Have you heard of Mount Takao? It is outside of Tokyo but is easily accessible via train. Mount Takao boasts a quiet, serene surrounding—a far cry from the hectic city life.

Mount Takao is a day trip option if you want to get out of the city for a bit, and getting there from Shinjuku Station takes about an hour. But the mountain does not just offer the sights and sounds of nature, there are also shopping streets and restaurants located on the mountain itself!

Still not sure whether you should make the commute? Here are 7 Reasons Why You Should Make A Day Trip From Tokyo To Mount Takao.

#1 THERE ARE SEVERAL HIKING TRAILS TO TAKE

Nature lovers will love making the most out of the day trip by hiking up the mountain. Trail Number 1 offers concrete footpaths up the mountain, but the remaining trails are unpaved, although they are less crowded.

A hike up the mountain takes about 90 minutes.

#2 YOU CAN EVEN TAKE A CABLE CAR IF YOU ARE LAZY

There are cable cars going up and down the mountain for travellers who would rather do without the hike. It will only take about 20 minutes or less to get to the top! A single trip costs ¥480, while a round trip costs ¥930.

#3 YOU WILL GET A CLEAR VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINOUS SURROUNDINGS

The view from the mountain is breathtaking, to say the least. There is an outlook point that allows visitors to take in the beautiful surroundings. If you are tired after your hike, you can even sit on the benches while you sip on a drink.

Plus, the view is great for pictures!

#4 SHOP ON THE TRANQUIL STREETS

The road leading up to the cable car centre is lined with independent stores, selling everything from handmade rice crackers, ice cream, to little keychains and souvenirs.

#5 FILL YOUR TUMMY WITH SOME DELICIOUS SOBA

If you take a walk down the serene shopping streets within Mount Takao, you will find plenty of soba restaurants. Soba is evidently a popular dish in Mount Takao, and you can feast on hot, soupy soba noodles, or just some traditional ice-cold soba.

#6 WATCH MONKEYS PLAY AROUND

Near the top of the mountain sits a little Monkey Park, and you just need to pay a small entrance fee to be able to see the jumpy creatures in their enclosures.

Access to the Monkey Park costs ¥420 per head.

Photo Credit: WAttention

#7 THE AUTUMN FOLIAGE IS AMAZING

Mount Takao is very popular during Autumn, when the trees all around the mountain turn into various shades of orange, yellow and red. The autumn foliage is simple stunning; and very quintessential of Japan.

Just this alone is worth the trip to Mount Takao during Autumn!

HOW TO GET TO MOUNT TAKAO

Mount Takao is easily accessible via train from Shinjuku Station in Central Tokyo. It takes approximately one hour.

Simply hop onto the Keio Railway line from Shinjuku, and alight at Takaosanguchi Station—the nearest Station to Mount Takao.

Read: 6 Best Day Trips From Tokyo You Will Regret Not Visiting.