Gondola Number 2, Ho-on, Minobusan Ropeway
It's very hot this mid-summer in Tokyo. The maximum daytime temperature is often over 35 degrees Celsius. I evacuated from the urban heat island, and visited the cool mountain in Yamanashi Prefecture for a while with my family. Our destination was Mt. Minobu, which is located about 180 kilometers west of Tokyo. It's a holy mountain where a famous Buddhist, Nichiren (1222 - 1282), founded Kuonji temple in 1274. Its main peak is 1,153 meters above sea level.
Minobusan Ropeway is a convenient access to this holy mountain. The route was opened by Minobu Tozan Railway in 1963. It's a three cables - cross type aerial tramway. Connecting Kuonji and Okunoin stations, its route length is 1,665 meters. The height difference between the two stations is 763 meters. Its maximum inclination is 33 degrees. The tow line is operated by a 200kW electric motor. The gondola is operated every 20 minutes. It takes about 7 minutes to go one way. The present gondolas, namely Chion (Number 1) and Ho-on (Number 2), were introduced last year. Each gondola can accommodate up to 41 passengers.
The 763-meter elevation difference caused me an unforeseen effect. My ears were popping due to decreasing pressure all the while on boarding. After arriving at Okunoin station, we visited Okunoin temple near the summit. We couldn't enjoy the scenery as the mountain was shrouded in a heavy mist, but it was nice and cool. We felt a holy and mysterious atmosphere in the precincts of the temple.
