100/100. Sorry for a long review but I will try to include everything so as to facilitate a reader.

Firstly, it would be better to consider a weather forecast. Since, in case of rain, the route especially around rock garden could be slippery.

Also, there is a different mountain Mt. Mitake in Hyogo region as well. So, don't confuse mountain with that one while checking the forecast.

I visited on 23rd of November and the fall foliage was in full bloom. Red, yellow and all type of leaves. There is a cable car and a lift both for ascending and descending.

Cable car : Takimoto station ---- > Mitakesan station

Chair life : Mitakesan station ---- > Top of chair lift

Cost of cable car is 600 one way (1100 yen two way) Chair life is 100 one way (190 two way)

Combined ticket of cable car and chair lift is (1320 two way)

Chair lift was fun and easy. It was like your feet could touch the ground. And for only 100 yen, was like a gold.

And view from cable car was stunning as well. I recommend using it at least for ascending. And seat in the 1st cabin downward to see the full view of Mitake and Oku-tama.

The roads are very easy if you prefer to trek instead of cable car as well. But there could be a possibiity of getting lost in the jungle especially in the dark (evening time).

Also using the chair lift, won't decrease your trekking time much since you need to come downwards from top of lift station to connect to the main route to shrine.

But both Cable car (for ascending) and chair lift (in particular) is definitely worth it.

Also, I recommend to take a map in the visitor service or in information center before ascending.

Then from top of chair lift,

It is an about 40 minutes walk upwards (with lot of stairs) to Musashi Mitake Shrine. It is a very difficult trek because of many stairs. Even we felt really hard at the end. Roads are all pitched though till the top of the shrine.

From Musashi shrine,

There is a trek to Rock Garden and Ayashiro waterfalls. Both are near each other. And roads are very big and easy to walk even for small kids. And the jungle view is stunning with red leaves, falls, river flowing and birds chirping.

It is a round trip from:

Cable car --- > Chair Lift --- > Mushashi shrine --- > Ayahiro Falls --- > Rock Garden --- > Observation deck ---- > Musashi shrine --- > Chair lift ---- > Cable Car

If interested, there are also trekking routes to:

• Mt. Otake
• Nanayo Falls
• Mt. Hinode

There are probably other venues as well.

Finally, the last cable car and the bus is available at 18:30 pm so try to reach there as early as possible to enjoy nature peacefully while taking your time.

This is one of the most hiked mountain in Japan. So, it is definitely a must from the beginners to experts.