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okutama-and-around

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Updated: February 13, 2023

Explore Tokyo's great outdoors and vibrant retro towns

Although it is located within Tokyo’s borders, the area of Okutama couldn’t be further away from the hectic hubs of Shibuya and Shinjuku. Mountains, limestone caves, camping grounds and hot springs are all set to a backdrop of verdant green. Follow your day of outdoor adventure with a trip to nearby retro villages offering both Japanese and American nostalgia.

Tips

  • Enjoy the great outdoors with a spot of fishing, a hot spring dip, or a nature hike
  • Explore the delightfully retro town of Ome, and a trip back to 1950's U.S.A. on Fussa Base Side Street

How to Get There

Your access point for Okutama is Okutama Station on the JR Ome Line.

From Haneda Airport: Around two hours 45 minutes by train.
From Narita Airport: Around three hours 30 minutes by train.
From Shinjuku Station: Take the JR Chuo Line to Tachikawa and transfer to the JR Ome Line for Okutama Station. (Travel time: around two hours)
From Tokyo Station: Take the JR Chuo Line to Tachikawa and transfer to the JR Ome Line for Okutama Station. (Travel time: around two hours 15 minutes)

Explore Tokyo's greener side, complete with onsen

An easy daytrip from the city center—or an ideal spot for some summer camping—the Okutama area is Tokyo's great outdoors. Hike the trail heading up to Mt. Mitake or Mt. Odake, and have a cooling dip in the crystal-clear river. There are several mountain stream fishing spots along the Nippara and Otamba Rivers, which are tributaries of the Tama River, where you can barbecue and eat the fish you catch. There are a number of hot springs scattered throughout the area, so you can take a day trip, stay overnight, or even go camping. To find out more, stop by the Okutama Tourist Information Center.

Nature in Okutama
A bridge on Okutama Lake
Moegi-no-Yu Onsen
A campsite in Okutama

You’ll find spectacular cherry blossom and autumn foliage spots in the Okutama area, including Akigawa Valley, Lake Okutama, Mount Mitake, and Hatonosu Gorge.
If you like water sports, the Tama River is a great place to try white water rafting or canoeing. For those looking for a new challenge, you can go canyoning in the gorges of Okutama.

Okutama Lake in spring
Okutama Lake in fall
The fall colors at Hatonosu Gorge

 

Showa-era snacks, and retro streets of exotic America

Located close to the greenery of Okutama is Ome, a quaint, retro town with an air of nostalgia for the Showa era (1926-89). The Showa Retro Goods Museum houses a wide range of Showa-era snack wrappers, drink cans, bottles and movie posters. The Kushi-Kanzashi Museum, located on the banks of the Tama River, specializes in Japanese hair ornaments and houses a collection of about 4,000 combs, kogai (hairpins), small bags, and other items from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the Showa period. For a taste of something completely un-Japanese, you can visit Fussa, where the Fussa Base Side Street runs alongside the Yokota U.S. military base and is packed with shops, restaurants and memorabilia of 1950s America.

*The Kushi Kanzashi Museum is closed as of December 2023

Showa Retro Goods Museum
Kushi-Kanzashi Museum (decorative hairpin)
Kushi-Kanzashi Museum (comb)

Outdoor

 

Mountains

 

Onsen

 

Nearby Attractions