Eizan Cable and Eizan Ropeway

Enjoy breathtaking views and easy connection from the ropeway and cable car that take you to the summit of Mt. Hiei from Yase in Kyoto.

The cable car takes you from the Cable Yase Station to the Mt. Hiei mid-way station. The cable car route is 561-meters long from start to endpoint, marking it as the longest in Japan carried by pulleys. It’s known for climbing the sudden inclines in as fast as 9 minutes. From the midway station you can then switch to the ropeway which will climb the remaining 486 meters to the summit of Mt. Hiei in just 3 minutes. From there you can enjoy a nature stroll with swooping views down over Kyoto, hugged by green trees or autumn leaves depending on the season.

At the transfer point at the midway station there’s a panoramic deck with remarkable views. If you visit during the evening in the summers your journey up the cable care and ropeway will bring you to a view of the beautiful Kyoto night sky. Once at the observation deck you can try your hand at Kawarake, a special Japanese tradition meant to bring good luck when you make a wish and throw a ceramic dish off the top.

To top it all off, the final stop on the ropeway will take you to the summit of Mt. Hiei, where the Garden Museum Hiei boasts a number of porcelain panel reproductions of famous works from Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and other impressionist painters. There’s even a bus to Enryaku-ji the famous temple straddling Kyoto and Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture that’s a perfect way to enjoy a tour of the Mount Hiei area.