 07:44 train departs Shinjuku -> 09:04 arrive at Mitake Station -> 09:12 bus -> 09:30 cable car -> 09:36 arrive at Mitakesan Station. 🚌🚠
• Shinjuku to Mitakesan route on Google Maps 🗺️

Trail overview 🥾

• Difficulty: Easy - great for beginners! 🟢
• Drink: Vending machines at the cable car station and near Mitake Shrine. 🥤
• Lunch: Several restaurant options on Mt. Mitake. 🍱
• Hiking poles 🔧: 2.5 / 5
  • Nice to have for the Rock Garden trail but not required.
• Trail running 👟: 2 / 5
  • The trail is steep and rocky, so it is not suitable for running.
• Simple access from Shinjuku to Mitake Station on the express train in the morning. 🚆
• ⚠️ MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE CABLE CAR TIMETABLES! HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR THE CABLE CAR!!!

Trail route 🥾

• Mitake Station -> bus -> cable car -> hike -> cable car -> bus -> Mitake Station. 🚶‍♂️🚌
• YAMAP routes:
  • Mitakesan Station - Mitake Shrine - Tengu cedar + Nagao-daira observation deck course 🗻
  • Mitakesan Station - Mitake Shrine - Tengu cedar round-trip course / 御岳山駅-御嶽神社-天狗の腰掛け杉 往復コース 🗻

Metrics:

• Duration: 4:00
• Distance: 6.4 km
• Elevation gain ↗️: 597 m
• Elevation decline ↘️: 597 m
• Trail type: Loop

Map of the route 🗺️

• 

Timeline ⏱️

• 10:00 - Arrive at Mitake Station / 御嶽駅 (JR). 🚉
• 10:12 - Bus to the cable car station. 🚌
• 11:00 - Arrive at Mitakesan Station (Mitake cable car) / 御岳山駅（御岳山ケーブルカー）. 🚠
• 11:33 - Lunch at a restaurant. 🍱
• 12:42 - Visit Mitake Shrine / 御嶽神社. ⛩️
• 12:43 - Stop at Mount Mitake / 御岳山. ⛰️
• 12:44 - Rest at Nagao Teahouse / 長尾茶屋. 🍵
• 13:04 - See Tengu Cedar / 天狗の腰掛け杉. 📸
• 14:14 - Explore Rock Garden / 岩石園（ロックガーデン）. 🛖
• 14:27 - Pause at Ayahiro Falls / 綾広の滝. 📸
• 15:06 - Return past Tengu Cedar / 天狗の腰掛け杉. 📸
• 15:20 - View Nagao-daira observation deck / 長尾平展望台. 📸
• 16:11 - Depart from Mitakesan cable car station / 御岳山駅. 🚠

Food 🍱

• Bring snacks and water. 🥤🍫
  • There are vending machines at the cable car station and near Mitake Shrine.
• There are a few restaurants on Mt. Mitake. 🍱
  • Komadori / 駒鳥売店 🍜
  • Kotobukiya / 寿屋 🍛
  • Chimotoya / 千本屋商店 ☕️

Key photo spots 📸

• Mitake Shrine and stone stairway ⛩️

• Rock Garden mossy valley 🌿
  Soft green moss, flowing streams, and wooden bridges create a Ghibli-like scene.

• Ayahiro waterfall 綾広の滝 💧

• Observation deck near the cable car station 🌄

• Tengu Cedar 天狗の腰掛け杉 🌲

Mitakesan cable car

Mountain top station: Mitakesan Cable Car Station / 御岳山駅

Base station: Takimoto Station / 滝本駅

Closest train station: JR Mitake Station / 御嶽駅

• Take a bus from JR Mitake Station to Takimoto Station.

JR Mitake Station to Mitakesan Cable Car Station route map:

graph TD
    A["JR Shinjuku station 🚉"] -->|"Okutama line 🚃"| B["JR Mitake station 🚉"]
    B -->|"Nishi Tokyo Bus 🚌"| C["Takimoto cable car station 🚉"]
    C -->|"Mitaketozan railway 🚠"| D["Mitakesan cable car station 🚠"]

Phone numbers:

• Mitake Tozan Railway: 0428-78-8121
• Nishi Tokyo Bus (Haigawa Office): 0428-83-2126

Cost:

• 1,200 yen round trip (adult)
• 600 yen one way (adult)

Mitakesan cable car timetables

🚠 The last cable car down from Mt. Mitake is at 18:30. ⚠️

Hour	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays
07	30, 55	30, 54
08	20, 40	10, 26, 42, 58
09	00, 20, 40	14, 30, 46
10	00, 20, 40	02, 18, 42, 58
11	10, 45	14, 46
12	10, 40	02, 18, 42
13	10, 40	14, 46
14	10, 42	18, 50
15	00, 20, 42	06, 22, 38, 54
16	06, 30	10, 34, 58
17	00, 30	30
18	00, 30	00, 30

• Timetable as of 2025-10-11.
• For more details, see mitaketozan.co.jp/timetable.html.

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