Hida Takayama Day 3 - Shinhotaka Ropeway

Let's talk about some of the highlights from our trip to Takayama. The Shinhotaka Ropeway is one of Japan's most famous ropeways. We had the most wonderful experience of seeing mountain of snow for their first time, spent a total of 4-5 glorious hours up in the mountains!

Shinhotaka Ropeway

Opening Hours  : 8:30 to 16:45 (April to November) 

                            9:00 to 16:15 (December to March) 

                            Longer hours in August and on weekends and holidays in October 

Admission :  6000 yen (roundtrip cablecar + bus)

Access : Nohi Bus

Nohi Bus  

It takes about 1 hours and 30 minutes by bus from Takayama Nohi Bus Center to get here.  But it definetily worthed  since you can enjoy highest mountains and beautiful views from cablecar. I live in a pretty hot country, so I've NEVER seen mountain of snow like this before. Check out their live camera here.

Queuing cable car at Shin-Hotaka Onsen Station

The first is the usual single deck cabin gondola for the short 200 meter climb and the ride took about 4 minutes. The ropeway first stops at Nabedaira Kogen, which is the beginning of hiking trails. It is also the site of the Visitors Center, restaurants, a public bath. 

Shirakabadaira Station

Shinhotaka Ropeway Illustration Map

Restaurant "alps"

Opeing hours: 

Menu: 

–  Takayama Ramen 850 yen
–  Hida pork cutlet curry 1300 yen

We got a quick lunch before continuing our journey to the top. The restaurant on Shirakabadaira Station the second floor they have many option menus such as Takayama Ramen, Miso katsudon using Hida pork and Hida beef curry. We would like to try their hida beef menu but it sold out 

Takayama ramen is a very popular local dish. The soup uses soup bones, katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and vegetables as a base, and then it's mixed with a secret sauce made with soy sauce and miso before boiling. It's refreshing even though it has a multitude of flavors, so ramen fans love it. The thin, homemade wavy noodles have a satisfying chewiness. 

Curry is favorite dish in Japan, featuring a heaping plate of rice with flavorful Japanese curry and topped with tonkatsu. Deep-fried pork tonkatsu taste amazing slathered in curry sauce We really enjoyed our meal here.

Once we’re full, head to the top of the mountain to take in the view. From Nabedaira Kogen the double decker ropeway climbs over 800 meters to the upper station at an altitude of around 2150 meters. It took about seven minutes to get to the summit. The ride offers unbelievable panoramic views of the Japanese mountains.

Here we are in the top of the Shinhotaka Ropeway Nishihotakaguchi Station observation deck with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Shinhotaka Ropeway Nishihotakaguchi Station observation deck

Shinhotaka Ropeway Nishihotakaguchi Station observation deck

Shinhotaka Ropeway Nishihotakaguchi Station observation deck

Shinhotaka Ropeway Nishihotakaguchi Station observation deck

The facility here is well maintained with heater at all pitstop. We had rest intervals between playing outdoors in the snow and would head back indoors to warm our body at the stove pipe heaters.

The magical winter wonderland scene of a forest with pine-trees. The magnificent nature will surely take your breath away. A breath taking view isn't it? Thanks God for this amazing vacation and sunny day. I'm glad I decided to go to here coz my husband and our daughter was so happy playing snow here. 

Our plan is to have dinner at Maruaki Hida Takayama but we have no luck on second try tonight. So we decided to try out his restaurant which turn out to be good. 

站前軒
日本〒506-0026 Gifu, Takayama, Hanasatomachi, 5 Chome−２０−3

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00

Menu: 
- Chasiu Ramen 1300 yen
- Rice bowl grilled chicken with Mayo 650 yen
- Deep fried chicken 550 yen

Traditional ramen shops often top their ramen with 2-3 pieces of chashu. Unlike Chinese “char siu” (barbecued pork), the Japanese chashu uses pork belly that is rolled into a long cylinder and slow cooked in a pork/chicken broth, then transferred to a soy-based broth that consists of soy sauce, sake, and mirin and cooked for hours. The chashu just melt in your mouth.

The restaurant also sells rice bowls, fried and hida beef sushi. The grilled chicken mayo is so tender and flavorful with a perfect amount of mayonnaise, a perfect menu for my 3 y.o daughter. Too much mayo will ruin the chicken flavor. The deep fried chicken so crispy and juicy inside. Perfect meal for our dinner.