Tokyo Hiker 🥾

Appearance

Otama Walking Trail ༄ᨒ ​

Nice, cool, easy hike along the Tama River in OkuTama, with a few waterfalls and a suspension bridge. Great for beginners or those seeking a relaxing stroll, especially in the summer months.

Getting there 🚂 ​

Start station: Kori Station (JR Ome Line) 🚉

Finish station: OkuTama Station (JR Ome Line) 🚉

Travel from Shinjuku: about 1 hr 40 min ⏱️

  • Ride the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku toward Tachikawa, continue on the JR Ome Line toward OkuTama, and get off at Kori Station. 🚆
  • The walking route starts a 5-minute walk from Kori Station.

TIP

Try taking the Holiday Rapid Okutama (休日快速 おくたま) train to get to Ome station faster from Shinjuku!

Trail overview 📋 ​

  • Difficulty: Easy - great for beginners! 🟢
  • Toilets: Use the toilet at Kori Station before you start; Ecotto Shiromaru at Shiromaru Dam has another one later on. 🚻
  • Drink: Bring plenty of water but there are a few cafes and stores along the way.
  • Convenience store: 7-Eleven near Kori station
  • Lunch: Few food options along the trail, so pack your own. 🍱
  • Hiking poles 🔧: 2 / 5
    • Not needed; the route is a riverside walkway with steps, not a mountain trail.
  • Trail running 👟: 3 / 5
    • Mostly runnable with a few narrow and rocky sections in the Hatonosu Valley.
  • Best season: Spring to autumn; the shaded river path stays cool even on hot summer days. 🍃
  • Bail-out point: Hatonosu Station / 鳩ノ巣駅 sits partway along the route, so you can stop there early or use it as a shorter start. 🚉
  • ⚠️ The stretch between Kori Station and Hatonosu Station includes long paved-road sections, so watch for cars.
  • ⚠️ The rocks in Hatonosu Valley are very slippery when wet, so wear shoes with good grip.

Trail route 🥾 ​

  1. Kori Station / 古里駅
  2. Suniwa Bridge / 寸庭橋
  3. Hatonosu Valley / 鳩ノ巣渓谷
  4. Shiromaru Dam / 白丸ダム
  5. Kazuma Gorge / 一ノ瀬渓谷
  6. OkuTama Station / 奥多摩駅

Metrics:

  • Duration: 4:35 to 6:15
  • Distance: 9.4 km to 9.7 km
  • Elevation gain ↗: 601 m to 624 m
  • Elevation decline ↘: 544 m to 571 m
  • Trail type: Point to point (one way)

Map of the route 🗺️ ​

The OkuTama Tourist Association publishes the official trail map:

Eastern half of the Otama Walking Trail map, following the Tama River from Kori Station on the right, past Hatonosu Valley and the Matsunoki-one ridge, to Shiromaru Dam on the left, with an inset street map of the Hatonosu Station area

Western half of the Otama Walking Trail map, following the Tama River from Shiromaru Station on the right, past the Kazuma Gorge walkway and Shiromaru Dam, to OkuTama Station on the left, with a legend and lists of local restaurants, souvenir shops, activities, and lodging

Other versions of the map:

Shoutout to OkuTama Tourist Association for making the PDF and Google maps! 👏

Shortcuts ✂️ ​

Skipping the paved section between Kori station and Shotanba parking lot ​

Unfortunately, the stretch between Kori Station and the Shotanba Sightseeing Parking Lot / 小丹波観光駐車場 is a 17-minute walk on a paved road.

To avoid this, start from Hatonosu Station instead for a shorter hike, though you will encounter dirt trails within 5 minutes.

Skipping the road between Lake Shiromaru and OkuTama station ​

When you pass Earth Garden / 森の中のお肉レストラン アースガーデン, the route becomes a local village road until you reach OkuTama Station.

To avoid this, cross the bridge near Earth Garden to head to Shiromaru Station / 白丸駅, then take the train to OkuTama Station.

Minimum pavement route ​

Nice riverside paths near OkuTama station

Walk towards Tokei Bridge / 登計橋 for nice views of the river.

Timeline ⏱️ ​

The times below come from my June 2024 hike.

Food 🍱 ​

Food options along this trail are few, so bring lunch and snacks with you. 🍙

Key photo spots 📸 ​

References 📚 ​


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