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View from the train at Takaosanguchi Station.
Map of the mountain, outside the station. This gallery draws info from English guide maps.
Maple leaves on the way to the trailhead.
The same maple tree, on a different day.
Soba shop street at the foot of the mountain.
Cable car station.
Trail #1 begins to the right of the station.
On the trail, trees tower over hikers.
Takao gets quite crowded on public holidays.
People move up the mountain in a long line.
The trail is less clogged on regular weekdays.
Looking back on the trail, on a weekday.
Looking down.
More maple leaves (called momiji in Japanese).
The first major lookout point.
From here, you can see ginkgo trees twisting in a yellow line, along Koshu Road in Hachioji.
You can also see Tokyo Skytree in the distance.
One of the steeper paved slopes on Mt. Takao.
Approaching the panoramic observatory.
Observatory view of the Chuo Expressway.
Surveying the autumn foliage over the trail.
Final observatory scan of the city horizon.
Down on the back terrace of a nearby restaurant.
Dining with a view.
A bowl of hot soba noodles.
The octopus cedar. Legend has it this tree curled back its roots to avoid some trailblazing tengu demons.
Hikers rub this statue for good luck.
Entrance to the monkey park.
The monkey playground.
Japanese macaques, a.k.a. snow monkeys.
This species of primate is native to Japan.
In Nagano, there is a place where snow monkeys have carved out a niche bathing in hot springs.
Back out on the trail.
Joshin Gate, the entrance to Yakuo-in Temple. Not joshin’ you: that is the gate’s real name.
Lanterns flank the temple road.
Fork between the otokozaka , or men’s slope (left), and the onnazaka,  or women's slope (right).
Guys may lose cred for accompanying gals to the right. But the women's slope is more scenic.
The two slopes meet up again after curving around a hill with a Buddhist stupa on top of it.
Plaques inscribed with temple donor names.
Black and gold sesame dango .
These dumplings are made from rice flour.
Closing in on the temple's inner precinct.
Shitenno Gate.
Tengu statues inside the gate.
One of the two statues. This tengu holds a hand fan, or uchiwa , to sweep away bad luck.
Main hall of Yakuo-in.
Ascending through the temple grounds.
Izuna Gongen Hall.
Past the temple, continuing the climb.
Roots lay exposed along the trail.
Nearing the summit.
People picnicking on the summit.
Glimpse through colorful trees.
View from the summit observation deck.
On the way back down Mt. Takao. Steep steps and sharp drop-offs mark the Inariyama Trail.
More towering trees.
Back toward the bottom of the mountain.
The cable car (Japan's steepest).
Riding back up. The cable car and chair lift are interchangeable on a round-trip ticket.
Line outside the chair lift station on Mt. Takao.
Riding the chair lift down.
The lift breezes by plenty of fall colors.
Final autumn vignette.
Summer hydrangeas on Trail #1.
Cutting across the mountain, to Trail #6.
Small shrine where Biwa Waterfall is located.
Suspension bridge on Trail #4.
The bridge is surrounded by lush greenery.
View from Takao's summit in the summertime.
Another summer visit is on the Ghost’s agenda. So this gallery may be updated in the future.
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