Autumn is making steady progress in Japan, and the trees around Tokyo are beginning to show their first touches of color—reds, yellows, and soft browns. Wanting to enjoy the season at its early peak, I took a family trip to Hakone, a place well-known not only for its scenery but also for its many interesting transport systems. Our main destination was Mt. Komagatake, a 1,356-meter peak that stands quietly within the central Hakone Caldera.
To reach Mt. Komagatake, the Hakone Komagatake Ropeway is the most convenient option. The ropeway was originally opened by the Izu-Hakone Railway in 1963 and is currently operated by Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide. It is a four-cable, cross-type aerial tramway connecting Hakone-en, located on the shore of Lake Ashinoko, and Komagatake-Chōjō Station at the summit. The route length is 1,783 meters, with a height difference of 590.8 meters between the two stations. The maximum gradient is an impressive 30.3 degrees. Gondolas depart every 20 minutes, and a one-way trip takes about seven minutes. The current gondolas—Ashinoko (No. 1) and Komagatake (No. 2)—were built by CWA in 1986 as the second-generation cars. Each gondola can carry up to 101 passengers.
After arriving at Komagatake-Sanchō Station, we enjoyed beautiful autumn colors around Mt. Komagatake, along with the serene view of nearby Lake Ashinoko. To our delight, we also had a clear view of Mt. Fuji (3,776 meters above sea level) in the northwest. However, due to lighter snowfall than usual this year, the summit was not snow-capped. I couldn’t help wondering if this was another sign of global warming.
