Autumn foliage at Mt. Tsukuba & Tsukuba Shrine [SPOT REPORT]

While Mt. Takao is one of the top spots to see the autumn foliage in Tokyo, Mt. Tsukuba is the top spot in Ibaraki Prefecture. Mountains are always great spots to see the beautiful nature in Japan, especially in autumn.

The Mt. Tsukuba can be reached from Tsukuba station by a shuttle bus which will bring you directly to the foot of the mountain. It is easier to go there by car but parking spots are very limited, especially during the high season.

Firstly, you should stop at Tsukuba Shrine at the bottom of the mountain. It is a very old shrine, surrounded by beautiful nature and even a nice small red bridge. The whole shrine area is full of ginkgo and Japanese maple trees. During the peak season (right now from 5th – 13th November 2022) it looks so beautiful and is perfect for some nice family photos.

If you are planing to visit the top of the mountain, you can use either the cable car close to the shrine or a lift a little bit farther away. Right next to the cable car station is a small fairytale-looking Japanese maple tree forest, which is also perfect if you want to snap a photo with the red maple leaves and the cable car together. During my visit on the 5th of November just a few leaves had turned red.

Also, when using the cable car you will see many beautiful maple trees which makes it a great secret autumn spot. Otherwise, the lift gives you a great view over the mountain area. Unfortunately, all trees on top are already at their peak and will probably just stay that way for just a few days longer.

For people who love hiking, the mountain is also a great place to go. There are different hiking trails to the top of the Mt. Tsukuba with many beautiful views, especially during the autumn foliage season (from the beginning to the end of November 2022).

Also, if you are visiting the area by car, I recommend stopping by the popular Tsukuba University, which offers really beautiful ginkgo-tree avenues.