Every traveler has a different priority. But whether your primary interests point toward history, nature, or culture, we reckon you’re interested in food. In fact, food is the perfect combination of all of the above, and remains an unparalleled way to learn about the past and present of any locale—especially in Japan, where even tiny food carts can deliver unforgettable meals. With this firmly in mind, let’s head to Mt. Takao and put something squarely in our stomachs.
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01
Tororo Soba with a View
![Tororo Soba with a View]()
Tororo Soba with a View
Hiking Mt. Takao can work up an appetite, especially in the hot summer months. Why not cool off and refuel with a cold bowl of Tororo Soba at Eleventh Street Chaya for only 900 yen? Soba is a gluten-free buckwheat noodle, rich in nutrients but not in calories, and the tororo variant is slathered in grated nagaimo (mountain yam). Its slimy texture takes a little time to love, but this super food—topped with the orange yolk of an egg—results in a surprisingly satisfying lunch. What’s more, there’s no better way to enjoy it than looking out from Mt. Takao over the leafy landscape of Western Tokyo.
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02
Tenguyaki
![Tenguyaki]()
Tenguyaki
You may be familiar with Taiyaki, a fish-shaped waffle stuffed with delicious fillings, but what about Tenguyaki? The sacred “heavenly dogs,” whose statues populate Mt. Takao’s Yakuo-in Temple, can be found in an easier-to-chew variety near the top of the cable car line, approximately halfway up the mountain along Omotesando Trail (Trail 1). Though they’re sometimes known as being dangerous tricksters rather than harbingers of good fortune, Tengu make for a mean waffle; in this instance, stuffed with a not-too-sweet paste of black soybeans that can help you conquer the second half of your mountain hike.
- Takao-san Yakuo-in Temple
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4.0
8 Reviews -
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- Tokyo Hachioujishi Takaomachi 2177
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- 0426611115
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- 9:00-16:00
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03
Goma Dango
![Goma Dango]()
Goma Dango
Dango are super-chewy dumplings made from sweet rice flour, often found skewered and toasty brown around the edges of a charcoal fire. Goma is sesame, so goma dango… well, you get it. Takao’s goma dango come with either golden or black sesame filling and can be topped with soy glaze (350 yen), sweet red beans, or an equally sweet-and-savoury salt caramel (both 400 yen). They’re dense and filling, so one should be more than enough to satisfy your cravings.
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04
Wagashi
![Wagashi]()
Wagashi
Wagashi are traditional Japanese sweets, often comprising a combination of fruit, sweet beans, and rice pounded into chewy balls of mochi. For a local take on the national mainstay, visit Yukido’s flagship store in Takao, a 5-minute walk from Takaosanguchi Station. Recommended offerings include manju (a steamed pastry packed with sugary bean paste) and senbei (rice crackers) shaped like maple leaves in homage to Takao’s stunning fall foliage.
- Yukido Main Store
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3.5
16 Reviews -
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- Tokyo Hachioji-shi Takaomachi 2302
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- 0426610048
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- 9:00-17:00
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Mt.Takao Base Camp
高尾町1799-3 Hachioji
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05
Eat All-You-Can-Eat at Takao-San Beer Mount
![Eat All-You-Can-Eat at Takao-San Beer Mount]()
Eat All-You-Can-Eat at Takao-San Beer Mount
If yours is a hunger that is not easily satisfied, head to the summit of Mt. Takao for a meal at Takao-San Beer Mount. The highest beer garden in Tokyo (though including Mt. Takao within the confines of Tokyo is a bit of a stretch), Beer Mount features an unlimited buffet of food and drinks, with a mixed menu of Western, Chinese, and Japanese favourites. Stuff your gullet in one of three areas: an indoor beer hall, forest-side seating, or a dining terrace overlooking the Greater Tokyo Area. Seating is co-ed, but prices are not: men pay 3,500 yen while women can gorge themselves for 3,300.
- 高尾山ビアマウント
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- 東京都八王子市高尾町2205
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- 0426658010
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