Tanigawa-dake ropeway and lift to the summit in the late summer heat & shopping at the roadside station

Take the ropeway and lift to Mt. Tanigawa in early autumn and aim for the summit.

On the way back from a one-night, two-day trip to Yubiso Onsen Hotel Yunojin in Gunma Prefecture, we will climb Mt. Tanigawadake.

We checked out of the hotel around 9 o’clock and arrived at the Tanigawadake Ropeway terminal in about 10 minutes.

The parking lot fee for Tanigawadake Ropeway is 500 yen.

Don’t go all the way up to the ropeway platform, but on the way there is a reception desk a little further down on the right.

The ticket office is on the 6th floor, so take the elevator up.

The photo is from my last visit, but here you can select and purchase a round trip ticket for the ropeway and lift, a round trip ticket for the ropeway, a one-way ticket for the ropeway, etc.

A round-trip ticket for the ropeway and lift is a little expensive at 3,500 yen per person, but if it’s a sunny day, the lift is pleasant.

Credit cards can also be used.

This is different if you are a mountain climber, but if you are just coming for sightseeing, we recommend purchasing a set ticket that includes the lift on sunny days.

Last time we only took the ropeway round trip, so this time we decided to take the lift and climb higher.

Follow the directions to the ropeway platform.

If you go early in the morning, you’ll be able to ride the ropeway without it being crowded, as the ropeway is almost reserved for everyone.

It takes about 10 minutes to get to the ropeway stop.

A slightly open square will open up.

However, this time I wanted to take the lift to the top, so I headed straight to the lift station.

Show your ticket to the staff and immediately board the two-seater lift.

This is a two-seater lift often found at ski resorts.

There are footprints marked at the boarding area, so if you wait there, you can sit down without any problems.

The slope was a little scary at first, but the lift was set up not too far from the ground, so I felt safe that I would be okay even if I fell.

On the way, I pass Gunma-chan.

Arrived at the top of the mountain

We arrived at the top of the mountain at the lift station.

The scenery of clouds and mountains is spreading, and it feels good.

There was an observation deck on top of the building at the top of the mountain, and a cafe on top of the observation deck where you could get drinks and light snacks.

There seemed to be some climbers who had climbed all the way up here, and there were also a few visitors wearing mountaineering clothes and backpacks.

There was a bench below me, so I went down a little.

It feels like a private space, and it would feel good to eat rice balls here.

The weather in the mountains is changeable, and clouds started rolling in about 10 minutes after we arrived.

Below me I could see the plaza of the station where I got off the ropeway.

You can see that we have climbed quite high.

There are also shrines and observation decks here, so you can take a stroll.

There was a pavilion on the observation deck, so I sat on a chair and enjoyed the cool breeze.

Even though it was September, it was still a hot day with temperatures over 34 degrees, so the cool breeze felt nice.

A short stop at Doai Station, famous for Mogura Station.

On my way back from the Tanigawadake Ropeway, I came across Doai Station, famous for Mogura Station, on my way to Minakami, so I stopped by there for a bit.

During the coronavirus pandemic, it seemed quiet, but this time there were a lot of cars in the parking lot, and the number of tourists had increased considerably.

The cafe, which is a renovated old ticket office, was also closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but it was open when I visited this time.

There was a cafe and local beer sales.

Then, go to the familiar old station building on your left and go down the stairs.

The entrance to Doai Station’s platform can be seen behind the windshield door.

Since this was a short stop, I didn’t go all the way down to the bottom, but if you’re in good shape, there are more than 400 steps, so be sure to try going down to the platform.

Stop at “Roadside Station Minakami Mizu Kikokan” for lunch of boiled offal set meal and shopping for agricultural products

After enjoying the scenery of Mt. Tanigawa, seeing Doai Station, and sightseeing, I would like to eat lunch, do some shopping at the direct sales store, and head home early.

From Michi no Eki HP

I was in the mood to go home, so I realized I hadn’t taken any photos, but there was a snack corner next to the direct sales area with several tables set up.

The system is to buy a meal ticket and give it to them, but it was also possible to purchase the rice balls and fried chicken bento boxes displayed at the store on the spot.

道の駅HPより

I ordered the offal stew set meal.

The miso-based giblets with a hint of chili pepper were delicious.

The rice balls displayed at the store also looked delicious.

The fresh vegetable section of the direct sales store was small, but there were many processed products for sale, and the size and selection was large enough to buy as a souvenir to take home.

道の駅HPより

There also seemed to be an exhibition of old locomotives and a footbath space outside this facility, so it seemed like a facility where you could have fun and have some fun.

I would like to stop by next time I come to Minakami area again.

Please refer to this article for information on using public transportation.