What other travelers are saying about Shin-Hotaka Ropeway
I highly recommend purchasing a combined ticket for transportation and cable car at the Nohi bus station. It offers great value compared to buying them separately.
Before your trip, I suggest checking the weather forecast for the day. I was lucky enough to have clear skies and stunning views like in the picture.
My journey is early on a weekday around 7:00 AM from Takayama station. There were less than 40 people on the cable car, which allowed me to enjoy ample time for taking photos. (Visited on 3 Dec 2024)
If want see some snow during late autumn and early winter. This is a very nice place to visit. Especially if one is driving from Matsumoto to Takayama. Spend almost 4 hours plus here because kids wanna to play with snow. But a gently reminder, it is still cold up there especially it is still quite windy. There is two station and really need to go all the way up to enjoy the best view and experience. Worth the time driving there for the visit. Mid-station does have a very nice cafe with good confectionery and coffee.
Spectacular views from multiple viewpoints. Keep in mind that the cable cars up and down the mountain are usually packed with people so it's difficult to take photos of the surrounding mountains. Try visiting early in the morning to see clear skies and smaller crowds.
Great view of the Japanese alps, and the ride on the ropeway is fun. On top you can enjoy lunch, coffee and send a postcard from the highest post box in Japan. Only thing OSS that it’s a bit expensive especially if you want to ride all the way up, 3300¥ per person.
I suggest you to bring your own lunch to save some ¥¥¥.
Winter experience is surreal. Forest roaming at the first stop highly recommended. You should plan ahead and book a guided tour operated by the ropeway, as they will lend you gears to walk on snow. Ok without gear it’s a bit clumsy. The walkway on the second stop gives another experience as it’s far more colder and lower visibility.
