Soba with grated yam below a sacred mountain
Mt. Takao, about 50 minutes from Shinjuku on the Keio Line, is a sacred mountain where tengu, long-nosed mountain spirits, are worshiped. At its foot, soba shops serve tororo soba, buckwheat noodles topped with grated mountain yam, said to have been first made to restore tired pilgrims. Eat a bowl, then ride the cable car up and walk to Yakuoin temple; no hiking gear is needed for this route.
A soba shop near Takaosanguchi Station that serves tororo soba, where the sticky grated yam coats the noodles in a smooth, mild sauce. It is a good place to eat before you start up the mountain.
From Kiyotaki Station at the foot of the mountain, the cable car climbs a steep slope to the middle of Mt. Takao in about six minutes, saving most of the uphill walk. Soba shops stand in front of the station too. You can pay with an IC card such as Suica.
A mountain temple where tengu, spirits with long noses or bird beaks, are worshiped. You walk an approach lined with tall cedars, pass through the gate, and find tengu statues on the way to the main hall. It is about a 20-minute walk from the top cable car station on a paved path.