Local Secret · Kokubunji

Otaka-no-Michi & Mamagashita Springs お鷹の道・真姿の池湧水群

A crystal-clear spring stream path in Kokubunji, once part of the Owari Tokugawa clan's falconry grounds. Springs from the wooded cliff feed Mamagashita Pond, chosen as one of Japan's 100 best waters, and the path leads to the ruins of a great 8th-century provincial temple.

About

Otaka-no-Michi (Hawk's Path) is a narrow stone path of about 350 m that follows a stream running out of the Kokubunji cliff. The Owari Tokugawa lords once hunted with falcons here. Ice-cold spring water runs over watercress, and locals stop at roadside stalls selling vegetables from the farms. The springs gather in Mamagashita Pond, which has a tiny Benten shrine and is named after a legend in which a woman's disfigured face was healed by its waters. It is on Japan's official list of the 100 best waters. Just beyond is the vast grassy site of Musashi Kokubunji, one of the provincial temples ordered by Emperor Shomu in 741, and the modern Kokubunji temple with its giant trees. In summer it is noticeably cooler than the rest of Tokyo.

Highlights

• A clear spring stream along a stone path, with watercress in the water
• Mamagashita Pond, one of Japan's 100 best waters
• The 8th-century Musashi Kokubunji temple ruins
• Local farm stalls selling vegetables on an honour basis
• The Otaka-no-Michi Spring Park and an old farm-style house

Tips

• Walk from Nishi-Kokubunji (about 15 min) or Kokubunji Station (about 20 min). Combine with Tonogayato Garden.
• Visit in summer for cool shade. The spring water keeps the path noticeably cooler.
• Locals dip their hands in the spring outlet, but drinking the water untreated is not recommended.
• Look for the honour stalls with vegetables for a few hundred yen.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Musashi-Kokubunji ParkPark · 540 m away
• Tonogayato GardenGarden · 880 m away
• Kurumed CoffeeCafé & Sweets · 1.0 km away
• Fuchunomori ParkPark · 2.5 km away
• Kunitachi Daigaku-dori & Hitotsubashi UniversityLocal Secret · 2.7 km away
• Sengenyama ParkPark · 3.0 km away
• Tamagawa Josui RyokudoLocal Secret · 3.0 km away
• Okunitama ShrineShrine · 3.0 km away