Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway
大雪山層雲峡・黒岳ロープウェイ
A cable car from Sounkyo Onsen up to the 5th station of Mount Kurodake, with a chairlift to the 7th station, the quickest route to the summit and to the autumn colors of Daisetsuzan.
The Kurodake Ropeway departs from Sounkyo Onsen and takes about 7 minutes to reach the 5th station, at about 1,300 meters above sea level. From the observation deck you can look down over Sounkyo and the Daisetsu mountain range. A chairlift then takes about 15 minutes to the 7th station, which is closed in winter. From the 7th station it takes about 1.5 hours to climb to the 1,984-meter summit of Kurodake. In July, the alpine plants bloom around the summit, and from mid to late September the foliage is among the earliest autumn colors in Japan. The ropeway runs year-round, with the slopes used for skiing in winter. The round-trip fare is about 2,600 yen (check the official website for current prices). Temperatures on the mountain are more than 10°C lower than at the base.
Opening hours
Approx. 06:00–19:00 (seasonal; winter 08:00–16:00)
Nearby sights
- Sounkyo Onsen & Ice Fall Festival
- Momijidani Trail, Sounkyo
- Ginga & Ryusei Falls
- Ginsendai
- Obako Gorge
- Daisetsu Kogen Onsen & Marsh Trail
- Lake Taisetsu
- Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway & Sugatami Pond