Walking Through Mitake Valley to Gyokudo Art Museum and Sawanoi's Ozawa Sake Brewery

History and Regional Charm

Mitake Valley is a gorge in the city of Ome, located along the upper reaches of the Tama River. It spreads out along the meandering river around Mitake Station on the JR Ome Line. The Tama River has historically played a significant role in the lives of the people of Ome. Before Tokyo's trunk road network was built, the river's flow was used to transport timber from the mountains to eastern Tokyo.

The Nihonga painter Kawai Gyokudo was deeply fond of this valley. Gyokudo evacuated to Mitake in 1944 (Showa 19) and spent more than ten years here until his death in 1957 (Showa 32). In Sawai, downstream along the river, historical documents from 1702 (Genroku 15) show that sake brewing was already being conducted during that period. The name of the sake, "Sawanoi," originates from the fact that this area was once called "Sawai Village."

The river flow, Nihonga paintings, and water for sake brewing: this course allows you to trace the blessings of the Tama River along the riverside path.

Key Highlights

• ​Mitake Valley​​: The river's water has been selected as one of the Ministry of the Environment's Top 100 Famous Waters under the name "Mitake Mountain Stream." The walking trail extends for about 4 kilometers along both banks of the Tama River, centered on Mitake Station. The river, with its continuous giant rocks and rapids, is known as a mecca for canoeing, and the autumn foliage scenery is especially beautiful.
• ​Gyokudo Art Museum​​: Opened in 1961 (Showa 36), four years after Gyokudo's death. The building was designed by Yoshida Isoya, a master of sukiya-style architecture. Works suited to the seasons are rotated about seven times a year, ranging from sketches made around the age of 15 to the final work painted at age 84. Inside, there is a recreation of his studio from that time, overlooking a karesansui (dry landscape) garden crafted with stones from the Tama River.
• ​Ozawa Sake Brewery​​: The brewery that produces the renowned sake "Sawanoi." The brewing water gushes from the depths of a cave carved into the bedrock of the Chichibu Paleozoic strata; it is not Tama River underflow, but mountain spring water filtered through the bedrock of Mt. Takamizu. On the brewery tour (reservation required), visitors can view the storehouse dating back to the Genroku era and the brewing water springing from the cave.

Recommended Route and Required Time

The estimated time required is about 4 hours. It is about a 1-minute walk from Mitake Station on the JR Ome Line down to the Mitake Valley walking trail. The center of the valley is around Mitake Station and Mitakebashi Bridge, which spans in front of the station.

First, head to the Gyokudo Art Museum, located about a 5-minute walk from Mitake Station. The museum is along the walking trail, about 110 meters southwest of the valley's center. After viewing the artworks, take time to admire the dry landscape garden visible from the reconstructed studio.

After leaving the museum, walk downstream along the river walking trail. Ozawa Sake Brewery is located along the walking trail, about 1 kilometer northeast of the Gyokudo Art Museum. Since brewery tours require reservations, be sure to book before starting your walk. For a rest, visit Seiryu Garden Sawanoien, which spreads along the banks of the Tama River. You can eat items purchased at the shop while looking down at the clear stream, and there is also a sake tasting corner on the premises. Those driving a car or other vehicle will be refused sake tasting.

For the return trip, it is about a 5-minute walk to Sawai Station on the JR Ome Line. The pointed "sorin" finial standing on the station building's roof was modeled after nearby Kanzan-ji Temple. From Mitake Station, where the walk began, you can also ascend Mt. Mitake by bus and cable car, making a walk on top of the mountain a recommended option for another day.

Summary of the Experience

A valley of rocks and rapids, an art museum and dry landscape garden built on the land where Gyokudo spent his final years, and a riverside sake brewery making sake with mountain spring water. As you walk along the Tama River, the connections between water and daily life, painting, and sake become clear. Enjoy a relaxing walk while listening to the sound of the river.