
By Luis Navarro Garcia, Office of Student Services
On April 3, TUJ students enjoyed a day climbing Mt. Mitake in Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park.
Early in the morning we arrived at Takimoto Station, at the foot of Mt. Mitake, where we took a rope car to the top of the mountain, which is 929 meters high. The temperature difference from the base to the top was almost six degrees, so while down below the weather was spring-like, at the top we had to wear warm clothes.
Once at the top, we started hiking through the forests that cover the mountain. The trail was beginner-friendly, so everyone was able to have fun while enjoying nature.

Our first stop was Nanayo Falls, a waterfall almost 50 meters high. We took a break, and lots of pictures. Our next stop was Tengu Rock, a gigantic rock that resembles the face of a Tengu, or Japanese demon. Some students decided to climb it and discovered two tengu statues at the top.

After paying our respects to the tengu, we headed to the famous Rock Garden, an area around a small river and is filled with moss-covered rocks that were exposed by the river over the centuries, hence its name. We stopped here for lunch.

Our last stop was the Ayahiro Waterfall, a 10-meter-high waterfall that is used in a purification rite by the Musashimitake Shrine.

Once we finished at Mt. Mitake we headed to an onsen on the shore of Lake Sagamiko, where we took a relaxing bath before returning to bustling Tokyo.

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