Courtesy of Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau
Courtesy of Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau

Everywhere You Need to Go to Get Outside in Tokyo

From mountaintop getaways to tropical beaches

Tokyo is the metropolis of the world: bright lights, glittering skylines, and more neon than you could ever need. But what if we told you there were also tropical beaches, mountain escapes, and hidden valleys? Offering a chance to recharge, the oases of Tokyo have forest-bathing, surf-schools, and even their own coffee-bean plantations; you just have to know where to look. While some are not exactly close, others are hiding in plain sight. Step off the streets and find yourself on mountain trails, in morning meditation, or sunning yourself on a distant island — all (technically) in the capital.

Courtesy of Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Tama Region: Tokyo’s Gateway to a Green Escape

In Western Tokyo, just under two hours from the busy heart of the capital, silver skyscrapers are replaced by towering forests and busy roads by mossy riverside paths. The Tama region is a vast oasis of rugged, unexplored terrain home to Buddhist retreats, sake breweries, and endless opportunities to immerse yourself in nature (quite literally).

While the area is dotted with towns and villages, for most visitors, Okutama is the gateway to greenery, found at the furthest reach of the local train lines. Hiking mountain trails, soaking weary muscles in outdoor hot springs like Moegi-no-yu, and sleeping beneath starlit skies are not your usual Tokyo fare, but they are just what you need after nights out in Shibuya.

For a little more spiritual exploration, meditation among the trees is the ideal way to take your relaxation to the next level. At Jigenji Temple, morning meditation sessions are open to those staying in nearby inns, with a chance to follow a monk in ancient chants to focus your mind and cleanse your thoughts.

The Japanese tradition of spirituality — often a combination of both Buddhist and Shinto religions — is deeply entwined with nature. The changing of seasons is significant in Japanese culture, with the transience of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves offering a reminder to appreciate the beauty of life. Okutama is decorated with wild cherry blossoms in spring, delicate renge-shoma blooms in summer, and crisp golden leaves in fall, welcoming visitors with new landscapes as the seasons drift past.

While riverside walks are nice, floating along the waters at your own pace is a whole world away in terms of feeling at one with nature. Those with balance can try SUP paddleboarding (and those without can go for kayaking), while white water rafting and canyoning are perfect if you’re feeling just a bit too relaxed after your morning meditation session.

Tama’s waterways don’t just provide extreme sports, they have also created the perfect ingredient for a long tradition of sake brewing. Fussa’s Ishikawa sake brewery, founded in 1863, produces not only Tamajiman sake, but also its very own craft beer. Explore the original Kura buildings, enjoy an English-language tour of the process, and relax in the brewery grounds with a pint of Tokyo Blues or a cup of Tamajiman.

Courtesy of Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Ogasawara Islands: A Laboratory of Evolution

While considered part of Tokyo by technicality, it’ll take a (totally worth it) 24-hour ferry ride to get to the Ogasawara Islands. With over 30 tropical and subtropical islands, the archipelago is home to protected ecosystems and small communities. Since the islands were never connected to any continental land, they have developed unique flora and fauna, with UNESCO Natural World Heritage status and strict rules on where visitors can explore.

Only two of the islands are inhabited, Hahajima (meaning mother island) and Chichijima (meaning father island). The latter is blanketed in subtropical forests with rugged cliffs and stunning beaches like Kominato, frequented by turtles for egg-laying each summer. Boat tours offer the chance for dolphin and whale watching; in fact, over a quarter of the world’s species of each pass through the tranquil waters. In order to protect the islands and their inhabitants, ecotourism and sustainable travel are top of mind; certain areas can only be reached on guided treks, and there are limits on the proximity of boat tours to animals spotted. Divers can explore bright reefs undamaged by tourism and explore WWII shipwrecks, while snorkelers can swirl with shoals of tropical fish.

After all that adventuring, a coffee is in the cards, and at Nose’s FarmGarden you can pick, roast, and grind your own beans. Growing coffee beans started in Ogasawara in the 19th century, and the ancestors of the Nose family have been working the hillside plantation since the pre-World War II days. While most of Ogasawara's settlers and residents evacuated the island during WWII, the coffee tress survived, and the Nose family returned in 1973 to restart the company. 

While the tiny islands have a surprising number of places to stay, none are as stylish as the Pat Inn. The sleek space, owned by a sixth-generation islander, was created by Kichi Architectural Design and is like a slice of the capital amid the jungle. Soak in the night sky views on a guided tour and look out for the rare Bonin flying foxes as they glide through the cool evening air. With no artificial lights to be found in the 600-mile radius of the Ogasawara Islands, the stars are captivating enough to make you glad the boat back to Tokyo only runs once a week.

Courtesy of Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Izu Islands: Volcanoes, Surf Havens, and Night Skies

For a beach escape a little closer to the capital, you can try the Izu Islands, a string of surf spots and volcanic hiking trails. While technically all part of Tokyo, the islands are a few hours by boat but less than an hour by plane and offer turquoise waters and dolphin-spotting along with sandy beaches. Nicknamed “Surf Island,” Niijima has 10 surfing beaches and a free campsite, which are the makings of a great escape. Rent a bicycle to explore the island and you’re a free agent — be sure to head to Habushira Beach for white sands and glittering waters, not to mention waves that surfers worldwide dream of.

For those who like a little more rock beneath their feet, Oshima centers around Mt. Mihara — an active volcano — which provides hiking trails and heats the hot springs. The volcano also released Godzilla himself from a deep slumber in the 1984 classic, giving the small island an added claim to fame. Volcano enthusiasts can visit the local museums dedicated to the science behind them and hike to the crater for panoramic views of the surrounding seas and the lake held within.

Possibly the most well-known, Aogashima is also the most distant of the Izu Islands, and the hardest to reach. The unusual shape is caused by its volcano-within-a-volcano, and the only ways to get here are by helicopter or unreliable local boat from nearby Hachijojima. The island has fewer than 200 inhabitants but does have its own distillery, brewing a local alcohol made with sweet potato that’s got to be tried. Spend nights stargazing and days hiking, with fish caught fresh at the port and vegetables steamed in the island’s natural spring steamer. Island life is simple, but you might find you like it that way.

FOR SOMETHING CLOSER TO THE CITY...

If you’re in need of some green space but only have a day or an afternoon, Tokyo’s busy streets do have some secret greenery — if you know where to look. Aside from the manicured gardens of Shinjuku Gyoen and the busy swathes of Ueno Park, there are spots of wilderness that bring the feeling of the great outdoors to the great metropolis. Choose from a shaded valley complete with temples and bamboo garden, a mountain with unnerving statues, and a forest that’s perfect for a little forest-bathing.

Courtesy of Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau

Todoroki Valley: Wild and Wonderful

As Tokyo’s only valley, Todoroki should really be better known, but luckily it’s still the perfect place for a quiet stroll on a weekday afternoon. A shady towpath stretches three-quarters of a mile along the shallow Yazawa River as it heads towards the Tama River, passing shrines and gardens along the way. Pick a spot on a bench to soak in the greenery or refresh yourself at the natural water spring along the way. Pass by Fudo waterfall and climb up the Todoroki Fudosan temple, returning back down to cross the water and explore the bamboo garden and sunny lawn of the Todoroki Ravine Park. Whether you head back along the path or return to civilization, the valley is the perfect refresher after time in the city.

Photo by Markus Winkler/Unsplash

Mt. Takao: Tokyo’s Very Own Mountain

An easy day’s hike with some unusual highlights, Mt. Takao is a genuine mountain at 1,965 feet tall and is under an hour from Shinjuku. Its network of trails offer easy to moderate options and there’s a cable car if you’re more about the views. The most common trail takes an hour and a half and is a paved route through forests and dotted with observation points. As a place of worship for over a thousand years, the mountain is home to temples and shrines, including Yakuoin, a temple famed for its long-nosed tengu figures. These statues of the gods combine Shinto and Buddhist faiths and have distinctive long noses and crow’s beaks, offering good fortune to those who visit. The mountain’s Takaosan Senbonzakura (Takao's Thousand Cherry Trees) offer those arriving late in the season a chance to enjoy the blossoms while the autumn festival is a celebration full of food, color, and tradition.

Photo by Calamity Sal/Flickr

Institute for Nature Study: Perfect for Forest Bathing

If you’ve ever wondered how to make the most of a forest walk, then you might want to try the Japanese art of shinrinyoku, or forest bathing — and Tokyo has the perfect place. In the heart of the city, just a few steps from Meguro metro station, the Institute for Nature Study is a 20-hectare nature reserve with ponds, forests, and surprisingly few people. Once the garden of a feudal estate and later a gunpowder storage facility, it is now used for research, with nature allowed to take its course. With hints of the old landscaping mixed with a real wilderness feel, the garden is the perfect spot to put away your phone, take a deep breath, and align your senses with nature.

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