Stay overnight in the Okutama area to get an early start in the morning to join a half-day rafting and river cleaning experience. Meet at A-flow, a 5-minute walk from JR Mitake Station next to the Tama River. You can change into waterproof gear before heading to the river with a guide from Tokyo Mountain Tours. The experience combines the fun of rafting on the Tama River with a guide, and picking up litter from the riverbanks. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from working together as a team to conserve the local environment, while having fun. After two and a half hours of combined rafting and cleaning, you will be taken back to A-flow to change.

After lunch around Mitake, drive through the beautiful Hatonosu Canyon and the Hikawa Valley and past Lake Okutama, which connects Tokyo and Yamanashi Prefecture.

Stay overnight near Yamanashi Station.

Meet your guide in the morning at Mitomi Roadside Station for a two-day climb of Mount Kobushigatake, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The trailhead starts at Nishizawa Gorge, which has beautiful streams and waterfalls, and is a certified forest bathing area. Follow mountain streams through the forest as you climb towards the pyramid-shaped peak of Mount Kobushigatake.

The pace is set to your fitness level, with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery along the way. The mountain is the source of several major rivers including the Arakawa River, which runs 173 kilometers from the mountain and across the Kanto plain to Tokyo Bay. The mountain trails take you through conifer forests carpeted with moss. Stop for lunch (bring your own bento or snacks) and enjoy the mountain views before heading towards your accommodation for the evening, Kobushigoya Hut.

A short walk from the hut, you can see a stone monument that marks the start of the Arakawa River. You may also be able to see Mount Fuji from a little further up past the hut. After a stroll, head back to the hut to relax and enjoy a hot meal in the convivial atmosphere of Kobushigoya, where climbers gather from all walks of life.

Wake up with the sunrise, and the sound of a nearby mountain stream, ready to tackle the climb to the summit. From late spring to early summer, you can see pink rhododendron blooms along the trail. Depending on the weather, you have a good chance to see Mount Fuji on the way up the mountain, and then enjoy panoramic views of the Okuchichibu Mountains from the top.

Head back down the mountain along forest trails, as your guide points out flora and fauna along the way. Arrive back at Mitomi Roadside Station in time for lunch, before taking a bus back to Yamanashi Station.