Kumotori-yama (雲取山, 2,017 m) is the highest mountain in Tokyo — the only 2,000-metre summit the metropolis can claim. It sits where Tokyo, Saitama and Yamanashi meet, deep in the Oku-Chichibu range, and the realistic way up is an overnight from the Kamosawa (鴨沢) trailhead through quiet conifer forest to a long, open summit ridge. Close enough for a Tokyo weekend, big enough to feel like a real mountain — and, lately, a pilgrimage for anime fans too.
Is it a day hike? Be honest about the distance
Why Fukada Chose Kumotori-yama
What drew Fukada was not the height but the primeval forest and the sheer depth of the Oku-Chichibu interior: a great wooded massif right at the edge of the capital, yet wild and quiet once you are in it. Kumotori-yama appears in Fukada's Nihon Hyakumeizan, which is ordered roughly north to south, not by rank. As Tokyo's highest point it anchors the green wall of mountains visible across the Kanto plain on a clear day.
The Mountain
| Elevation | 2,017 m (6,617 ft) — the highest point in Tokyo |
| Prefectures | Tokyo / Saitama / Yamanashi (summit on the three-way border) |
| Range | Oku-Chichibu — Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park |
| Hyakumeizan | Included (book order is roughly north-to-south, not a ranking) |
| Typical season | Year-round; spring–autumn easiest, winter needs traction gear |
The Routes
Standard: Kamosawa → Nanatsuishi-yama → Ishi-one ridge → Summit
Grade: Moderate (long; no technical sections)
- Trailhead: Kamosawa (鴨沢, ~540 m) on the Tokyo/Yamanashi side, by the bus stop. A paved lane gives way to a steady forest climb.
- The climb: up through conifer woods to the Nanatsuishi-goya hut area and over Nanatsuishi-yama (七ツ石山, 1,757 m), then onto the broad, grassy Ishi-one ridge (石尾根) — open, gentle walking with Fuji ahead — to the summit.
- Numbers: ~10 km each way, ~5–5.5 hours up, ~1,470 m of climbing; ~9–10 hours and ~20 km round trip. Best done over two days with a night at Kumotori-sansō.
Saitama side: Mitsumine Shrine traverse
Grade: Moderate–Strenuous (long ridge)
From Mitsumine-jinja (三峯神社) — reached via the Seibu line to Seibu-Chichibu, then bus — a classic ridge route runs over Kirimo-ga-mine and Shiraiwa-yama to Kumotori. Many hikers link the two sides into a Mitsumine → Kumotori → Kamosawa through-hike. Wilder and quieter than the Kamosawa side.
Sanjō-no-yu approach (Tabayama side)
Grade: Moderate
From the Tabayama valley, the route via the Sanjō-no-yu hut (三条の湯) — a hot-spring mountain hut — offers a gentler, less-travelled line to the summit, often used to vary the descent.
Getting There
The Tokyo-side trailhead is reached entirely by public transport — one of Kumotori's attractions.
- By train + bus: JR Chūō Line to Ōme, change to the Ōme Line to Okutama Station (about 1.5–2 hours from Shinjuku). From Okutama, the Nishi-Tokyo bus toward Kamosawa/Tabayama reaches the Kamosawa (鴨沢) stop in ~35 minutes (~¥640).
- By car: Route 411 (Ōme Kaidō) to the Kamosawa area; small parking lots near the trailhead fill early on weekends.
- Saitama side: Seibu-Ikebukuro Line to Seibu-Chichibu, then bus to Mitsumine-jinja.
Mountain Huts
| Hut | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kumotori-sansō (雲取山荘) | ~1,830 m, ~30 min below the summit (Saitama side) | The standard staffed overnight hut — meals, water, reservations advised |
| Nanatsuishi-goya (七ツ石小屋) | ~1,600 m, on the Kamosawa route | Small hut with water and a tent site; handy break or shorter Day 1 |
| Kumotori-yama hinan-goya (雲取山避難小屋) | At the summit | Emergency shelter only — unstaffed, no water, no meals |
Flora and Wildlife
Forest: the climb runs through sub-alpine conifer forest — fir and hemlock with a deep moss understorey on the upper slopes — not the broadleaf woods of the lower valleys. The summit ridge is open grassland with long views; this is a forest-and-ridge mountain, below the true alpine zone, so no ptarmigan or komakusa here (those belong to the higher Alps).
Sika deer (nihon-jika, ニホンジカ): abundant on the Ishi-one ridge — you will very likely see them. Their numbers are high enough that browsing pressure visibly thins the undergrowth, an ongoing management issue across Oku-Chichibu.
Asiatic black bears (tsukinowaguma, ツキノワグマ): Okutama is active bear country — the forest sections are genuine bear habitat. Carry a bell, make noise, and store food properly at huts and tent sites.
Views: the Ishi-one ridge and summit give one of the best Mount Fuji views near Tokyo, with the Southern Alps behind it on a clear winter day.
A mountain with a pop-culture pull
Kumotori-yama is widely associated with the hit manga and anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, whose protagonist's family is set on a "Mt. Kumotori." The link sent a wave of fans to the trail, and you will still meet a few making the climb for that reason. Foreign visitors who know the series often fold the hike into a Tokyo trip. It is also a New-Year favourite among Japanese hikers — the "2,017 m in 2017" coincidence made it a sunrise pilgrimage that year, and the tradition of a clear winter dawn from the summit has stuck.
Seasonal Guide
- April – June: fresh green, snowmelt done; some of the best trail conditions.
- July – September: humid and warm; afternoon cloud and thunderstorms build — start early. Leeches possible on damp lower sections.
- October – November: prime season — crisp air, autumn colour working down the slopes, the clearest Fuji views.
- December – March: snow and ice on the upper ridge; microspikes or crampons needed. Popular for winter sunrise, but a cold, serious outing — go prepared.
Practical Tips for Foreign Visitors
- Treat it as an overnight. A day round trip is ~20 km and ~10 hours; the two-day version with a Kumotori-sansō night is the better experience and far less rushed.
- Book the hut. Kumotori-sansō takes reservations and fills on weekends and in autumn — arrange ahead.
- Carry water. The ridge has little; fill at Nanatsuishi-goya or the huts.
- All by public transport. Chūō/Ōme Line to Okutama, then the Kamosawa bus — no car needed, which is rare for a Hyakumeizan.
- Mind the season's gear. Summer is humid and stormy; winter needs traction and proper layers for an exposed, cold ridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kumotori-yama a day hike or an overnight?
It can be done in a day by fit hikers, but it is a long outing — about 20 km and 9–10 hours round trip from Kamosawa, with roughly 1,470 m of climbing. Most people enjoy it far more as a two-day trip with a night at Kumotori-sansō.
Can I reach the trailhead without a car?
Yes. The Tokyo-side Kamosawa trailhead is reached entirely by public transport: the JR Chūō Line to Ōme, then the Ōme Line to Okutama Station (about 1.5–2 hours from Shinjuku), then the Nishi-Tokyo bus to the Kamosawa stop (~35 minutes, ~¥640). Going car-free is rare for a Hyakumeizan.
Do I need to book the mountain hut?
Reservations are advised for Kumotori-sansō, the standard staffed overnight hut. It fills on weekends and in autumn, so arrange ahead. The summit shelter (hinan-goya) is for emergencies only — unstaffed, with no water or meals.
When is the best time to hike Kumotori-yama?
October and November are prime season — crisp air, autumn colour and the clearest Fuji views. April to June also offers some of the best trail conditions once the snowmelt is done. From December to March the upper ridge holds snow and ice and needs microspikes or crampons.
Are there bears on the mountain?
Yes. Okutama is active bear country and the forest sections are genuine habitat for Asiatic black bears (tsukinowaguma). Carry a bell, make noise as you walk, and store food properly at huts and tent sites.
This guide is part of the Japan's 100 Famous Mountains: Complete Hyakumeizan Guide series.
