OKUTAMA town and HINOHARA village are part of the CHICHIBU-TAMA-KAI National Park.
Thanks to the great nature and the great accessibility from the metropolitan area, many people come visit and enjoy outdoor activities, cultural experiences and traditional cuisines.
Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park exhibits various types of plans unique to mountains and highlands. Owning to a number of mountains consisting of limestone, the vegetation of plants unique to a limestone region is another regional characteristic, making it a habitat for valuable plants that its existence is on the ropes. Many visitors come here to view the seasonal flowers.
(cited website : Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan )
The foot of mountains to the vicinity of the mountaintops of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park are covered with thick forests, making it a perfect habitat for animals, such as Asian black bear, Sika deer, and Japanese serow to wild boar, monkey, weasel, Japanese giant flying squirrels and rabbits.
(cited website : Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan )
Mt. Mitake have traditionally been a mecca of mountain worship, and the mountains formerly flourished as a place to train Buddhist priests. The periphery of Musashi-Mitake-jinja Shrine creates a solemn atmosphere as a site of mountain worship in combination with shrine pavilions, approaches, sacred trees, and temple lodges. (cited website : Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan )
