Woven from Water and Greenery: A Journey Towards the Origins of Japanese Faith and Culture

Easily accessible from the city center, the Western Tokyo area ushers visitors into a world of expansive nature landscapes.

Fresh water has long played a pivotal role in these parts. Areas like Okutama, Ome, or Mount Takao owe their stunning scenery and culture to Western Tokyo rivers and springs. Faith has also found a home here, with temples such as Takao-san Yakuo-in attracting worshippers for centuries and offering them a place for quiet reflections and immersive nature walks.

The fresh-water bounty of Western Tokyo is felt throughout the region’s food culture and traditions. Visitors can enjoy it at select gastronomic destinations amidst pristine surroundings or sophisticated dining establishments influenced by urban sensibilities. Traditional crafts such as dyeing and weaving also developed thanks to the area’s abundant water resources.

By finding balance between history, faith, clear water, and modernity, Western Tokyo has become a premier escape from the center of the Japanese capital. Visit it to experience the soul of Japan firsthand.

Mount Takao: Sacred Peak Shaped by Faith and Nature

Standing on the edge of the Kanto plain some fifty kilometers west of central Tokyo, Mount Takao is one of Tokyo’s most popular draws for nature tourism. At just 599 meters above sea level – not particularly tall as mountains go – it is nonetheless a beacon to those seeking the rich natural beauty of the four seasons.

Moreover, Mount Takao was awarded 3 stars – the highest possible rating – in the 2007 Michelin Green Guide Japan – putting it shoulder-to-shoulder with Mount Fuji itself. The Guide cited Takao’s “abundance of natural beauty surviving in an urban area,” “ease of access,” and “well-maintained environment and numerous draws for visitors.”

Perched halfway up the mountain is Takao-san Yakuo-in: the mountain’s eponymous, iconic Shingon Buddhist temple with thirteen centuries of history. Kosho Kamimura, Director of Temple Affairs, puts it thus: “I believe that the rich natural environment of Mount Takao was actively protected by the faith of the people. The existence of our temple has had a direct influence on natural preservation here, as well as on the development and maintenance of transportation networks and environmental protection projects.”

Wabunka spent an afternoon with Kamimura, who serves the temple just as did both his father and grandfather, to get a deeper look at the many charms of this mountain that has flourished through its faithful.

Gastronomy of the Akigawa Valley, Nourished by Clear Waters – A Philosophy of Food and Lodging in Harmony with Local Waters

A mere 90 minutes outside ultra-urban central Tokyo, the Akigawa Valley in Akiruno City teems with shockingly luxuriant nature. A decidedly different face of the capital metropolis, this is a place of hidden landscapes bursting with endless seasonal beauty: cherry blossoms bursting forth in spring, flitting fireflies phosphorescent with the vivacity of summer, foliage burning auburn and amber in autumn, and winter snow blankets all in silence. This is a place of mountain bounties and nurturing rivers, blessed by the changing seasons.

Here in one of Tokyo’s most scenic spots stands Fushi, a luxury villa retreat offering one-of-a-kind stays enriched by bespoke hospitality and regional gastronomy crafted from the finest offerings of the locale’s natural abundance.

We met with three of the masterminds responsible for the uniqueness of this facility and its stay experience: Executive Chef Hisashi Chishiki, whose culinary skills bring these regional bounties to life; Kurochaya Group Chairman Kenji Takamizu, who created Fushi to connect this rich nature with the future of Tokyo; and expert ayu (sweetfish) fisherman Nobuo Ishii, who lends his fishing skills and his unrivaled knowledge of the Akigawa environs to Fushi’s guests during the summer months.

In this discussion, the three shared their thoughts on “the blessings of food,” and “prosperity through coexistence with nature,” from their perspectives as chef, business owner, and producer of foodstuffs.

Passing Down Edo Komon Artisanship from Father to Daughter

Among the traditional Japanese stencil-dyed patterns called komon, Edo komon stands out for its intricate patterns that seem plain at first sight. With the former name of Tokyo as its namesake, Edo komon is beloved among those seeking a hidden beauty that cannot be found in other dyed fabrics and is known as a symbol of Edo-style iki (“chic”).

Though dyeing studios have been gradually disappearing due to decreasing demand for kimonos, Ishizuka Senko in Tokyo’s Hachioji district has withstood the test of time for over a century. Though the studio was originally established in Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, it relocated to Hachioji, a town by the Asakawa River, in search of a nearby source of pristine water essential to dyeing.

Specializing in Edo komon, the studio continues to use traditional techniques to create beautiful dyed fabrics. In this story, meet nationally recognized dyeing master Yukio Ishizuka — Ishizuka Senko’s fourth-generation head — and his daughter Kumiko, the fifth-generation head following her father’s footsteps, and discover how they connect timeless Edo chic to the future.

Recommended Accommodations
in Western Tokyo and Nearby

Itineraries to Inspire You

[Short Stay] Explore Sacred Mt. Mitake on a Guided Hike and Relax with an Overnight Stay at a Private Riverside Villa

[Short Stay] Stay in a Private Villa Surrounded by the Forests of Akigawa Valley, Okutama, and Explore Western Tokyo’s Countryside and Ancient Roads

[Short Stay] Unwind in Okutama with an Overnight Stay and Tour a 300-Year Old Sake Brewery to Taste Premium Local Sake