Mount Oyama is a lesser-known hiking location, but becomes quite popular during both momiji and plum blossom season. It is located in Kanagawa prefecture, but you can get to Oyama Cable Station in about 2 hours from central Tokyo.
Where: 〒259-1107 355 Oyama, Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
When: Late November (for momiji)
How much: The cable car is 900 JPY on weekdays, and 1000 JPY on weekends and holidays
Website (Japanese): https://www.afuri.or.jp/en/
Before hiking up the mountain, you can walk around the base to try some soba and buy some hand-crafted spinning tops.
Mt. Oyama Spinning Tops are a special type of souvenir that this mountain is known for.
Mount Oyama Cable Car
It takes about 15 minutes to hike up to the cable car station, and it costs 900 JPY on weekdays, and 1000 JPY on weekends and holidays.
Oyama-dera Station
This is where you will find the steps to Oyama-dera with momiji on either side that create a beautiful red tunnel.
Afuri Jinja Station
Making your way up the cable car to Afuri Jinja Station, you will see a few restaurants with soba and ice cream, as well as a large concrete staircase leading up to a torii (Japanese arch). At the top you get a gorgeous view of the fall colors and city below!
Afuri Jinja has a special seasonal Goshuin (shrine seal) with a momiji motif! You can also get coffee, matcha tiramisu, and 水まんじゅう which is a jelly dessert with red bean paste on top at Teahouse Sekison. While the desserts are delicious, the main drawing point to this cafe is the gorgeous view of the fall colors!
