Mount Kumotori 雲取山
The mountain in the suburbs of Tokyo
At the crossroads of Tokyo, Saitama, and Yamanashi prefectures, you can find Mount Kumotori, which rises above 2,000 meters (2,017 meters exactly). Nicknamed in Japan the "mountain that catches the clouds", you can see as far as Mount Fuji when the weather is clear!
The highest mountain in the capital
Mount Kumotori belongs to the list of the 100 famous mountains of Japan ( "hyakumeizan" ), established in the 60s by Kyuya Fukada, and which lists the Japanese summits according to the beauty of the landscape, the mountain as well as the altitude. Mount Kumotori - which is the highest mountain in Tokyo Prefecture - is within Chichibu Tama Kai National Park where, in the middle of the hiking trails, you can also find Mount Mitake or Mitsumine Shrine.
Read also: The Chichibu region
View from the top of Mount Kumotori
wikicommons
From the top of this mountain, you can thus observe, beyond Mount Fuji which soars further west in its majestic solitude, a landscape where the horizon is cut here and there by high peaks and steep gorges crossed by torrents.
An invitation to hike
The ascent of Mount Kumotori can be done in two days, with the possibility of sleeping one night in one of the 6 mountain huts furnished with futons and tatamis, whose capacity for each varies between 10 and 200 people. There is also the possibility of settling on a paying campsite. Hiking there is long but does not entail any particular difficulties for a healthy person. Autumn is particularly recommended to be able to observe the forests of the surroundings adorn themselves with several colors.
Hut in Mount Kumotori
Wikicommons
Three paths lead to the top of the mountain:
You can start from the mountain village Tamba (Yamanashi prefecture), accessible from a bus line departing from Okumata station.
You can also leave directly from Okumata station, and stop at the Higashi Nihara or Mineya stop to start an ascent.
Finally, you can depart from Saitama Prefecture, from Nishomiya Station in Chichibu City.
Sunrise at Mount Kumotori
Miguel Vieira
Address, timetable & access
Address
Timetable
Take the Chuo line from Shinjuku station to Okutama station (2 hrs). From there take the bus to Kamosawa (30 min).
