Okutama, Tokyo
Tokyo's Wild West
Still Tokyo, at its far western end: an emerald gorge with a footbridge, a fish ladder you can walk inside, and the oldest sake brewery in the city, on the riverbank.
3 stops · one day
The route
- 01
Tokyo west · Okutama · From Shinjuku Stn · ~100-110 min · Better early
Hatonosu Gorge
An emerald gorge and footbridge minutes from the station — an easy half-day from Tokyo.
What to look for
- Hatonosu-kobashi footbridge — a slender suspension bridge over the ravine, with the best view straight down into the gorge
- Tama River pool — clear, green-tea-coloured water threading between huge boulders beneath cliffs about 40 metres high
- Riverside walking path — a maintained path along the gorge continuing toward Shiromaru Dam
- 02
Okutama · Shiromaru · From Shinjuku · ~1h50m
Shiromaru Dam Fish Ladder
One of Japan's longest fish ladders, free to walk inside, with a spiral-stair descent underground.
What to look for
- Spiral staircase descent — a large spiral stair drops from the surface into the underground channel
- 330-metre channel — a long stepped waterway that climbs about 27 metres to bypass the dam
- Resting pools — calmer basins set along the route where fish pause between climbs
- 03
Ome · Sawai · From Shinjuku · ~80-90 min
Sawanoi
Tokyo's oldest sake brewery, with a riverside garden for tasting by the water.
What to look for
- Sawanoi-en riverside garden — open-air shelters along the Tama River; order sake and snacks by ticket machine
- Brewery tour — guided walk through historic buildings and the hand-dug well, ending with a tasting (reservation required; Japanese with English leaflet)
- Tofu and yuba — two restaurants beside the garden, one formal course-style and one casual, using the brewery's water