Exploring the Roof of Mie at the Gozaisho Ropeway

Exploring the Roof of Mie at the Gozaisho Ropeway

Mt. Gozaisho is a fantastic winter destination to experience authentic snowy scenery that is easy to reach from both Osaka and Nagoya. It is the closest snowcapped mountain to Nagoya offering glistening white snow and winter activities such as skiing and sledding. Mt. Gozaisho is also famous for its frost-covered trees and snow monsters in winter and gorgeous autumn leaves in fall. The goal for my visit today was to explore the beautiful scenery of the snowy mountain summit.

Walking in the Snow at the Choyodai Observatory

It was time to brave the cold and snow once again after lunch to hike up to the Choyodai Observatory. It is only a short walk from the summit ropeway station to the observatory, which on clear days, offers fantastic views of Nagoya, Chubu International Airport, and the Northern Alps off in the distance.  

The stunning view on a clear day

Unfortunately, the weather was not kind for me, so rather than soaking up the views, I enjoyed the torii shrine gates and other interesting monuments around this area while walking in the snow.  

Torii shrine gate at the Choyodai Observatory

You can walk a little further from here to the Fujimi-Iwa Observatory, which provides views of the iconic Mt. Fuji when the weather is clear.  

Exploring the Summit of Mt. Gozaisho

One of the highlights for me was making it up to the top of Mt. Gozaisho which is 1212 meters above sea level. A single seat chairlift whisks visitors to the peak in about 8 minutes from the Summit Ropeway Station. A landmark there signals the summit of the mighty mountain.  

The snowy peak of Mt. Gozaisho

Putting on a brave face in the cold at the summit

Near the summit is the Boukodai Lookout (Lake Lookout) which offers visitors a chance to enjoy views of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan.  

After checking out the mountain, visitors can soak their tired feet and enjoy the relaxing hot spring waters of Yunoyama Onsen at the foot of the mountain.  


Yunoyama Onsen down below from the ropeway

Wrap Up

Mt. Gozaisho is just an hour away from Nagoya, offering visitors a chance to connect with nature and experience a snow paradise without having to travel all the way to the deep snowy regions of the country.  

How to Get There

The best way to reach the Gozaisho Ropeway is via a direct Mie Kotsu Bus from the Meitetsu Bus Center in Nagoya. Take the Mie Kotsu Bus to Yunoyama Onsen Gozaisho Ropeway Mae bus stop, which takes around 70 minutes. From there, it is a short walk to Gozaisho Ropeway.  

Details: https://www.gozaisho.co.jp/en/access/ 

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