Last December 3, 2016, the students went on a hiking trip together with a GSEP faculty to Mt. Takao, Tokyo. The autumn scenery offered a relaxing experience especially for the students who were in the middle of transitioning from their 2nd to 3rd academic quarters. While facing an alternate form of challenge, hiking, the students were able to bond together – laughing, cracking jokes, group photos, and interesting conversations with a few scientific topics. Surrounded by well-maintained natural environment, they were able to appreciate Japan more and saw the contrast between cities and country-side.
After gathering at Shibuya station, we reached the nearest station, Takao-san-guchi station. The hike from Takao-san-guchi station to the peak of Mt. Takao took 2 hours at most, so we dropped by a near-by convenient store to stock-up on water and other necessary items. On the way up, we took the most common route for first-timers which trails through temples and traditional shopping stalls. Along the way, students drank hot green tea, and ate sundaes and fresh dango. During the hike, we also took time for group photos.
There was an option to take cable cars but due to the long queue, everyone decided to skip it. At the peak, we had lunch on picnic mats beside trees with wilting leaves. Everyone brought their own bentos (lunch box in Japanese) and drinks. One highlight was sharing the crispy dried crickets purchased from one of the stalls near the temple. Meanwhile, the group was also fortunate to see the magnificent Mt. Fuji. After taking a group photo, we decided to begin or descent.
On the way back to Takao-san-guchi station, a different route was taken which was unpaved, less crowded, and completely surrounded by trees and lush vegetation. Half-way through, there was an observation area where everyone took a final break to take photos and catch their breath.
It was indeed an enjoyable trip for the students. We all looked forward to the next hiking experience.
See the gallery below for photos taken during our trip:
About the location:
Mount Takao (高尾山, Takaosan) is one of the closest natural recreation areas to central Tokyo, offering beautiful scenery, an interesting temple and attractive hiking opportunities. Although outside the city center, the mountain is still located within metropolitan Tokyo and takes only 50 minutes and 390 yen to reach from Shinjuku (source: japan-guide.com). Due to its distance from the center of Tokyo and its ease-of-access, it is highly visited by tourists and the locals. Climbing Mt. Takao is relatively much easier compared to Mt. Fuji and other neighboring mountains.
Written by Alvin C.G. Varquez