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秋
Year-round access
AutumnOct–Nov
Shinhotaka now · colour moves down the mountain
Leaves turn at the top in late September and reach the valley about a month later; mid to late October is the usual peak.
春 夏 秋 冬
Checked 24 Oct 20268 min read
In brief

From Takayama Nohi Bus Center the Nohi bus takes 1h 36m to 1h 45m and costs ¥2,200 one way to the Shinhotaka Ropeway (新穂高ロープウェイ). Two ropeways (4 and 7 minutes) take you to a deck at 2,156 m for ¥3,800 return. It runs all year: snow and an average high of −7°C at the top in January, autumn colour in mid to late October. Allow a full day; the Okuhida Marugoto ticket (¥7,700 for 2 days) bundles bus and ropeway.

Is it worth the trip from Takayama?

It is the main sight of the Okuhida valley, at the end of the bus line past Hirayu. From the deck you look across at Mount Nishihotaka (2,909 m) and the Hotaka range, and the second ropeway is the only two-storey gondola in Japan. It works as a day trip from Takayama (about 3h 20m on the bus, return, plus 1 to 2 hours on the mountain) or as a morning from an Okuhida ryokan. Coming from Nagoya, see Nagoya to Takayama first; the town itself is in the Takayama guide.

Getting there

To the ropeway from Takayama, Matsumoto and Hirayu

One bus line, the Nohi Bus Shin-Hotaka line (新穂高線), runs to the ropeway's front door. Fares one way, adult, 2026.

LegTimeFareNotes
Takayama Nohi Bus Center → Shinhotaka Ropeway1h 36m–1h 45m¥2,200About hourly, 7:00 to 18:40 (6:00 as well from 18 July to 12 October). The Bus Center is beside Takayama Station. No reservation needed. Children pay half.
Takayama → Hirayu Onsenabout 1h¥1,600The change point for Kamikochi and Norikura: the Hirayu–Kamikochi buses run while Kamikochi is open (17 April to 15 November in 2026). The same bus carries on to the ropeway.
Hirayu Onsen Bus Terminal → Shinhotaka Ropeway36–45 min¥910Runs hourly from 9:40 (earlier at 7:00, 7:40, 8:00 and 8:40). The last bus up leaves at 19:37.
Matsumoto Bus Terminal → Hirayu Onsen1h 28m¥3,000Reserved highway bus (Nohi and Alpico), 7:40, 9:55, 10:55, 11:55, 13:05, 14:55 and 17:45. Change at Hirayu: the 7:40 gets you to the ropeway at 10:16 for ¥3,910 in all. Booking opens one month ahead.
Nagoya → Takayama, then the busabout 4h 40m at best¥6,140 + ¥2,200Hida limited express to Takayama (2h 15m–2h 42m), or highway bus (about 2h 50m, ¥3,600). The 7:43 Hida reaches Takayama at 10:16 and the 10:40 bus reaches the ropeway at 12:25, so most people stay a night. Nagoya to Takayama.
By car from Takayamaabout 70 minparking ¥800 / 6 hRoute 158, 471 and prefectural road 475. The Shin-Hotaka Onsen car park holds about 160 cars. The Nabedaira car park (the line 2 end) closes in the snow season, early November to late April.

Times from the Nohi Bus timetable of 1 April 2026; fares from Nohi Bus. Snow and Takayama city traffic can delay buses, sometimes by a lot, so leave slack in winter. On 13–15 August and 29 December to 3 January the weekend timetable runs.

Bus times

Takayama to the ropeway, and back

These buses run straight through; you stay on at Hirayu.

Leaves Takayama Bus CenterReaches the ropewayRuns
6:007:4518 Jul–12 Oct only
7:008:45all year
7:409:161 Apr–30 Nov
8:4010:16all year
9:4011:1618 Jul–12 Oct only
10:4012:25all year
11:4013:16all year
12:4014:16all year
13:4015:25all year
14:4016:25all year
15:4017:25all year
16:4018:25all year
17:4019:25all year
18:4020:22all year

The 8:10 bus from Takayama stops at Hirayu; change there. Between December and March the first ropeway car is at 9:00, so the 7:00 bus (8:45) is the one to take.

Leaves the ropewayReaches TakayamaNotes
7:559:31
8:5510:31
9:1611:01
9:5511:31
10:5512:31
11:5513:31
12:5514:31
13:4615:31
14:5516:31
15:5517:31
16:5518:31last bus through to Takayama

The 17:55 (and the 18:35 from April to November) only go as far as Hirayu Onsen, so treat the 16:55 as the last bus back. Fares are the same in both directions.

The ropeway

Hours and fares

Line 1 leaves on the hour and half hour, line 2 at :15 and :45. Allow about 30 minutes from the front door to the top.

SeasonFirst car upLast car upLast car down from the top
1 Apr–30 Nov8:3016:0016:45
August (1–31)8:0016:0016:45
October Saturdays, Sundays, holidays8:0016:0016:45
Winter (1 Dec–31 Mar)9:0015:3016:15

Times are from Shin-Hotaka Onsen Station. Extra cars run when it is busy. No weekly closing day, but wind stops the ropeway and there are one or two inspection days a year. Tour operators list 24–27 November 2026 as a full closure; the ropeway had not posted its dates on 24 October, so check its news page or phone 0578-89-2252 before you plan that week.

SectionAdult returnAdult one wayChild returnChild one way
Both lines (Shin-Hotaka Onsen ↔ top)¥3,800¥2,400¥1,900¥1,200
Line 1 only (to Nabedaira Kogen)¥700¥500¥350¥250
Line 2 only (Shirakaba-daira ↔ top)¥3,700¥2,300¥1,850¥1,150

Child fares are for elementary school pupils; junior high and older pay the adult fare; under school age is free with an adult. An up ticket is valid on the day of issue, a down ticket for three days. Bags over 6 kg need a baggage ticket (¥1,000 return); skis and snowboards are not carried. Priority boarding is ¥300, uphill only. Cards, PayPay and IC cards are accepted. Star-viewing cars run on 30 Oct–3 Nov and 6–8 Nov 2026 (line 2 return ¥4,000, adults); they are for drivers, since line 1 stops at night.

What you see

Four things on the way up

The ride is 11 minutes of cable in all; most of the time goes on the deck.

01

The ride, in two sections第1・第2ロープウェイ

Front door of the bus stop; change at Nabedaira Kogen and Shirakaba-daira, about 1,300 m

Line 1 (4 min, 44-person cars) climbs from Shin-Hotaka Onsen Station (1,117 m) to Nabedaira Kogen. A short walk takes you to Shirakaba-daira Station for line 2, the double-decker: 7 minutes to the top in Japan's only two-storey gondola. Shirakaba-daira has a bakery (Hida beef curry bread ¥500, open 9:00 to 16:30) and a lounge with a view. Nabedaira has a visitor centre, an open-air hot-spring bath and a footbath.

Line 1
4 min
Line 2
7 min
Climb
1,117 → 2,156 m
02

The deck at 2,156 m西穂高口駅展望台

Nishi-Hotakaguchi Station, top of line 2

A rooftop deck with a 360° view: Mount Nishihotaka (2,909 m) and the Hotaka range ahead, Yarigatake and Kasagatake in clear weather. The ropeway company says the view holds two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. Café GOKAN on the second floor (9:00 to 16:00) sells hot sandwiches from ¥850 and soup, and you can carry food out to the Itadaki no Mori picnic area. The top toilets can be out of use when water runs short, so use the ones at Shirakaba-daira first. A 3 to 4 hour hike to Nishiho Maruyama starts behind the station; it needs boots and a climbing plan.

Altitude
2,156 m
Café
9:00–16:00
Time on the deck
1–2 hours
03

Autumn colour紅葉

The colour moves down from the top station to the valley

Leaves turn at the top from late September and the colour moves down the mountain over about a month, so mid to late October is the usual peak. Birch, beech, mizunara oak and maple. On 22 October 2026 the ropeway reported peak colour around pylon 2 and Shirakaba-daira. October Saturdays, Sundays and holidays open at 8:00 and are the busiest days: go on a weekday if you can.

Starts at the top
late September
Usual peak
mid–late October
Valley
about a month later
04

Winter at the top雪の回廊

Nishi-Hotakaguchi Station and the Sengoku garden, December to April

The deck and the path beside it turn into a white snow corridor from December to April, with snow-coated trees on the slope below and the Hotaka range white against the sky on a clear day. Dress for −7°C by day in January, and read the winter section before you go.

Snow at the top
December–April
January average
−7°C / −10°C
First car
9:00
Temperatures

Average temperature at the top station

As published by the ropeway for 2,156 m.

MonthAverage highAverage low
October13°C10°C
November4°C1°C
December−3°C−7°C
January−7°C−10°C
February−7°C−12°C
March−3°C−7°C
April7°C4°C
May8°C5°C
A day from Takayama

Two ways to time it

Both use the through buses above. Add a stop at Hirayu Onsen if you want a bath on the way back.

StepEarly startLater start
Nohi bus from Takayama Bus Center7:008:40
Reach the ropeway8:4510:16
Line 1 up9:0010:30
Line 2 up, on the deck by9:15 · 9:2510:45 · 10:55
Leave the top (line 2 down)11:1512:15
Bus back from the ropeway11:5512:55
Back in Takayama13:3114:31

That is 1h 50m on the deck for the early start. Stay longer by taking a later bus back (the table above), but leave the top by the 16:15 car at the latest: the 16:45 car down misses the 16:55, the last bus that runs through to Takayama. In winter the first car is 9:00, so the early start fits as it is.

Pass or ticket

What to buy

Bus and ropeway
券

Okuhida Marugoto Value Ticket

¥7,700 · 2 days from Takayama

Two days of Nohi bus between Takayama Bus Center and the ropeway, one return ticket on both ropeways and small discounts (¥100 off the Hirayu no Mori bath). Bought separately the day costs ¥8,200, so it saves ¥500 and covers a second day. 3 days is ¥8,200; from Hirayu 2 days is ¥5,400; the Kamikochi version is ¥10,500. Not valid on days the ropeway is suspended.

See the ticket ↗
旅

Day tour from Nagoya

Takayama and the ropeway

A coach tour covering Takayama, the Kita Alps Ohashi bridge and the Shinhotaka Ropeway, about 12h 30m with a Hida beef sukiyaki dinner. Choose it over trains if you are based in Nagoya. Dates and price are on the listing.

See the tour ↗
雪

Winter tour from Nagoya

2 days

Shirakawa-go, the Shinhotaka Ropeway for the rime ice on the Northern Alps, and Takayama old town. A way to see the snow without driving. Dates and price are on the listing.

See the tour ↗
Rail passes

Does a pass cover the ropeway trip?

PassHida train to TakayamaNohi bus and ropeway
JR Passcoverednot covered (the bus and ropeway are not JR)
Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass (¥19,800)coverednot covered: its buses are the Shirakawa-go lines
Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Pass (¥24,500)coverednot covered
Hokuriku Arch Passdoes not reach Takayamanot applicable

None of these lists the Okuhida line among its buses, so plan to pay ¥2,200 each way, or buy the Marugoto ticket.

Practical

Before you go

  1. 01
    Check the ropeway's status that morning. Wind stops it, and the official site posts the day's operation. Keep the return ticket: a down ticket is valid for 3 days.
  2. 02
    Dress for the top. It is 6–10°C colder than the valley station, and August still averages only 19°C by day at 2,156 m. Bring a layer in every season.
  3. 03
    Sleep in Okuhida to beat the queue. A night in Shin-Hotaka puts you at the first car (8:00 or 8:30) without the 1h 40m bus. October weekends are the busiest days of the year.
  4. 04
    Combine it with a bath. Okuhida has more than 110 open-air baths in five villages. The Okuhida Yukemuri Tatsujin pass (¥1,200) buys three baths from 16 member inns.
Where to sleep

At the foot of the ropeway, or back in Takayama

Okuhida Onsen (奥飛騨温泉郷) is five villages: Hirayu, Fukuchi, Shin-Hirayu, Tochio and Shin-Hotaka, which is where the ropeway is. The public riverside bath Shin-Hotaka no Yu was open 8:00 to 18:00 for a ¥300 donation from 18 April to 30 October in 2026 (swimwear or a towel is required) and closes for winter.

Ryokan · own spring

Kazeya

風屋 · Shin-Hotaka Onsen

A small inn on its own free-flowing spring, with a large communal bath, two private baths and some rooms with an open-air bath. Hida beef at dinner, in the village the ropeway is in.

Check rates ↗
Ryokan · room baths

Yukimurasaki

旅亭雪紫 · about 7 min by car from the ropeway

Rooms with a spring-fed open-air bath, and Hida beef dinners served in a private dining room.

Check rates ↗
Hotel · view baths

Nakao Kogen Hotel Kazaguruma

中尾高原ホテル 風車 · Nakao plateau above Shin-Hotaka

A 14-room hotel with Western-style rooms and a view bath fed by a free-flowing steam spring, which is rare in Japan.

Check rates ↗
Onsen · laundry

Tokyu Stay Hida-Takayama Musubi no Yu

東急ステイ飛騨高山 結の湯 · 2 min from the station

Opened in 2020, with a hot-spring bath and a washer-dryer, microwave and mini kitchen in every room. A short walk to the 7:00 bus.

Check rates ↗
Ryokan · splurge

Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan

本陣平野屋 花兆庵 · by the red Nakabashi bridge

The classic splurge: Hida beef kaiseki and 26 rooms, a few minutes from Sanmachi.

Check rates ↗
Where to stay in Takayama →
FAQ

Shinhotaka Ropeway, answered

How do I get from Takayama to the Shinhotaka Ropeway?

Take the Nohi Bus Shin-Hotaka line from Takayama Nohi Bus Center, beside the station. It takes 1h 36m to 1h 45m and costs ¥2,200 one way, with a bus about every hour from 7:00 to 18:40. No reservation is needed, and the stop is at the ropeway's front door.

How much is the Shinhotaka Ropeway?

¥3,800 return for an adult on both sections, or ¥2,400 one way. Elementary school children pay half. The Okuhida Marugoto ticket (¥7,700 for 2 days from Takayama) bundles the ropeway with the bus.

Is the Shinhotaka Ropeway open in winter, and is there snow?

Yes, it runs all year. From 1 December to 31 March the first car up is at 9:00, the last at 15:30 and the last down from the top at 16:15. The top is under snow from December to April, with average highs of −7°C in January and lows of −10°C to −12°C in January and February. Wind can stop the ropeway, so check its status that morning.

What are the Shinhotaka Ropeway opening hours?

From 1 April to 30 November the first car up is at 8:30 and the last at 16:00, with the last car down from the top at 16:45. In August, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays in October, the first car is at 8:00. There is no weekly closing day, but it closes for one or two inspection days a year.

Does the Takayama-Hokuriku pass or the JR Pass cover the Shinhotaka Ropeway?

No. They cover the Hida train to Takayama, but the Okuhida line is a local Nohi bus that neither pass lists, and the ropeway is privately run. Budget ¥2,200 each way for the bus and ¥3,800 return for the ropeway, or buy the Marugoto ticket.

Can I do the Shinhotaka Ropeway as a day trip from Takayama?

Yes. The 7:00 bus reaches the ropeway at 8:45, you are on the deck by about 9:25, and the 11:55 bus back reaches Takayama at 13:31, leaving the afternoon for the old town. Plan on about 3h 20m of bus in all, 30 minutes from the front door to the top and 1 to 2 hours on the deck.

Continue exploring

Takayama and the Alps

Back
Takayama guide
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Stay
Where to stay in Takayama
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Quieter
Hida-Furukawa
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Train
Nagoya to Takayama
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Pass
Takayama-Hokuriku pass
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Pass
Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto pass
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Route
Kanazawa → Shirakawa-go → Takayama
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