Mt. Tanigawadake’s Lift in Fall
For those wanting to find spectacular fall colors and natural beauty which is possible to reach by public transportation, try Mt. Tanigawadake (谷川岳) on the border of Gunma and Niigata prefectures. The 1,977 meter tall (about 6,486 feet) mountain is very rugged and has hiking trails and a ski resort. Experienced climbers enjoy scaling the rocks off the main trails, while the casual visitor can enjoy maintained trails or taking the ropeway.
Mt. Tanigawadake ropeway (umelog/flickr)
The fall colors at Mount Tanigawadake are considered some of the most beautiful in Japan, drawing outdoor enthusiasts from around the country.
Mt. Tanigawadake (photo: Yukilingg/flickr)
The hiking season is usually from July to November. The ski season varies greatly due to weather conditions, but can last from the middle of November to May. The ski resort has 6 lifts and is rather small, but has some of the deepest snow and longest season of any resort in Japan. There is a restaurant with basic, hearty dishes like curry, soba, and udon in the same building as the ropeway departure platform.
Sounds of the alps at Mt. Tanigawadake (photo: umelog/flickr)
The ropeway at Mt. Tanigawadake is barrier-free and can accommodate wheelchairs in the small gondolas. It costs 1,200 yen one way or 2,000 yen round trip for adults. Children’s fares are 600 yen one way or 1,000 yen round trip. Gondolas run about every two minutes and one way takes about 7 minutes. The lifts costs 400 yen one way or 700 yen round trip for all ages. The Mt. Tanigawadake facilities are open from 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays. From January 16 to March 19 it opens at 9 am. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays the facilities are open from 7 am to 5 pm. There may be limited access during the Obon holidays. To get to Mt. Tanigawadake, take a bus which runs about once per hour from the JR Minakami Station. Alternately, take the train from Minakami Station to Doai Station and walk uphill about 15 minutes to the ropeway.
The ropeway website is in Japanese: http://www.tanigawadake-rw.com/index.php
Ski Mt. Tanigawadake (photo: @rfuruse/flcikr)
谷川岳天神平 (photo: Kentaro Ohno/flickr)
photo by: tata_aka_T
