Discover "Nishitama"
“30% & 3%”
The Nishitama region is comprised of eight municipalities and spans a total area of 57,270 hectares (141,517 acres), which accounts for almost 30% of Tokyo's total area (excluding the islands). However, despite its vast size, the population is only around 376,000, which is less than 3% of Tokyo's total population of approximately 14 million.
The Tama River and its tributary, the Aki-gawa River, flow from the east to the west of Tokyo. Along the river, there are several towns, and the surrounding mountains lead up to the neighbouring prefectures. The highest peak in Tokyo, Mount Kumotori, stands at 2000 metres. In the mountainous regions, schoolchildren wear bear bells while going to and from schools. On the western outskirts of Tokyo, there is a wilderness that is hard to imagine, making it a truly unique and strange part of Tokyo.
You can enjoy a variety of nature-based sports such as hiking, trekking tours, cycling, rafting, sapping, and canoeing throughout the year, as they are some of the region's typical attractions.
The Nishitama region has over 90 cultural heritage sites, cultural assets, and natural monuments designated by the national and metropolitan governments.Taste the cultural heritage of the Nishitama area, a "countryside of Tokyo" matured by different geographical and historical conditions.
The number of the Cultural Heritages in the Nishitama region.
National treasures of Japan
2
Critical cultural properties of Japan
33
Important works of Art in Japan
4
Natural monuments of Japan
2
Tangible cultural property registered in Japan
25
Intangible cultural properties registered in Japan
2
Cultural properties and natural monuments of Tokyo
92
E.g. 1 Japanese National Treasure
Musashi Mitake Shrine / Helmet and Armor
Japan's oldest helmet and armour (Heian period: 784-1192).
It uses Akane-coloured(madder red) threads, which remain today.
The high level of dyeing technology in the Heian period is remarkable.
The total weight is approximately 26 kg, not only as a work of art but also in wartime.
It is also an excellent functional piece of large armor.
E.g. 2 Japanese National Registered Cultural Property
Tamura Sake Brewery
The main building of the Tamura Sake Brewery was built around 1822. Its materials are made of soil and plastered outer walls. It consists of three buildings - the primary, middle, and central storehouse, the interior of which is a statue space for sake. The chimneys are octagonal and reinforced with bands of iron.
It is also important to note that the Tamura Sake Brewery site is along the Tamagawa Waterworks Waterway.
E.g. 3 Important Cultural Property of Japan
Kobayashi Family Residence
Built in the first half of the 18th century, this ancient house in the sky is approximately 750 m above sea level.
The Kobayashi Family Residence is in a mountainous area inaccessible by car, which is climbed by monorail.
The ride takes about 10 minutes, is about 450 m long and has a maximum incline of 43°. Once inside, with its spectacular view, you can see exactly how the Japanese people lived in those days.
The Nishitama region has evidence of human activity dating back to the Palaeolithic period, around 20,000 years ago.
Jomon - Edo period (approx. 15,000 years ago - 1868)
Settlements developed around fishing in the main rivers and hunting deer and wild boar in the forests, leading to a settled lifestyle. Jomon period（15000-2300 years ago）, she excavated several archaeological sites.
The Yayoi (2300-1700 years ago), Nara (710-794), Heian (794-1185) and Kamakura (1185-1333) periods were followed by the Edo period (1603-1868) when trade in timber, coal and textiles produced in the area was booming with the current center of Tokyo. The city was also a significant trade center with the present-day Tokyo metropolis.
Edo period to the present day
(1868~)
After the Asuka, Nara, Heian, and Kamakura periods, when Japanese culture flourished, and after the Sengoku period, during which Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi were active, Ieyasu Tokugawa began to rule Japan under a system of political governance known as 'Bakuhan'.
Divided the whole of Japan into 'Baku' and 'Han', with the Shogun in control of the center, and the whole country divided into up to nearly 300 'Han',
The Shogun was at the top, and the feudal lords ruled their domains and peasants by the orders of the Shogunate (Shogun).
The Tamagawa
Waterworks
During this period, the Nishitama area was ruled and governed as a territory under the direct control of the shogunate.
The primary industries were cotton, buckwheat noodles, rice, charcoal, and timber, sent to Edo (Tokyo) by rafts down the Akigawa and Tama Rivers.
Some areas in the region were used as breeding grounds for falcons used by the shoguns and feudal lords for falconry and were off-limits to the general population.
The region has a unique construction project in this period. The population growth was accelerating, and the city was becoming the largest city in the world (in 1721, it was the largest city in the world with 1 million people, while London was the second largest city in the world with 630,000 people. By the end of the Edo period (1603-1867), Edo (Tokyo) had more than 30 million inhabitants) and was suffering from an overwhelming shortage of water.
Therefore, the shogunate drew up a grand plan in 1652 to solve Edo's water shortage by excavating a 43 km stretch from present-day Hamura to the edge of Edo Castle. It was indeed a major public-private partnership.
The water drawing project was challenging because the elevation difference from Hamura to Edo Castle's edge was only about 100 m. The average gradient was about 0.5 m. Construction began in April 1653, using the technology of the time, and was completed only eight months later in November, saving Edo from a water shortage.
Further increase in exchange between the region and Edo and economic development, and even today, it is used to supply water to local sake breweries and as a water supply channel for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Waterworks Bureau.
Between the Meiji and Taisho periods and the Showa period (1868-1989), the regional administrative divisions saw numerous consolidations and the creation of new municipalities. Population decline was a significant challenge in the Heisei (1989-2019) and 2025 (2019-) periods, as in other regional cities in Japan.
This is a significant challenge.
The mountain has a 2,000-year history of being open to the public, and the inns in the sky will add color to your trip.
Since ancient times, Mt. Mitake has developed around Kinpusan Mitake Zao Gongen (the predecessor of Musashimotake Shrine) as a sacred mountain of mountain worship.
Mitake, and the Okuno-in (inner sanctuary), and Mt. Otake, which continue behind Mt. Mitake, were training grounds for ascetic ascetics, and in the distant past, mountain ascetics probably ran around on the steep rocky terrain and ridges.
From the Kamakura period to the Edo period (1603-1867), the shrine was devoted to swords and large armor, which samurai warriors highly revered. Two items were designated national treasures, and many other important cultural properties were maintained. Currently, they are stored and displayed in the Hall of Treasures.
On top of the 929-meter-high mountain, there are rows of houses of prayer masters that have continued to stand since the Edo period (1603-1868), creating a unique landscape unlike any other mountain. Prayer masters offer prayers when believers spread throughout the Kanto region visit the shrine and also serve as lodgings to entertain believers.
The shrine's name was changed to "Mitake Shrine" due to the Shinto/Buddhist Separation Order, and further to "Musashi Mitake Shrine" in 1952, and has continued to the present day. Priests of Musashi Mitake Shrine run all lodging houses in Mitake, and unlike in the past, they are now open to the general public.
While the mountain is still revered as a mountain of faith by many believers who come to pray, the peaks that were once the object of faith have now become a place of relaxation for mountain climbers, and the mountain paths where ascetic ascetics used to strut their stuff for ascetic practice are now well-trodden mountaineers.
However, nature still welcomes us like it did in the past.
Attractions
The Mitake san
Cable car
Accessible to both residents and climbers since 1935.
It connects Takimito station and Mitakesan station in about an hour by climbing the trail, over a distance of about 1,100m in about 6 minutes.
The elevation difference between the two stations is 424m and the maximum gradient is 25 degrees, which is the highest in the Kanto region.
Musashi Mitake Shrine
At the top of Mt. Mitake, which stands 929m tall, there is a shrine that is believed to have been constructed in 90 BC. This mountain has been regarded as a sacred site since ancient times. The shrine is home to various buildings dedicated to numerous gods, and it hosts festivals and events throughout the year. The "Oinu-sama" is a messenger of God depicted as a Japanese wolf, and it is believed to prevent disasters, fires, thefts, and illnesses.
Shikubo
lodging
Shukubo lodgings were originally built for pilgrims and are run by priests called "Oshi".
Some shukubo feature beautiful historical buildings designated as tangible cultural properties, while others have thatched roofs over 150 years old. Each Shukubo has a unique altar and serves warm-hearted meals made with local ingredients such as homegrown vegetables, mountain vegetables, and local fish.
Ayahironotaki Falls
Ayahironotaki Falls is situated upstream of the Rock Garden.
It is famous for its ancient ritual called "Misogi" performed by the Musashi Mitake Shrine. The waterfall is known as "The waterfall of discipline and purification ceremony" due to this ritual, which cleanses the body. It is a magnificent waterfall that drops from a height of about 10m. At the right back of the waterfall, there is a god that purifies the dirt. The waterfall is still used for training as it is considered a sacred place.
The Rock Garden
The Rock Garden is a 1.3 km walking path that runs along the swamp and showcases various rocks, starting from Tengu Iwa Rock and ending at Ayahironotaki Falls. The path runs alongside a clear stream that flows through the mossy rocks and allows you to fully appreciate the power of nature. You can witness the bright fresh greenery in spring, lovely wildflowers in summer, and autumn leaves in the valley.
Teng's Chair cedar
Tengu's cedar chair is believed to be 350 years old. The tree was tall, standing at around 60 meters with a trunk measuring 6.5 meters in diameter. It is said that the Tengu, known as the guardian deity of Mount Mitake, sits on a branch that extends 1 meter horizontally before extending vertically. From this position, the Tengu is said to keep watch over the people below.