Winter in Tokyo has never been any more beautiful. Last year we had one day of snowfall, this year two(!?). Snow in the city actually brings quite a bit of chaos – nobody wants to be stuck in the office or at the station once the trains stop running – but a bit out of the city, the sight of snow in nature is a great mental (and physical) refresher from being in the office all week.
Our Schedule:
7:00am - Meet up at Takaosan-guchi Station
8:15am - Arrive at the summit
9:45am - Hike back down
10:00am - Hot springs at Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu
11:00am - Lunch at Tamanosato
1:00pm - Head home
The plan was to all meet up at 7:00am at Takaosan-guchi Station (about an hour away from the city center on the Keio Inokashira Line), but it being a Saturday morning made that a bit difficult to manage as a few of us went out (on our own) that previous Friday night... (myself included). Although going on 4 hours of sleep, I was determined not to miss the first hiking day for our club.
I have hiked Mt. Takao once before, but that was in the summertime. So, thinking running sneakers and a sweater would suffice, I headed out towards Mt. Takao station at 6:00am.
When I arrived, I was surprised to see so much snow still left over from Thursday’s snowfall as if it had just snowed that morning! It was freezing cold and I realized that I dressed all wrong for this trip...
Note: wear a coat and actual hiking shoes in the winter.
We took the Inariyama Trail and the path still seemed fresh and almost untrodden at some points. Catching the rising sun amidst the falling snowflakes was a sight to behold. I thought that perhaps Thoreau or Emerson would’ve enjoyed this scene from mother nature.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach...”
― Henry David Thoreau
Mt. Takao stands at 599 meters (1,965 ft) and is one of the most popular hiking spots in Tokyo, attracting 2.6 million people annually. It has 8 hiking trails, No. 1 being paved and the rest unpaved.
In the middle of the mountain is a temple, Yakuoin, dedicated to the tengu, a type of mountain god that resembles a bird with human characteristics and the most popular representation having a usually long nose. It has been a mountain of worship for more than a century.
Bonding with your coworkers help bring a sense of connection and understanding, which helps further in one’s work. Even if that means embarrassing yourself by slipping and falling in piles of snow or by falling asleep at the table after one too many beers...
It’s important to connect with our communities locally in order to expand ourselves globally. “Think Local, Go Global.” The same as how it’s important to have a good relationship with oneself before getting into a relationship with someone else. We must know ourselves to support others. We must understand our clients in order to bring to life the message they wish to deliver. Everything works from the inside out.
This trip was not only mentally refreshing but brought a sense of community with the members of our club. Let’s see how well we do hiking Mt. Fuji[1] this summer!
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
[1] Mt. Fuji at 3776 meters (12,389 ft) high is the tallest mountain in Japan.
Winter in Tokyo has never been any more beautiful. Last year we had one day of snowfall, this year two(!?). Snow in the city actually brings quite a bit of chaos – nobody wants to be stuck in the office or at the station once the trains stop running – but a bit out of the city, the sight of snow in nature is a great mental (and physical) refresher from being in the office all week.
I have hiked Mt. Takao once before, but that was in the summertime. So, thinking running sneakers and a sweater would suffice, I headed out towards Mt. Takao station at 6:00am.
Mt. Takao stands at 599 meters (1,965 ft) and is one of the most popular hiking spots in Tokyo, attracting 2.6 million people annually. It has 8 hiking trails, No. 1 being paved and the rest unpaved. 
In the middle of the mountain is a temple, Yakuoin, dedicated to the tengu, a type of mountain god that resembles a bird with human characteristics and the most popular representation having a usually long nose. It has been a mountain of worship for more than a century.
Bonding with your coworkers help bring a sense of connection and understanding, which helps further in one’s work. Even if that means embarrassing yourself by slipping and falling in piles of snow or by falling asleep at the table after one too many beers...
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” 
Linkedin
Facebook
Twitter