By Ryohei Isomura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

17:47 JST, August 16, 2025

With the peak season for summer mountain climbing in full swing, people are flocking to mountains close to city centers. Climbers are being required to exercise the utmost caution to avoid getting lost or involved in an accident, even on low-lying mountains. Care should also be taken to avoid getting heatstroke.

Police are calling on climbers to come up with plans that allow for adjustments to be made and to prepare for climbs with the right equipment and enough supplies.

On Friday, with the Bon holiday season underway, Mt. Takao in Hachioji, Tokyo, was crowded with mainly young climbers and families. It takes only about an hour from central Tokyo to reach stations near the foot of the 599-meter mountain, which attracts around 3 million visitors a year.

The mercury climbed above 30 C on Friday, and what stuck out the most on Mt. Takao were climbers dressed in casual clothing. A second-year high schooler was seen at the foot of the mountain after he had climbed........

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