Private day trip · Day trip from Tokyo
From Tokyo: Mt Takao & Sagami Lake Flexible Itinerary Tour
Mt Takao by cable car: tengu statues, a 1,300-year-old temple, cedar forest and a Fuji view, then a lake lunch. Private van with hotel pickup, your own pace, one price for your group.
Private · your group only◆8 hours◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Mount Takao is the most climbed mountain in the world – three million people a year – because it is an hour from Shinjuku. Almost all of them arrive by train at the same time. We do not. A private van reaches the cable car station before the first trains, so you ride up, walk the temple path and reach the summit while the crowds are still on the platform.
We collect you at your Tokyo hotel and drive west. From the foot of the mountain the cable car – the steepest in Japan – climbs through the forest in six minutes. Your guide walks you the last kilometre: the Octopus Cedar with its roots like tentacles, the row of red-nosed tengu statues that guard the mountain, and Yakuoin, the temple founded in 744 where yamabushi mountain monks still hold fire ceremonies. From the 599-metre summit, on a clear day from November to February, Fuji stands directly ahead.
Down the mountain, we drive twenty minutes to Sagami Lake, a reservoir in the hills with a promenade, rowing boats and a lakeside restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon, your choice: the Sagamiko Pleasure Forest on the hillside above, with a ropeway and a giant playground for children, or the quiet Fujino art village and its studios, or Takao's own hot spring at the foot of the cable car for a bath before the drive back to Tokyo. From mid November to April the Sagamiko illumination – six million lights across the hillside – is open from dusk, and we can extend the day to include it.
What you pay is what you pay
The price is one fixed amount for your whole group: the private van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide for the day. There are no per-person supplements and no booking fees. The Takao cable car return ticket is included for everyone in your group. Optional park or bath entries and your lunch are paid by each guest on the day.
Good to know
The walk from the cable car to the summit is 40 minutes on a paved path with steps and is optional; the temple is halfway. Autumn colour peaks in mid to late November and is the busiest fortnight of the year – book a weekday if you can.
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Beat the crowds by arriving in a private van before the first trains
- Ride Japan's steepest cable car, then see tengu statues and the Octopus Cedar
- Visit Yakuoin temple, founded in 744, home to yamabushi mountain monks
- Choose Pleasure Forest, art village, or onsen after lunch at Sagami Lake
- See six million lights from dusk during the optional winter illumination
Said plainly
The summit walk is optional and paved; trainers are fine. Weekends in November are extremely busy on the mountain - choose a weekday if possible. Tell us on the day whether you want the Pleasure Forest, the art village or the onsen in the afternoon. The cable car return ticket is included in the price; optional afternoon entries and lunch are paid by you on the day. Travelling with small children? Write their ages in the booking notes and a child seat will be ready in the van on the day.
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Beat the crowds by arriving in a private van before the first trains
Ride Japan's steepest cable car, then see tengu statues and the Octopus Cedar
Visit Yakuoin temple, founded in 744, home to yamabushi mountain monks
Choose Pleasure Forest, art village, or onsen after lunch at Sagami Lake
See six million lights from dusk during the optional winter illumination
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private air-conditioned van for your group only
- English, Hindi or Urdu speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within Tokyo's 23 wards
- Takao cable car return ticket for everyone in your group
- Fuel, expressway tolls and parking
- Bottled water
- Child seat free on request
- One fixed price for the whole group - no hidden charges and no per-person supplements
Yours — paid on the day
- Optional afternoon stops (Sagamiko Pleasure Forest, illumination or Takao onsen, about 1,000-2,000 yen per adult, paid at the gate)
- Food and drinks (optional - bring your own or buy on the day)
- Gratuities (never expected)
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
Plan a custom journeyYour private Japan day
Ready to reserve?
Choose a live date and complete secure payment in a few minutes.
From¥66,000
Check dates