If you have been meaning to hike Mt. Takao this autumn, the end of October gives you a reason to linger at the foot of the mountain too. The Takaosan Noichi market (高尾山の市“野市”山のマーケット) sets up in front of Takaosanguchi Station on the Keio Takao Line, with hiking gear brands, a bear-spray demonstration, mountain souvenirs, a craft beer sold only on these two days and a handful of talks. Here is what is on, when, and what you need to book ahead.
- Dates: Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Hours: 9:00–16:00 both days
- Venues: the plaza in front of Takaosanguchi Station (Keio Takao Line) and Takaone, the hotel right by the station
- Book ahead for: the two hall talks (free, 60 seats each) and the darning workshop (6,600 yen per person, tax included)
- Not stated in the announcement: an entry fee for the market and what happens if it rains
What the Noichi market is
The market has run since 2021 under the theme of widening the ways people enjoy Takao, so the idea is less about the summit and more about everything around the trailhead. This year it is co-hosted by Yama-Kei Publishing (山と溪谷社), the Impress Group company behind the mountaineering magazine Yama to Keikoku, together with Keio Corporation and R.project.
It runs on two sites a short walk apart. The station plaza is the open-air market with gear stalls and a small stage. Takaone, the hotel by the station, hosts the indoor programme: hall talks, a workshop, and a play area filled with wood shavings.
Station plaza: who is selling what
Most of the plaza is hiking apparel and gear, displayed and on sale, with a few hands-on extras mixed in. These are the main stalls the organizers have announced:
| Stall | What you can do there |
|---|---|
| OM SYSTEM | Original items made with outdoor brands, goods for hiking and photography, plus a photo hike around Takao |
| ZANEARTS | New mountain apparel and gear on display, with try-ons. The brand started in Matsumoto, Nagano in 2018 |
| Yamatabi (山旅) | Light, versatile wear and gear for the trail, travel and daily life, shown and sold |
| Vixen | A beginner nature walk using loupes and binoculars to look at Takao wildlife and autumn flowers, plus a sales booth |
| TryAnt | Try a fluorine-free, Japan-made water repellent; waterproof shoe covers and gloves on sale |
| Carl Hoernecke | TW1000 bear spray on display and sale, with a practice-spray demo both days 10:30–11:00 |
| Mitake Tozan Railway souvenir market | Freeze-dried Mitake soup, drip coffee, imo kenpi sweet-potato snacks and a cable-car-shaped box of sweets |
| Takao no Mori Wakuwaku Village | Workshops to make a bird call from a branch and a screw, or draw on a wooden pendant |
| KO52TAKAO pop-up store | Small shops from the building, described as a place where independent businesses meet the local area |
| Yama-Kei Publishing | Magazines, hiking guidebooks and original goods, plus Yama to Keikoku Beer, made with TAKAO BEER and sold only on these two days |
Photographers get the most out of the OM SYSTEM stall, since the photo hike lets you shoot around Takao rather than just handle a camera at a table.
For clothing, ZANEARTS and Yamatabi are the two to visit. ZANEARTS lets you try on its newest pieces, and Yamatabi focuses on cutting weight with small, practical design touches.
The Vixen nature walk is aimed at beginners, which makes it one of the easier things to do with children on the plaza.
If you have never held a can of bear spray, the Carl Hoernecke demo is worth timing your visit around. A practice spray is fired for real, and it only runs from 10:30 to 11:00 each day.
The Mitake Tozan Railway stall brings souvenirs from Mt. Mitake, so you can pick up the cable-car sweets box without making a separate trip.
Free mini talks on the plaza stage
A small stage on the plaza runs short talks under the theme that Takao is about more than climbing. Speakers come from Takao Beer, Takao Tozan Dentetsu (the Mt. Takao cable car operator), Mitake Tozan Railway and Yama-Kei Publishing. The announcement does not list registration for these.
| Time | Talk | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 31 (Sat) 14:00–14:30 | How I recommend enjoying Mt. Takao | Takeda (竹田知生), Takao Tozan Dentetsu |
| Oct 31 (Sat) 15:00–15:30 | Why do mountains draw people in? Thoughts from Mt. Takao and Mt. Mitake | Yamamoto (山本英幸), Mitake Tozan Railway |
| Nov 1 (Sun) 10:00–10:30 | Why make craft beer in Takao? | Ikeda (池田周平), head of Takao Beer |
Takaone: talks, workshop and wood-shaving pool
Over at Takaone, the programme is smaller and mostly needs booking in advance. There is also a market there with brands based mainly in the Tama area.
| Programme | When | Booking and cost |
|---|---|---|
| Talk and book signing: safety and gear for low mountains in autumn and winter, with Koji Hagiwara (萩原浩司) | Nov 1 (Sun) 10:00–11:00 2F hall | Advance registration, free, 60 seats |
| Talk on Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains with comedian Ichiro Yatsui (やついいちろう) of Elekicomic and the Yama to Keikoku channel | Oct 31 (Sat) 11:00–12:00 2F hall | Advance registration, free, 60 seats |
| Darning workshop with certified Darning by HIKARU NOGUCHI instructor Ayako Kamiyama (神山彩子) | Oct 31 (Sat) 14:00–16:00 | Advance registration, 6,600 yen per person (tax included) |
| Kanna-bushi pool: a play area filled with wood shavings | Both days 9:00–16:00 | Not stated; check the official page |
Hagiwara is known as the mountain editor from the NHK series Nippon Hyakumeizan, and his talk covers the early sunsets and sudden cold that catch people out on autumn hikes, pitched for beginners. Yatsui is a hiker himself and is working his way through all 100 famous mountains. With only 60 seats each, these two are the ones to book early.
Darning is mending holes and stains with colourful thread, treated more as adding a new look than hiding the repair. Beginners are taught from scratch, starting with how to use the tools.
How to plan your visit
- Book first. Registration for the hall talks and the workshop is on the special page on Yama-Kei Online (山と溪谷オンライン). The announcement is written in Japanese, so if you need language support, check that page before booking.
- Pick your day. Saturday has the Yatsui talk, the darning workshop and two stage talks. Sunday morning has Hagiwara and the craft beer talk. The bear-spray demo and the wood-shaving pool run on both days.
- Combine it with a hike. The market opens at 9:00, so you can climb in the morning and shop on the way down, or the other way round. On a long day out, a free power bank rental through d VALUE PASS and ChargeSPOT saves a dead phone on the trail.
- Check fee and weather info. The announcement does not mention an entry fee for the market or a rain plan, so look at the official page shortly before you go.
If you are filling your autumn calendar, we also cover other events such as the Musashino Art University festival and the Setagaya Tamagawa fireworks. For cheaper weekend trips by train further afield, see the Aki no Norihodai Pass for JR local trains.
Official page and registration (Yama-Kei Online) →
FAQ
- Q. When and where is the Takaosan Noichi market held?
- On Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, from 9:00 to 16:00, at the plaza in front of Takaosanguchi Station on the Keio Takao Line and at the Takaone hotel next to the station.
- Q. Do I need to register for the talks?
- The two talks in the Takaone hall, with Koji Hagiwara and Ichiro Yatsui, require advance registration. Both are free and limited to 60 people. The announcement does not list registration for the short talks on the station plaza stage.
- Q. How much does the darning workshop cost?
- 6,600 yen per person including tax, with advance registration. It runs on October 31 from 14:00 to 16:00.
- Q. Is there an entry fee for the market?
- The announcement does not state an entry fee or what happens in case of rain, so check the special page on Yama-Kei Online before you go.
Sources: press release (PR TIMES) · Yama-Kei Publishing · Impress Holdings. Details may change; the official page has the latest information.