Enjoy These Nature Trails That Are A Day Trip Away From Tokyo

Take a breather from the city and find peace along these nature trails near Tokyo.

Tokyo is a metropolis that enchants visitors with its ultramodern skyscrapers and futuristic skylines. Abundant creative outlets such as anime concerts, robot restaurants, and fancy illuminations further dazzle you to explore the city. While bewitching, its abundance might disorient the senses.

Hence to better appreciate the city, a few hours out of Tokyo to take in different vistas and immerse in nature might offer you the balance you need. This article will highlight four nature trails that are easily accessible from Tokyo but will take your mind away from the entrancing electronic lights and the hustle and bustle of the city.

Mt. Takao Hiking Trail

Photo credit: Hachioji Visitors & Convention Association

One of the nearest nature trails to Tokyo City center is Mt. Takao, which can be reached only an hour from Shinjuku Station to Takaosanguchi Station, the nearest station to the mountain. Mt. Takao is a great spot for hiking, with several trails crisscrossing the mountain and leading to the peak at 599 meters, offering sweeping views of Mount Fuji.

Most visitors opt for Trail No. 1, which is well-paved and passes through major attraction spots in the area such as the Takao-san Yakuo-in, a Buddhist temple with interesting architecture where people (non-Muslim) stop by to pray for good fortune, as well as Takao Monkey Park where you can spot more than 90 macaques. Should the trail be too taxing, there is a cable car halfway up the trail that goes to the peak. This also means Trail No. 1 is more crowded than other trails, which are not as well-paved but go through the thicker and quieter areas of the forest. It is recommended to go to Mt. Takao on weekdays as it is usually teeming with casual hikers and other visitors on weekends.

The view of Mt. Fuji welcomes you as a reward for trekking the Mt. Takao trail. Photo Credit: Hachioji Visitors & Convention Association

Due to the lush nature that surrounds Mt. Takao, the best seasons to visit it are spring for the cherry blossoms and fall for the autumnal scenery, when the area is glorious in colors with Mt. Fuji looming majestically from afar. This picture-perfect panorama is sure to invigorate your overstimulated senses.

Check out these Muslim-friendly spots:

After the refreshing excursion, visitors may drop by the Hachioji Masjid on their way back to the city. Located in a residential area, it is a three-story building with ample prayer spaces for males and females. The mosque is also easily accessible by public transportation and is a perfect pitstop for weary Muslim travelers before returning to Tokyo. To refuel, Rani Biriani House is a halal-certified South Asian restaurant also near Hachioji Station. Serving a wide range of menus from rice to naan sets and other options, you will be returning with a well-nourished body and mind.

Mt. Takao Hiking Trail Takaosanguchi Tourist Office (Website)

Keio Takaosanguchi Station, 2241, Takaomachi, Hachioji City, Tokyo 193-0844

How to get there: From Shinjuku Station on Keio Line, take a Limited Express to Takaosanguchi Station.

Hachioji Masjid (Website)

36-6 Hiraokacho, Hachioji City, Tokyo 192-0061

How to get there: From Takaosanguchi Station, take the train to Takao Station on Keio line, then change to Hachioji Station on JR line before transferring to an 11-minute bus ride to Hiraokacho bus stop.

Rani Biriani House (Website)

718 Katakuramachi, Hachioji City, Tokyo 192-0914

How to get there: From Takaosanguchi Station, take the train to Keio-Katakura Station then walk for 11 minutes to the restaurant.

Kamakura Trail

Spring in Genjiyama Park. Photo Credit: Kamakura City Tourist Association

Located just under one hour from Tokyo City center is Kamakura, a town in Kanagawa Prefecture, known for its rich Japanese history and traditional features. Due to its geographical location between the sea and the mountains, Kamakura is also blessed with exuberant, well-maintained hiking trails.

One of the trails is the Kuzuharaoka & Daibutsu course, which is conveniently accessible on foot or a 15-minute bus ride from the JR Kamakura Station. The trail is mild in elevation and suitable for all levels of visitors. It is 3.7 kilometers long and can be completed in approximately two hours. Yet there is no need to hurry as the trail courses through attraction spots such as the lush Genjiyama Park, where Kewaizaka Kiridoshi, one of the seven entrances to Kamakura, is located. The park is also home to the statue of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun (military ruler) of the Kamakura Shogunate. Another spot worth checking out is the Kuzuharaoka Shrine, which has male and female rocks tied together with a red cord and amulet in the temple ground.

Genjiyama Park. Photo Credit: Kamakura City Tourist Association

Another interesting trail in Kamakura is the Ten-en Course, which consists of several steep sections and is more suitable for visitors with intermediate hiking experience. It spans 4.5 kilometers long and can be completed in about 2 hours and 45 minutes. In comparison to the Kuzuhara & Daibutsu course, this trail allows visitors to immerse more deeply in nature as it goes through Shojyoken Observation Deck, where one can see as far as the Sagami Bay and the Izu Peninsula; Mount Ohira summit, which at 159 meters high, is the highest point in Kamakura; and the Valley of the Lion Dance, a walking path surrounded by rich vegetations that will soothe one’s worries and discomforts.

Kamakura is best visited in early summer for the blooming Japanese hydrangea and the one-day Kamakura Fireworks Festival, as well as in autumn for the fall foliage.

Check out these Muslim-friendly spots:

After a day of play in Kamakura, visitors can treat themselves to a delectable Japanese cuisine at Kondo. The restaurant serves traditional Japanese cooking with an innovative twist and the best thing is, they offer halal course meals for Muslims. The halal menu uses halal Japanese beef, black wagyu, chicken, and other ingredients, providing an opportunity for Muslims to enjoy authentic Japanese food. Note, however, that the halal menu is only available via advanced reservation.

Kamakura Trail (Website)

4-chōme 6 Hase, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture 248-0016

How to get there: From JR Kamakura Station, take a bus to Daibutsuzaka stop and 3mins walk to the junction. The starting point of the Kuzuharaoka & Daibutsu course is the Daibutsu Kiridōshi / Genjiyama Park.

Kondo (Website)

1-8-36, Yukinoshita, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 248-0005

How to get there: From JR Kamakura Station, walk for 9 minutes to the restaurant.

Jogasaki Coast Picnical Course

The trail leading to the Kadowakisaki Lighthouse.

Jogasaki Coast is a picturesque coastline in the east of the Izu Peninsula and is situated about 2 hours and 30 minutes away from Tokyo Station. Part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, its complex, rugged but spectacular geological rock formations indicate active ancient volcanic activities in the area.

The complete Jogasaki Coast Course is 9 kilometers long, but visitors may focus on the most scenic part of the trail which consists of two popular viewpoints: the Kadowakisaki Lighthouse and Kadowaki Suspension Bridge. From the bus stops or parking lots, these attractions can be reached by walking along the coast or forest trails. Both of these options might offer different views, but is sure to be a forest bathing (shinrinryoku) experience that will rejuvenate one’s senses while reconvening with nature.

Another view of Jogasaki Coast.

The short walk will gradually reveal the beauty of Jogasaki Coast as visitors take in the panorama of the emerald green ocean with black metamorphic rocks jutting out of water in orderly patterns, before arriving at Kadowakisaki Lighthouse, a patient beacon on the cliff with the majestic suspension bridge spanning over a deep trench.

Check out these Muslim-friendly spots:

Before heading back to Tokyo, visitors might want to consider an overnight stay at ATAMI Sekaie, a hotel in the nearby town of Atami. The hotel has a small capacity but operates a halal-certified restaurant, Tsukushi where visitors can dine on fine Japanese cuisine (kaiseki) while enjoying ocean views. The halal menu however is only for hotel guests and pre-booking is required.

Jogasaki Coast Picnical Course (Website)

837 Futo, Itō City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0231

How to get there: From JR Ito station, change to the Izukyuko line to take a local train to Jogasaki Kogen Station. Then walk for 23 minutes or take a taxi to Boranaya.

ATAMI Sekaie (Website)

269-1 Izusan, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0002

How to get there: From Atami Station, take a bus to Mukoyama (Atami City) Bus Stop and walk 1 minute to the hotel.

Sarushima Island

Sarushima Island is a small island off Tokyo Bay about 2 hours away from Tokyo Station. Despite being an island, it can be conveniently accessed via hourly ferry service from the Mikasa Pier in Yokosuka City.

While Sarushima means “monkey island”, a name that originates from a local folk tale about a mythical white monkey that guided a revered monk to safety during a storm, no monkeys exist on the island. Yet, being an uninhabited island where nature roams free after serving as a military defensive site during the Edo (1603-1867) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods, Sarushima is an appealing day excursion spot from the city. 

Sarushima Island’s brick tunnels are a sight to behold.

There isn't a prescribed nature trail on the island but visitors are welcome to chart their paths by exploring the remnants of well-preserved brick tunnels, brick wall ammunition storage, gun batteries and other military ruins before retreating to the beach to marvel at the view of the rocky shores, white sands, and lush greenery. Fans of Studio Ghibli’s animations might be reminded that the unique ruins-in-nature sceneries on Sarushima Island are not unlike those from “Laputa: Castle in the Sky.”

Check out these Muslim-friendly spots:

There is no halal dining option on Sarushima Island but visitors will find Carvaan Delicatessen near Yokohama Station. The restaurant serves a delectable Arabic take-out menu that is halal and also suitable for vegetarians. Visitors are advised to bring along bento boxes to Sarushima Island if they are planning to spend the day on the island.

Sarushima Island (Website)

Sarushima 1, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture 238-0019

How to get there: From Yokosuka Chuo Station on Keikyu Line, then walk for 15 minutes to Mikasa Terminal. Take a ferry to Sarushima, which takes 10 minutes to reach Sarushima.

Carvaan Delicatessen (Website)

1-6-31 B1F, Yokohama Takashimaya, Minamisaiwai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture 220-8601

How to get there: From Yokohama Station, walk for 3 minutes inside Takashimaya Department Store to the restaurant.

Recharged by the invigorating hikes on these nature trails, visitors will be ready to tackle Tokyo’s bustling city center and, hopefully, carry a deeper appreciation for Japan’s natural beauty.