The view from Mount Hodo overlooks a picturesque part of Saitama prefecture just north of Tokyo. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
The crisp autumn air of this mountainous region invites you to its relaxing environment in western Saitama prefecture.
Nagatoro, a small, picturesque town in Chichibu city, features the hiker-friendly Mount Hodo and boasts plenty of other touristy activities to enjoy.
A trip there during the Veterans Day weekend allowed an opportunity for my family to check out the budding fall foliage on this small mountain rising to 1,630 feet.
Starting at the Mount Hodo Ropeway Base Station, which is about 700 feet up the mountain, we stepped onboard the small, cramped yellow ropeway car that fits about a dozen or more people.
A round-trip ticket costs 1,200 yen, or $7.80, for adults, and 600 yen for children younger than 12. Information and maps are available in English at the base station kiosk.
The Mount Hodo ropeway in Nagatoro, Japan, takes vistiors up the 1,630-foot mountain. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
The five-minute ropeway ascent was fun and allowed us to see more of the beautiful surrounding landscape and Chichibu city.
Once at the top, we hiked a short distance and found a small café featuring a variety of snacks, including Japanese hot noodle dishes such as ramen, udon and cooler treats, and eight assorted flavors of gelato for sale. Be sure to discard your trash appropriately.
A few minutes more of walking and we discovered a small zoo, a welcome attraction for my son and me. Established in 1960 as a monkey park, according to the website, Mount Hodo Zoo now features giant rabbits, goats, sheep, a llama, Japanese macaques or snow monkeys, a red fox, Japanese sika deer, some reptiles, fish and more.
A small zoo on Mount Hodo is home to a variety of animals, including this fox, in Nagatoro, Japan. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
A small zoo on Mount Hodo is home to a variety of animals, including goat, in Nagatoro, Japan. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
Vending machines with carrots and other treats were available for 100 yen to feed some of the mammals there, including dozens of highly active macaques to whom visitors could toss treats.
After spending more than an hour at the summit, we headed back toward the station for the descent. The whole experience could take more than a couple of hours depending on your choice of the ropeway or the hike up the mountain and a visit to the zoo.
The plan for my next visit is to do the hike both up and down the mountain for fitness and a chance to see the many plum blossom trees planted there.
A trail at Mount Hodo in Nagatoro, a picturesque part of Saitama prefecture, just north of Tokyo. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)
You can find all types of other tourist attractions in Nagatoro, including a guided wooden boat ride down the Arakawa River, a visit to the Nagatoro Town Local History Museum, the Saitama Museum of Natural History, or just a visit to see the architecture of the many temples with a beautiful mountain backdrop.
On the QT
Directions: 1766-1 Nagatoro, Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama Prefecture; a two-hour drive from Yokota Air Base on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.
Times: Mount Nagatoro is open all day; the Mount Hodo Ropeway is open daily from 9:40 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the ropeway operates every 30 minutes on weekdays, every 15 minutes on weekends; the Mount Hodo Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Costs: A ropeway roundtrip is 1,200 yen for adults, 600 yen for 12 and younger; zoo admission is 500 yen for adults, 250 yen for 12 and younger.
Food: A small cafe offers a variety of hot food and cold treats.
Information: Online: nagatoro.gr.jp/kanko-english
