Mt. Ōtake (Okutama) Hiking Guide (2026): From the Mt. Mitake Cable Car via the Rock Garden

Based on official information checked October 24, 2026 (Mitake Tozan Railway, Tokyo Mitake Visitor Center, Okutama Tourism Association, Ōme City). The cable car fare was revised on October 1, 2026. Fares, times, and closures change, so check the official pages below before you go.

Introduction

Mt. Ōtake (1,266 m) straddles Okutama and Hinohara in western Tokyo. The Okutama Tourism Association lists it among the Three Peaks of Okutama and the 200 Famous Mountains of Japan. The most common route is to take the bus and cable car from JR Ōme Line Mitake Station up to Mt. Mitake, then walk along the ridge to Mt. Ōtake and back.

Overview

The Mitake Visitor Center calls the Mt. Ōtake section "a long, intermediate course with chain sections", rated ★★★. Allow extra time for breaks, lunch, and photos.

Mitake Station to Mitake-san Station: bus and cable car

• The cable car fare was revised on October 1, 2026: adults 700 yen one way and 1,400 yen round trip, children 350 / 700 yen (Mitake Tozan Railway). A one-way ticket is valid on the day of purchase; a round-trip ticket is valid for one round trip within 2 days.
• Cars leave Takimoto and Mitake-san stations at the same time. Ōme City's tourism site gives operating hours of 7:30–18:30. Check the timetable on the Mitake Tozan Railway site before riding.
• The bus fare is from Nishi Tokyo Bus's fare table (Mitake-eki to Cable-shita).
• Ōme City says the cable car climbs 423.6 m with a maximum gradient of 25°.
• At the cable car gates, IC transit cards can be used only one card per person.

Mt. Mitake and the Rock Garden

Musashi Mitake Shrine sits on Mt. Mitake, with an approach lined with pilgrim lodges and shops. The Tokyo Mitake Visitor Center (9:00–16:30, free) has information on trail conditions and seasonal plants, about 15 minutes' walk from Mitake-san Station.

The Rock Garden is a walking course of rocks and moss along a stream on the south side of Mt. Mitake. The Visitor Center describes it this way:

• Difficulty ★★☆, about 2 h 30 min for the loop, 4 toilets
• Mitake-san Station → Visitor Center (about 15 min) → Nagaodaira fork → Tengu-no-koshikake-sugi → Tengu-iwa → Rock Garden → Ayahiro Falls → Ōtake-michi fork → back toward the shrine
• In the Rock Garden you cross the stream on stepping stones

For Mt. Ōtake, turn toward Mt. Ōtake at the Ōtake-michi fork (the junction with a shelter) in the Rock Garden. The official page says this is a long intermediate course with chain sections, so prepare your gear and plan properly.

To the summit

• Below the summit there is a short chain and rock section. It is slippery after rain or when icy, so gloves help.
• The Okutama Tourism Association says there is a toilet about 15 minutes from Mt. Ōtake toward Akuba-tōge, and several more between Akuba-tōge and Mt. Mitake.
• We could not confirm official information on water or food on the trail, so bring enough with you.

Other routes

The Okutama Tourism Association notes that the Nokogiriyama forest road parallel to the Nokogiri Ridge is closed to vehicles and pedestrians for repair work until mid-November 2026, and cannot be used as an escape route.

Trail conditions (official, October 2026)

The Mitake Visitor Center's trail information page (updated September 18, 2026) lists:

• Rock Garden: open
• Mt. Mitake – Mt. Ōtake: open
• Mt. Ōtake – Mt. Nokogiri – Okutama Station, Mt. Ōtake – Magarione Ridge – Gundō: open
• Shin'en-no-mori course (Tengu-no-koshikake-sugi to the torii square): closed for now due to a large fallen tree
• Hinode-yama – Kamiyōzawa: closed

The same page says there are more than 10 mountain accidents a year around Mt. Mitake, asks hikers to check sunset times in advance, and notes that a hiking plan for Mt. Mitake can be submitted at JR Mitake Station (there is basically nowhere to submit one on the mountain).

What to wear and bring

• Hiking boots with good grip (rock and chains below the summit)
• Gloves for the chain section
• Rain gear and warm layers
• Headlamp, especially in autumn and winter when the sun sets early
• Enough water and food
• A power bank and a map app; signal can be patchy
• In winter, traction devices such as chain spikes in case of snow or ice

Crowds and timing

• Weekends and the autumn-color season are busy on the Rock Garden and the shrine approach. Start early.
• Do not miss the last cable car. Check the time and leave yourself plenty of margin.
• Asian black bears are seen in Okutama. Check the Okutama Visitor Center's hiking information before you go. See our bear safety guide.

If chains and rocks are not for you, the Mt. Mitake and Rock Garden loop (about 2 h 30 min) alone is a good option. See our Mt. Mitake day trip guide.

Summary

Mt. Ōtake lets you gain height on the Mt. Mitake cable car and enjoy both the Rock Garden and a summit view in one day. The cable car fare rose to 700 yen one way in October 2026. Check fares, times, and closures on the official pages before you go.

See also: Mt. Kumotori hiking guide and Takaosan day trip.

References

• Mitake Tozan Railway — Timetable and fares (Japanese)
• Tokyo Mitake Visitor Center — Trail information (Japanese)
• Tokyo Mitake Visitor Center — Rock Garden course (Japanese)
• Nishi Tokyo Bus — Fare table (PDF, Japanese)
• Ōme City tourism — Mt. Mitake trekking course (Japanese)
• Okutama Tourism Association — Okutama hiking (Japanese)
• Okutama Visitor Center — Hiking information (Japanese)