Caving in Tokyo: Then and Now There was a time not so long ago when visiting a tourist cave was a popular way to spend a lazy weekend. Rewind to the early 1980s and there were seven such caves operating in Tokyo now sadly more than half of them have...
The Kurasawa Bridge (Kurasawabashi) One could be forgiven for thinking the Tokyo Gate Bridge is the highest bridge in Tokyo and while its truss sections rise some 88 metres, the bridge’s “clearance” when measured from the deck of the road comes in...
The Mystery Surrounding Kanto’s Longest Cave The Greater Tokyo Area features some fairly good tourist caves including the Nippara Limestone Cave in Tokyo and the Fujido Cave in Gunma Prefecture which are worth checking out. Recreational caving...
Hossawa Falls on a Wintry Morning During a previous visit to the Hossawa Falls in early spring a few years back, splendid greenery complemented Tokyo’s most renowned waterfall. This time was a little less joyful, arising at the crack of dawn on a...
Okutama at its Finest: Mitsugama Falls In short, there are few more beautiful places in Okutama than the Unasawa Valley. The main drawcard are three waterfalls which snake their way along the Unasawa Creek downhill of Mount Odake. The hiking course...
The Biggest Cypress Tree in Tokyo This remarkable tree in Okutama on the outskirts of Tokyo traces its ancestry back to the Muromachi era around 600 years ago, though some have estimated its age closer to 1,000 years. Either way the Kurasawa...
Hiked on May 16, 2016 May 26, 2024 . Hyakuhiro Waterfall 百尋の滝 – Mt. Kawanori 川苔山 The route from Kawanori Bridge Bus Stop to Mt. Kawanori has been repaired and reopened as of July 21, 2022. For more information about the...
Terrific Day Trips Within Reach of Tokyo With inbound tourists visiting Japan surging to a record 19.73 million last year means more visitors than ever are looking for avenues to not only escape the crowds, but check out some less familiar...
Hiking to the Hyakuhiro Waterfall in Okutama On a dreary overcast day last week I decided to check out a towering waterfall in the Okutama watershed. One of the major drawcards hiking Mount Kawanori is passing by the rather impressive Hyakuhiro...
Weird and Wonderful Sights on the Trail Hiking around Tokyo provides a great chance to escape the crowds, unwind and feel some personal space often lacking in the city. While charming scenery is abound there are times you are left scratching head as...
Wilderness at Tokyo’s Doorstep Situated within the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park in the western part of Tokyo, the Okuchichibu Mountains are a hiker’s paradise allowing us city dwelling folk to escape the confines of the nearby metropolis. The...
Hiked on May 2, 2015 May 18, 2021 . Shougen Toge 将監峠 – Mt. Hiryusan 飛竜山 – Sanjounoyu 三条の湯 Duration: 3 days Distance: 34.5 km Elevation change: 1489 metres Highest point: 2069 metres Start: Ochiai Bus...
Nippara Limestone Cave the Biggest in Tokyo Located in the sleepy village of Nippara on Tokyo’s outskirts finds Nippara Cave one of the best karst limestone caves in Japan. I previously visited the caves a few years back though was keen to return on...
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...
Winter Waterfall Wonders at Odake Falls Tokyo contains some rather noteworthy waterfalls including the Hossawa Falls which are included in the One Hundred Waterfalls of Japan. While at the Odake Falls 大岳滝 are around half the height of the Hossawa...
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...