Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Hello. I’m a middle-aged guy who loves ramen.
This time, I went to Mt. Takao with my son.
I’ll mainly introduce the hiking course,
so if you’re thinking of visiting Mt. Takao, I hope this helps.
And at the very end, just a little—
there’s a story that made me think,
“Wait… what are the odds of that?”
If you’ve got a few minutes, I’d be happy if you read to the end.
Who This Is For
- People who want to go to Mt. Takao but can’t decide which course to take
- People considering hiking Mt. Takao with a dog
- Parents who feel slightly complicated emotions watching their children grow
- Anyone who is curious about “fate” or strange coincidences
Conclusion (What I Realized)
What looks like coincidence
might actually be the result of small choices
made little by little.Maybe what we call “fate”
is simply the chain of actions we took without noticing.
Today’s Hiking Route
Start: Cable Car Kiyotaki Station (in front of the Saburo Kitajima statue)
Ascent: Inariyama Trail
Summit: Mt. Takao summit (clear view of Mt. Fuji)
Via: Yakuo-in Temple (Fudo Hall, Gongen Hall, reunion with the Chief Priest)
Descent: Trail No.1 (from Yakuo-in down the stone-paved path past the Beer Mount area)
Goal: Cable Car Kiyotaki Station
This time we climbed the dirt Inariyama Trail and descended on the paved Trail No.1.
Two completely different kinds of routes.
Distance: approx. 7.2 km
Total hiking time: 2 hours 34 minutes (including breaks)
For those planning to go, here’s our actual log.
[Outbound / Ascent] Inariyama Trail (approx. 3.1 km)
9:16 — Start at Kiyotaki Station
9:43 — 1.2 km mark (watch out for tree roots)
9:49 — Inariyama Observatory (beautiful view, short break)
9:57 / 10:13 / 10:19 / 10:23 — steady climb
10:26 — Arrived at the summit (Mt. Fuji clearly visible)
Average ascent pace: about 22.5 min/km (2.6 km/h).
A standard hiking pace.
We enjoyed the view at the observatory and climbed while matching Momiji’s pace.
…No, actually, she was pulling us the whole way.
I’m just slow (laugh).
[Return / Descent] Via Yakuo-in — Trail No.1 (approx. 4.1 km)
10:38 — Depart summit
10:53 — Fudo Hall / Gongen Hall (about 400 years of history)
11:00 — Yakuo-in grounds (unexpected reunion!)
11:25 — Cable car station area
11:40 — 1.3 km remaining to Takaosanguchi Station (stone pavement, tough on knees)
11:50 — Arrived back at Kiyotaki Station (goal)
The second half of the descent averaged about 7.7 min/km.
Smooth overall, but the stone pavement definitely hit my knees and toes.
After reaching the goal, my knees hurt so much it was hard to stand.
But I didn’t say anything.
(Inside, I was thinking, “Are you still choosing souvenirs?!”)
Why Did We Even Go to Mt. Takao Together?
Let me start a little earlier.
My workplace recently celebrated a milestone anniversary.
For some reason, I was selected as a member of the organizing committee.
At one meeting, the topic of creating a company mascot came up.
Someone mentioned that my son was studying at an art university.
Before I knew it, he had agreed to design the character.
That led to him being invited to the anniversary ceremony.
At the after-party, purely by chance,
he ended up sitting at the same table as several guests who often hike Mt. Takao.
And he casually promised them,
“Let’s climb Mt. Takao together sometime.”
The guests were men my age or older.
If I had been his age,
I probably wouldn’t have made that promise.
(I’ve always been shy.)
Fearless? Unreserved?
Is this what they call Generation Z?
I was impressed.
And, honestly, a little conflicted.
I felt like I’d lost to my own kid.
I Usually Prefer “Ura-Takao”
Mt. Takao is close, so I visit often.
But I usually choose the quieter “Ura-Takao” side.
The main approach is crowded.
And when I’m with my Shiba Inu, Momiji,
I have to be careful.
Ura-Takao feels more natural, more sacred.
But this time, for my son’s preview hike,
we chose the main route.
Time-Series Report (February 26, 2026)
9:03 — Parking
We parked at the Yakuo-in Auto Prayer Hall parking lot.
500 yen for the whole day.
Quite reasonable for a tourist area.
9:15 — Arrived at Kiyotaki Station
There stands a golden statue of Saburo Kitajima.
Shiny and bright.
I knew he was from Hachioji,
but I didn’t know he was a tourism ambassador.
I just thought, “Oh, I see.”
9:16 — Start, Inariyama Trail
3.1 km from start to summit.
Other trails have lots of pavement or stone steps.
The Inariyama Trail is dirt—
it feels like real mountain hiking.
So we chose this route.
9:22 — “Beware of Falling Dead Trees” Sign
I once had a tree fall right in front of me on Mt. Tonodake.
It didn’t hit me, but still.
In the mountains,
you need to look up as well as down.
Really.
9:43 — 1.2 km from the Start
The trail is well maintained,
but in some places tree roots stick out,
and parts of the ground are uneven.
Going up is still okay.
But on the way down,
you can trip over those roots or slip on them,
so you really need to be careful.
I honestly think it’s true
that descending is more dangerous than climbing.
9:49 — Inariyama Observatory
Cold air, clear sky.
The Kanto Plain stretched far into the distance.
I even thought I saw the silhouette of Tokyo Skytree.
There’s a wooden deck and benches here.
A perfect rest spot.
10:26 — Summit!
Clear blue sky.
Mt. Fuji stood beautifully in the distance, snow-capped.
My son and I stood side by side, looking at it.
He’s grown up.
Momiji looked bored.
10:33 — Summit Restaurant
A simple soba cost 800 yen.
I thought, “That’s expensive.”
But summit prices plus tourist prices—
it can’t be helped.
Inflation, too.
10:38 — Heading to Yakuo-in
Concrete path. Easy walking.
We stopped at a clean wooden restroom.
My son took a long time.
Apparently, he had a stomachache.
No matter how old they get,
a parent’s heart still stirs.
10:52 — The “Ten Worlds” Monument
This place was once considered a substitute sacred site for Mt. Fuji.
The trail was compared to the Buddhist “Ten Worlds”—
a path from delusion toward enlightenment.
A simple hiking trail
that has carried prayers for over 500 years.
For a moment, I thought:
Maybe walking itself is a kind of training.
Breathing.
Stepping forward.
Clearing the mind.
Walking Zen.
…Though honestly,
I might have just been zoning out.
10:53 — Fudo Hall
Modest in appearance.
Built about 400 years ago.
You can feel time there.
10:55 — Yakuo-in Main Hall
Large tengu statues stood guard.
What I Felt at Yakuo-in
This isn’t just a tourist temple.
Mountain worship still lives here.
Yamabushi monks were conducting a procession.
The sound of the conch shell echoed.
And beneath a large red umbrella,
the Chief Priest walked slowly.
And then—
“Wait… I’ve seen that face before.”
It was the same monk
who had given a sermon at our company ceremony.
Later I learned he is the Chief Priest of Yakuo-in—
the top spiritual leader of this mountain.
I was honestly stunned.
It felt less like coincidence
and more like something circling back.
Small Power Spots in the Grounds
Sengen Shrine — dedicated to Mt. Fuji’s deity.
A subtle shift in the air.
Aizen-do — for relationships and good connections.
I quietly wished for my son’s future.
Wish-Granting Stone Ring —
walk through, ring the staff, clear your desires.
If only it cleared my desire for beer.
Three Sacred Cedars —
overwhelming presence.
11:00 — And Then, an Unexpected Reunion
Inside the grounds of Yakuo-in,
we came across a procession of yamabushi monks.
The sound of the conch shell echoed through the mountain.
A group in traditional ascetic robes moved forward slowly.
I couldn’t help staring.
“Whoa…” I found myself murmuring.
At the very end of the procession,
there was a monk walking beneath a large red umbrella.
“Wait… haven’t I seen him before…?”
I looked again carefully.
It was the very monk
who had given a sermon at our company’s anniversary ceremony.
I never imagined I would see him again here,
on Mt. Takao.
I was honestly stunned.
Later, I learned that he is the Chief Priest of Yakuo-in—
in other words, the top spiritual leader of this mountain.
“So he really was an important person,”
I thought, strangely convinced.
It felt less like coincidence
and more like something that had come full circle.
11:25 — Cable Car Area
We chose to walk down.
There’s a beer garden there.
Future me—don’t forget.
11:40 — 1.3 km Remaining
Stone pavement all the way down.
My knees hurt.
My son said his toes hurt.
I silently vowed:
Next time, knee support.
11:50 — Goal
Back at Kiyotaki Station.
My son spent forever choosing souvenirs.
My knees were screaming.
But I said nothing.
That’s adult composure.
(Internally, I was complaining.)
Summary — Coincidence, or a Chain of Actions?
Looking back, the day was full of “coincidences.”
I was coincidentally chosen for the committee.
The mascot idea came up.
My son happened to study design.
He happened to accept.
He happened to attend the ceremony.
He happened to sit with hikers.
He happened to promise to climb Mt. Takao.
Remove any one step,
and the reunion would not have happened.
Is that fate?
Maybe.
Or maybe we just give meaning afterward.
But one thing is certain:
If we hadn’t moved,
none of it would have happened.
Accepting the design job.
Showing up.
Meeting people face to face.
Those small actions
become something that later feels like guidance.
The hike was 3.1 km up, 4.1 km down.
On paper, that’s all.
But what remains with me
is standing beside my son watching Mt. Fuji,
being pulled by Momiji,
my knees aching on the stone pavement,
and that unexpected reunion.
If there’s an invitation you’re hesitating about,
a promise you’re about to ignore—
maybe there’s a future connection waiting there.
You don’t have to do something big.
Move a little.
Meet someone.
Show up.
Mt. Takao may be a famous tourist mountain.
But for me,
it became a place that reminded me:
Connections are born where we go to meet them.
And maybe—
the future isn’t random at all.
It’s built
from small choices,
one step at a time.
A Small Practical Memo
- Watch out for tree roots on the Inariyama Trail (especially on descent)
- The stone pavement of Trail No.1 is tough on knees and toes
- I forgot knee support
Related Posts
- Mt. Takao’s Hidden Trail – A Quiet Escape Few Ever Find
If you enjoyed the main trail, here’s another side of Mt. Takao—quieter, deeper, and more reflective.- Only Three Pitches Left — And I Still Throw
A reflection on small choices, time, and what we decide to do with what’s left.- Shocked by My Son’s Gen Z Values
A father trying to understand the generation that walks a little faster and chooses a little differently.
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