Take a Quick Day Trip From Tokyo city center! Be sure you get out of the big city and Discover The Real Japan! There’s so much more to Tokyo than just bright lights, anime, maid cafes, technology, and robot restaurants. Many people don’t realize that western Tokyo has a countryside that will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. It’s places like these that you’ll find and experience the “REAL JAPAN.”
In this video, we take a 90 minute train ride from Tokyo’s city center to the area of Mount Mitake. This area and the Musashi Mitake Shrine, which dates back to 91 BC, have been a preferred destination for Japanese pilgrims for centuries.
We’ll stay in a 300 year old Temple Inn (Shukubo) that has been operated by the same family for 19 generations. The current owner of the inn is also a master chef who, literally prepared the best Japanese meal I have ever eaten!
As we trek along the Tama River, we’ll show you a sake brewery and enjoy tasting from the latest barrels for the new season.
Finally, don’t miss the end of the video where we’ll visit a surprise location that’s sure to impress.
Links to locations in this video:
Musashi Mitake Shrine:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/osawoiLP4um5WegZ9
Sanko-so Mountain Cottage:
https://omegocoti.com/%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E3%81%AE%E5%A4%A9%E7%A9%BA%E9%9B%86%E8%90%BD%E3%83%BB%E5%BE%A1%E5%B2%B3%E5%B1%B1%E5%AE%BF%E5%9D%8A%E6%B0%91%E8%8A%B8%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8A%E5%AE%BF%E5%B1%B1%E9%A6%99%E8%8D%98/
Google Maps Pin to the Inn
https://maps.app.goo.gl/icEaB3GbzzKQMjEcA
Sawanoi Brewery and Tasting Bar:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cpwaUtL5u2tykzAM9
Kanzanji Temple:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rukuFMZpas6cSGQ68
Hirata Blacksmith / Katana Forge:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EgACse7F4mYJ3nxz8
(Reservations required before arrival)
Chapters:
0:00 – Get out of the city!
1:39 – Arrive at Mt. Mitake
2:08 – Musashi Mitake Shrine
3:13 – Staying at Ryokan
3:42 – Japanese Onsen Bath
4:14 – Traditional Japanese Dinner
6:26 – Tama River Hike
7:26 – Sake Tasting
8:17 – Katana Forge Visit
Bright lights, big city, and 14 Million people doing their own thing! That’s Tokyo! But what if I told you that Tokyo actually has an alluring countryside that beckons with its irresistible beauty and culture that dates back hundreds of years?
What if I told you that this is where you’re gonna find what everyone seems to be looking for? …the REAL JAPAN! Well, today we’re gonna take a short train ride to the outer edges of Tokyo, stay overnight in a centuries old Japanese temple, enjoy traditional baths, sake tasting from a brewery
That was founded over 300 years ago, and show you what you’ll be missing if you don’t make the time to get out of the city! Lets GO! Today, we’re off to spend 48 hours in a hidden village at the top of one of Japan’s most sacred mountains, Mount Mitake.
The famous Musashi Shrine, located at the top of the mountain is said to be 2,000 years old and what many Japanese consider one of the most sacred places in all of Japan. Here’s the plan. We’ll take a rapid train on the Chuo line from Shinjuku to Ome station.
From there, we’ll change to a local line that winds through Tokyo’s beautiful western mountains to Mitake station. We’ll then take a 10 minute bus ride to the Mitake cable car, and finally arrive on the top at Mt. Mitake’s hidden mountain village.
So, without any further adieu, let’s get away from the madness of the big city and experience the cultural essence of the real Japan. Before you know it, you’ll be transported to, what feels like, another world. When you step off the cable car, you’ll be greeted with breathtaking views as you
Look across the landscape and look back at the city you left behind. After getting off the cable car, you’ll enjoy a short walk along the trails as you head into the village. In the village, most of the stores seem to close by 4 pm, so if you want to do any shopping,
Be sure to get there earlier. Before checking into our shukubo, we decided to climb the 330 steps to the mountain top and enjoy the serenity of Mushashi Mitake Shrine which is said to be founded in the year 91 BC!
Sitting atop Mt Mitake at 929 meters, this sacred location has been used for mountain worship and pilgrimages by Japanese for many centuries. A visit to this shrine is sure to evoke a sense of deep reflection and inner peace.
After paying our respects, it was time to head over and check in to our shukubo, enjoy a hot onsen bath, and a traditional japanese washoku dinner. We stayed overnight at the very traditional Sanko-so Mountain Cottage and were warmly welcomed by our furry host.
This inn is over 300 years old and has been operated by the same family for 19 generations. The traditional rooms offer spectacular mountain views with Tokyo’s city lights dancing on the evening horizon. After check-in, slip into your yukata and go enjoy a hot onsen bath. This is the only inn on Mt.
Mitake that has its own onsen. But, even if you’re not a guest at the inn, you can still visit the bath for only 500 yen. …and this is one of the few ryokans in Japan where tattoos are actually permitted in public areas.
I’ll put a Google Maps pin and link to the inn to it below The Inn’s owner personally brought us delicious local sake before heading down for dinner. All ingredients are locally harvested and always fresh So, when you stay at a Japanese shukubo, you can expect an amazing meal. So, let’s dig in. Itadakemasu
All of the gourmet cuisine is personally prepared by the inn’s owner who is also a trained master chef. Oishi Kanpai I’m not sure how I’m gonna do this. Let’s see how it goes. This is soba on the outside and Kuri (sweet chestnut) on the inside. It’s good!
I made a total mess of my plate and my table but it’s really good. After dinner, you’ll find your room fully transformed, with futons prepared by the owners for a good night’s sleep. Now it’s time to get some rest and re-energize for a day of hiking, sake tasting, and an
Unscheduled surprise detour that you’re sure to enjoy. It’s our final day in the area and I had just enough time for a short morning hike to take in Mitake’s beauty one last time before heading back down the mountain.
After arriving back at Mitake station we took the hiking path that winds along the Tama river. With the stunning views along the river you’ll hardly believe that you’re actually still in Tokyo. Along the path, you’re sure to find plenty of small cafes and like-minded people out enjoying the great outdoors.
Along the river, we came across a festival at a local sake brewery after they just opened the season’s new barrels for everyone to enjoy. For just 1000 yen we received a commemorative cup and shots of all five of their latest brews.
From the brewery, be sure to go across the suspension bridge and visit the kanzanji temple that’s hidden in the lush forest. As we continued our Mitake hike, we came across the forge of a master swordsmith who specializes in the ancient art of making genuine Japanese katanas from raw sand and iron.
This is an unforgettable experience that’ll certainly take you back to the cultural essence and origins of the real Japan. We hope this video has inspired you to make the time to get out of the city and experience a side of Tokyo you possibly never knew existed.
I’ll put links and pins to all the places we visited on this Mitake trip in the description below. Now, please be sure to like this video and subscribe to the channel as we continue Discovering Japan
1 Comment
This is great!