Koburi Pass

Just 90 minutes from central Tokyo, this 500-meter mountain pass traverses mixed woodland to a ridgeline where three rustic teahouses serve hand-drip coffee and soba with panoramic views of the Okuchichibu mountains and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. The trail from Agano Station is moderate and uncrowded, passing through quiet hamlets where farmers sell fresh yuzu. The name means 'head-turning pass', for the views that make hikers stop and look back.