[Tanzawa to Takao] TTT Traverse 56km | A day connecting night views and sunrise

Starting the climb while looking at the night view,
crossing over Mt. Fuji at sunrise,
and finally seeing the night view again at Mt. Takao.

From Tanzawa to Takao.

Approximately 56km with 4300m of elevation gain.
It was a route too long to walk in a single day,
but together with my companions, I was able to walk it to the end.

Introduction

TTT (Tanzawa to Takao) is a long route that connects the Tanzawa main ridge to the Tokai Nature Trail, ending at Mt. Takao.

Both the distance and cumulative elevation are quite long for a day trip,
making it a route for those accustomed to trail running or long traverses.

In this article,

・Actual route conditions
・Supply points
・Decision-making during long-distance travel

are summarized based on actual experience.

I hope this will be helpful for those planning to challenge the TTT.

Hiking Summary

Mountains: Mt. Tonodake, Mt. Tanzawa, Mt. Hirugatake, Mt. Yakeyama, Mt. Ishizoyama, Mt. Shiro-yama, Mt. Arashiyama, Mt. Takao
Region: Tanzawa Mountains to Mt. Takao area
Date: December 21, 2024 (Day trip)
Weather: Sunny

Course:
Okura → Mt. Tonodake → Mt. Tanzawa → Mt. Hirugatake → Hime-tsugi → Mt. Kibigara → Mt. Yakeyama → Nishinono → Mt. Ishizoyama → Mt. Shiro-yama → Mt. Arashiyama → Kobotoke Shiroyama → Mt. Takao → Takaosanguchi

Distance: 56.4km
Cumulative elevation: 4362m
Activity time: 17 hours 57 minutes

Difficulty: ★★★★★ (For experienced long-distance hikers and trail runners)

Overall Course Map

A long route that traverses the Tanzawa main ridge (Mt. Tonodake to Mt. Hirugatake)
and passes through the Tokai Nature Trail to reach Mt. Takao.

It was a course that tested both physical strength and mental endurance,
involving repeated peaks, descents, and climbs.

Reason for choosing this mountain

"I want to see the night view from Mt. Tonodake"

This plan started with a conversation like that.

As I looked into it, I learned about the TTT (Tanzawa to Takao) route.

The distance and cumulative elevation gain exceed the range of a day trip, but

"If I keep walking, I can make it"

I took on the challenge relying only on that feeling.

Since it is the season for long hikes, I decided to give it a try.

Course details and impressions

Okura to Mt. Tonodake (Night start)

Starting in the middle of the night.

I continue climbing the stairs of the Okura Ridge.

Halfway through, the night view of the Kanto Plain began to appear, and that alone made me feel the value of this mountain trip.

At the summit,
Mt. Tonodake is windy.

Cold weather protection is essential, and it was quite tough if your gloves were thin.

Mt. Tonodake to Mt. Tanzawa to Mt. Hirugatake (Main ridge traverse)

Mt. Tanzawa is relatively calm.

On the traverse path beyond that, Mt. Fuji shows its face at dawn.

And then to
Mt. Hirugatake.

This section has

・Descent with chain sections
・Slipperiness due to frost

There were also points that required caution, such as:

Mt. Hirugatake to Mt. Yakeyama (towards the Tokai Nature Trail)

The atmosphere changes after passing Mt. Hirugatake,
leading to a quiet trail.

From Hime-tsugi, you enter the Tokai Nature Trail,
and a section that is easy to walk on continues.

On the other hand,

・Long distance
・Monotony

were also aspects that caused mental exhaustion.

Mt. Yakeyama - Mt. Ishizuna - Mt. Sekiro (The hell of repeated climbs)

I descended once at Mt. Yakeyama.

From here on was a mentally tough section.

While repeating descents and ascents,

・Mt. Ishizuna
・Mt. Sekiro

I headed toward them.

The climb up Mt. Sekiro was also surprisingly steep,
which really takes a toll on your stamina in the latter half.

Mt. Arashiyama to Mt. Takao (The final stretch)

Although Mt. Arashiyama is a low mountain, it has many ups and downs,
and it drained me more than I imagined.

After that, passing through Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama,
I reached the final peak,

Mt. Takao.

The night view of the Kanto Plain once again.

Seeing the night view at both the start and the finish,
made for an impressive conclusion.

Course conditions and points of caution

・Okura to Hirugatake is a clear mountain trail
・The wooden paths on the north side of Hirugatake are slippery and dangerous when frosted
・There are chain sections (around Hirugatake)

Supply points

・7-Eleven in the plains (important)
・Each mountain hut (first half)
・Vending machines and public restrooms (relatively well-stocked in the second half)

Points of caution

・The distance is extremely long
・It is easy to lose momentum on the climbs in the second half
・Maintaining mental focus is important

※As of December 2024

Reflections

With both the distance and the cumulative elevation gain, this was not an easy route.

Even so,

continuing to walk,

moving forward with companions,

that alone was enough to make it to the end of this mountain trip.

Once again,
I was able to connect a long route.

※The TTT I walked at this time,
I would go on to follow once more a year later as training for the Izu Trail Journey (ITJ).

▶ Click here for the record of walking the same route as 'training'

Conclusion

Focusing on the mountains of Shizuoka,
I walk the ridgelines every weekend.

Rather than flashy mountains,
I prefer quiet mountains, deep mountains, and hikes where I read the conditions.

▶ Magazine "One Mountain at a Time, Hiking Records"

If you like mountains,
I would be happy if you followed me.

See you next time with a record of another mountain.