Mitake Gorge
The Tama River twists and turns for four kilometers through Mitake Gorge, which is within the boundaries of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. A walking path through the gorge covers a loop between Okutama Fishing Center and JR Ikusabata Station. The path connects several local attractions including the Ozawa Sake Brewery, Sawanoi Seiryu Garden, Kanzanji Temple, Gyokudo Art Museum, and Kajikaen. It takes about three hours to walk the entire course.
Every year, the Mitake Gorge Autumn Colors Festival includes events such as guided hiking tours, art exhibitions, and craft stalls. At night, the trees along the river are lit up.
Historically, the Tama River has played a key role in the lives of the people in Ome. The river is fed by mountain springs that provide pure water used in local sake production. Before Tokyo’s highway system was developed, the logging industry used the Tama River’s strong current to transport timber from the mountains to mills in eastern Tokyo. Today, the river is mainly used for recreation. Along the gorge visitors can fish, navigate its rapids in canoes, or rent stand-up paddle-boards to enjoy the more placid stretches.