On the last Sunday of November, I hiked up Mt. Takao to pay my respects at the temple.
The weather was perfect, and the whole experience felt incredibly refreshing.
So, how is my weight-loss journey going?
My Weight as of November 30
To my surprise, the scale showed 70.1 kg.
Back on October 15, I weighed 73.5 kg, so I’ve lost 3.4 kg in a month and a half.
I can really feel the effects of the DASKI waist warmer and my daily 10,000-step walks.Every time I lift my 3 kg dumbbell, I’m struck by the thought:
“Was this much fat really attached to my body just a month ago?”
That said, my weight had actually plateaued for the past few weeks.
I briefly hit 70.1 kg in mid-November, but after that I kept bouncing between 70.1 and 70.5 kg.
No matter what I tried, I just couldn’t break into the 69 kg range.It was frustrating—and I needed a breakthrough.
That’s one reason why this Mt. Takao hike wasn’t just for prayer.I also wanted a stronger workout to break out of the plateau.
Of course, Mt. Takao is only 599 meters high and is enjoyed by everyone from kids to the elderly.It’s a tourist-friendly mountain—not exactly a grueling expedition!
Taking Route 6 to the Summit
Mt. Takao offers several hiking routes.The most popular one is Route 1 (Omotesando Trail), a fully paved path from Takaosanguchi Station to Yakuo-in Temple—perfect for a traditional pilgrimage.
This time, however, I chose Route 6 (Biwa Waterfall Course).It starts near the ropeway station and takes you through a natural, unpaved forest trail.It’s much closer to a classic hiking experience.
Because the trail is uneven, it worked muscles I normally don’t use during regular walks—
exactly what I needed to shake off the stagnation in my weight loss.
It takes about an hour to an hour and a half, and by the time I reached the summit, my forehead and back were drenched in sweat.
There is just one downside to Route 6:It leads directly to the summit, which means you must approach Yakuo-in Temple from the back on your way down.
If you want the full traditional experience of entering through the front gate, I recommend Route 1.
Descending via Route 1
After praying at the temple, I took Route 1 down the mountain.
To be honest, I found the walk a bit monotonous.
If I had taken the lift, I probably would’ve seen a different side of Mt. Takao.
I’ll save that for next time.
Additional Notes
According to a shopkeeper I spoke with, the previous three-day weekend was the real peak of visitor traffic.During my hike, I only heard Chinese spoken once.
Instead, I saw many tourists in burqas, as well as several Western travelers.
It really does seem like the number of Chinese tourists has decreased recently.
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