Hiked on Nov 11, 2020 Apr 29, 2024 . Ogouchi Dam 小河内ダム – Yama-no-furusatomura 山のふるさと村 The first part of the route from Lake Okutama Bus Stop towards the Yama-no-furusato-mura is currently undergoing repairs and is not expected to...
Another Piece of the Puzzle Let’s rewind to the early 1960s in Tokyo. The city was in the midst of massive transition both socially and economically a stark contrast to just 20 years before. If you were a Japanese housewife you pined for the...
Some Great Places to Explore Around Tokyo There’s lots to love about Tokyo including its vibrant culture, nightlife and atmospheric alleyways full of nook and cranny style eating establishments. However, you need the occasional getaway whether...
A Short Getaway from Tokyo Even on a freezing cold morning it’s nice just to escape Tokyo even if just momentarily. Today’s walk starts from Miyama Bridge at the far end of Lake Okutama which I visited on a previous winter outing and when I hiked to...
Hiked on Nov 20, 2018 May 9, 2022 . Sogaku Ravine 惣岳渓谷 – Lake Okutama 奥多摩湖 Duration: 4 hours Distance: 9.7 km Elevation change: 190 metres Highest point: 540 metres Start: Okutama Station (Ome Line)...
Beautiful Postcards Recall Lake Okutama’s Early Years During the second half of the Showa Period from the 1950s onwards Japan experienced remarkable economic growth with significant investment in large-scale infrastructure. In the Kanto...
Relax and Unwind at these Secluded Spots With a population exceeding 13 million residents, the Tokyo Metropolis easily ranks as the most populous of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Area wise it lies third from the bottom, resulting in a limited amount...
Early Morning Snowscape Transforms Lake Okutama Lake Okutama is a large water storage located around 60 km west of Tokyo, and was at the time of its completion in 1957 one of the world’s largest reservoirs. Owing to its proximity to central Tokyo...
Worthwhile Excursions Away from the Bustle of Tokyo Whilst downtown Tokyo offers a seemingly endless array of sightseeing possibilities, sadly not enough visitors get the chance to broaden their horizons and travel beyond the city limits. Included...
Hiked on Nov 4, 2014 Jan 15, 2020 . Taiken no mori 体験の森 – Mt. Sasuzawayama サス沢山 Duration: 5 hours Distance: 10.9 km Elevation change: 1005 metres Highest point: 1405 metres Start: Sakaibashi Bus...
Securing Tokyo’s Water Future Paid a Heavy Toll As the responsible agency for supplying drinking water to almost 13 million residents the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks relies heavily on the 185,400 megalitre Lake Okutama...
The Demise of an Ill-Conceived Idea – The Okutama Ropeway It seems de rigueur these days that anyone with an outdoor blog has a category devoted to haikyo 廃虚 or in the English vernacular urban exploration. This genre of writing and photography...