Explore Mountains and Highlands Near Tokyo! How to Escape from the City to Nature with Street Kart

Tokyo is actually a fascinating city. Just a short trip from the skyscraper-filled downtown, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by lush mountains and highlands. Whenever my mountain-loving foreign friends visit, they’re always surprised: “Wait, Tokyo has this much nature?”

Here’s a suggestion for you. Before heading out to enjoy Tokyo’s natural beauty, why not experience the thrill of zipping through the city streets with Street Kart? Seeing Tokyo from a ground-level perspective offers an excitement completely different from regular sightseeing. Building up that anticipation before heading to the mountains and highlands lets you truly appreciate Tokyo’s many dimensions.

Mountain and Highland Spots You Can Enjoy as Day Trips from Tokyo

To be honest, there are plenty of amazing natural spots around Tokyo that many foreign visitors don’t know about.

First up is the Okutama area. Despite being only about 2 hours by train from downtown, you’ll find yourself surrounded by authentic mountain scenery. Mt. Mitake (御岳山, 929 meters) is easily accessible near the summit via cable car. While it’s more compact compared to American national parks, that’s exactly what makes it so easy to enjoy.

Mt. Takao (高尾山) is another popular spot among foreign tourists. About an hour by train from Shinjuku, the 599-meter summit offers views of Mt. Fuji on clear days. With multiple hiking trails available for beginners to experienced hikers alike, it’s especially recommended for international visitors.

The Chichibu highland area is not to be missed either. The shibazakura (moss phlox) at Hitsujiyama Park blooms from April to May, covering the hills in gradients of pink and white like something out of a fantasy world. I always recommend visiting Chichibu during this season to my foreign friends.

Experience Street Kart’s Appeal Before Heading to Nature

Before heading to the mountains and highlands, I really want you to experience a Street Kart drive through Tokyo. Why? Because it makes the contrast between the city and nature so much more vivid.

Street Kart offers guided tours led by drivers trained to assist international visitors, so there’s no need to worry about language barriers. The website supports 22 languages, and you can receive English support from booking to the tour itself. This is such a relief for foreigners who’ve just arrived in Japan.

With guides leading the way, there’s zero anxiety about navigating Tokyo’s complex roads. You’ll safely cruise along designated routes while enjoying ground-level views of landmarks like Tokyo Tower and Asakusa. Over 1.34 million customers have already experienced this, with an average rating of 4.9/5.0 speaking to its credibility.

By the way, you can check driver’s license requirements at kart.st’s official page. An international driving permit may be required, so it’s best to check in advance. Please note that Mario Kart-related costumes are not provided. Street Kart is an independent service with no affiliation to Nintendo or the Mario Kart series.

Outdoor Activities to Enjoy in Mountain and Highland Areas

The mountains near Tokyo offer much more than just hiking.

In Okutama, river activities and canyoning are popular. Summer temperatures are about 5 degrees cooler than downtown, making activities in the crystal-clear streams absolutely refreshing. It’s a common reaction among foreign tourists: “Tokyo has rivers this beautiful?”

At Mt. Takao, you can enjoy shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) as a cultural experience. Many restaurants near the summit can accommodate vegetarian and vegan visitors. More places are offering English menus too, making the language barrier much lower.

In the Chichibu area, riding the SL (steam locomotive) is also popular. The steam train called Paleo Express runs through the area, letting you admire mountain scenery from its retro interior. Since opportunities to see steam locomotives are rare in America, this becomes a truly special experience for foreign visitors.

A Plan to Enjoy Both City and Nature in One Day

My most memorable experience was when friends and I executed a plan to zip through Tokyo streets on Street Kart in the morning, then hike Mt. Takao in the afternoon. The contrast between urban energy and natural tranquility brings out the best of what Tokyo has to offer.

Street Kart tours start at 10 AM and take about 1-2 hours depending on the course. From there, you can take the train and arrive at the base of a mountain by afternoon. You can also check experience details at https://hp2.stg.streetkart.org/ for help planning your schedule.

Mt. Takao is about 50 minutes from Shinjuku on the Keio Line. Using the cable car, you can complete the round trip to the summit in about 1.5 hours, getting you back downtown by evening. Sipping a beer while watching the sunset from the summit is pretty special, I have to say.

Practical Advice for Foreign Tourists

There are a few helpful things to know when hiking Japanese mountains.

First, trail signs are primarily in Japanese. But using Google Translate’s camera function lets you understand signs in real-time. Also, many mountains have cell phone reception, so don’t worry too much about getting lost.

Cash is the standard form of payment. Credit cards often aren’t accepted at mountain huts or cable car ticket counters, so having about 10,000 yen in cash is a good idea. In Japanese, you can ask “Genkin dake desuka?” (現金だけですか？) meaning “Is it cash only?”

Staying hydrated is also important. Japanese mountains have high humidity, so it feels different from dry American mountains. Vending machines are often located near trailheads, so stock up beforehand.

Summary

Tokyo’s charm lies in how remarkably close the city and nature coexist. Experience the thrill of downtown with Street Kart, then immerse yourself in the great outdoors of mountains and highlands. This combination is a special experience you can only have in Tokyo.

You can easily book Street Kart at kart.st. Over 150,000 tours completed and more than 20,000 reviews prove just how fun it is. Over 250 karts in Tokyo are waiting for you.

Fellow mountain lovers, on your next Tokyo trip, be greedy and enjoy both the city and nature. You’re sure to discover a whole new side of Tokyo.

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