Hiking Mount Takao

My dorm's RA organized a trip to hike Mount Takao last Sunday. Mount Takao is well-known as an easy hike for beginners because almost the entire thing is paved. On clear days, you are supposed to be able to see Mount Fuji from the top. Spoiler alert: I didn't see Mount Fuji.

Here is a view from right outside the train station. Not too exciting, but this is where we started.

We then had to walk up a scenic path to a cable car that took us part of the way up the mountain, to the place where most people start hiking. Here is the back of the car (I couldn't fit the whole thing in one shot).

Then we had to hike up to the top, which took forty minutes. There were plenty of souvenir shops and foods stands to check out on the way.

Of course it wouldn't be a day trip in Japan without a shrine. There was a random shrine along the pathway. This is the entrance.

Here is the shrine.

This reminds me of the Goblet of Fire from Harry Potter.

After we passed the shrine we were finally nearing the top of the mountain.

Now for some views from the top. Here you can see Tokyo in the distance (at least that's what I think that is).

As I mentioned earlier, you're supposed to be able to see Mount Fuji from the top, but I guess it wasn't clear enough on Sunday to see it. That's okay, I'm planning to see it in person someday.

P.S. By the time this is posted, I will be in Okinawa! I will probably hold off on posting about my trip until I get back on May 7th. I will be spending 2 days in Naha on the main island, and 5 days on a small island called Zamami, which is part of a group of islands called the Kerama islands.