Mt. Usu Ropeway
Open by month
Open in January. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in February. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in March. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in April. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in May. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in June. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in July. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in August. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in September. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in October — at its best.
Open in November. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in December. No seasonal closure recorded.
Checked against the official site on 2026-10-15.
A ropeway that climbs to near the summit of Mt. Usu in about 6 minutes. Lookouts around the top station overlook Lake Toya, Showa-Shinzan and the craters, and the outer-rim lookout also takes in Mt. Yotei and the Pacific.
Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Geopark
Nearby
- Showa-Shinzan ≈ 10 min by car
- Lake Toya ≈ 20 min by car
- Kitakogane Shell Mound ≈ 40 min by car
- Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley) ≈ 55 min by car
- Cape Chikyu ≈ 1 h 5 min by car
Travel times are rough estimates by car.
- Best time
- October
- Getting there
- From JR Toya Station, Donan Bus to Toyako Onsen (15 min), then change to the Showa-Shinzan bus (15 min, not in winter). By car, 15 min from Date IC on the Do-o Expressway
- Fee
- Round trip: adults (junior high and up) ¥2,000, children (elementary) ¥1,000
- Good to know
- Departures every 15 minutes (on the hour, :15, :30, :45). Oct 16-Nov 15: first up 8:15, last down 16:30; from Nov 16: 9:00-16:00. Check the official calendar for suspended days. Parking: cars 500 yen per day
- Time needed
- 1 h
Checked against the official Japanese website on 2026-10-15. Report outdated info