Skip the cable car tourist route. Trail 1 is paved and boring, but trail 6 through the valley is gorgeous and only takes 90 minutes up.

Start early from takao-san-guchi station (keio line from shinjuku, 50 minutes, ¥390). The trail gets busy after 10am on weekends.

Trail 6 follows a stream with small waterfalls and rock formations. It's steeper than trail 1 but way more interesting. Connects to the summit trail near the temple.

Summit has decent views on clear days but the real reward is the hiking itself. Bring water - vending machines exist but they're expensive. Total round trip including travel is 5-6 hours from central tokyo.