All Reviews of Kankakei (Ropeway)

When visiting Shodoshima in November, I was looking forward to Kankakei the most.

As I rode the ropeway up the mountain, I realized the scenery below was even more beautiful than I had imagined. Many of the maple leaves in the valley had already turned red, mixed with yellow and green trees. Together with Kankakei's strangely shaped rock formations, the scenery had a lot of depth. As the ropeway slowly climbed, the view kept changing from different angles.

Once I reached the top, the weather was great, and I could see the Seto Inland Sea directly from the observation deck. The mountains covered in maple leaves were in front of me, with the blue sea and small islands farther away. It felt different from the view I had just seen from the ropeway.

At the top, there's also a place where you can throw small clay discs. I bought a little kawarake and threw it toward an iron ring in the valley. It's said to ward off evil and bring good fortune. It was my first time, so I don't know if I succeeded, but everyone just kept throwing them, and it was unexpectedly fun.

Afterward, I walked around the area for a while. It was already a little cold up on the mountain in November, and there were quite a few fallen leaves on the ground. There really isn't anything complicated to do at Kankakei—just ride the ropeway, look at the maple leaves and the sea, and take a leisurely walk—but I actually found that very relaxing.

If you happen to visit Shodoshima in November, I think Kankakei is worth a visit. It's especially beautiful during the fall foliage season.

If you come to Shodoshima, the Kankakei Ropeway is definitely worth riding! As the cable car slowly rises, the blue sky, sea, gorge, and forest gradually unfold before you. The view is incredibly expansive, so it’s no wonder this is considered one of Shodoshima’s most iconic sights.

The shop by the ropeway is also fun to browse, with all kinds of souvenirs and hot food. There are seats nearby where you can sit down and take your time eating. The most relaxing part was meeting an adorable cat leisurely sunbathing, like the little master of the mountain.

At the ticket counter, I also found a stamp booklet for the “Slowpoke’s Kagawa Journey.” I couldn’t resist picking one up and collecting the special stamps. It suddenly gave me a little mission during the trip, which was surprisingly fun.

But my favorite place was the Takanashi Observatory at the summit! Even during the changing of the seasons, the Seto Inland Sea was so vast that it instantly lifted my spirits. Feeling the mountain breeze while looking out at the ocean really made me think, “I’m so glad I came.”

You can take the ropeway up or drive, and each way has a different feel. But the views from the ropeway are really nice.

Kankakei in the fall is absolutely beautiful. Riding the ropeway and taking in the colors of autumn, you really can’t help but admire nature’s incredible craftsmanship. It felt like I was in an art museum created by nature.

Taking the ropeway gives you stunning views of the mountains, sea, and sky from above. It's really beautiful!

This place was actually used as a filming location for the movie Kiki's Delivery Service, which really shows just how beautiful the scenery is.

The best time to visit is during the autumn leaves season. If it's not autumn, it depends on how much time you have, since taking the ropeway and exploring the area takes quite a while.

I took the ropeway up to the observation deck, and the view was super open—you can see the whole Seto Inland Sea clearly. If you visit in the fall during the autumn leaves season, it would be absolutely perfect.

In autumn, the view of the maple leaves on both sides of the ropeway is absolutely stunning!

I wasn't lucky—the day I visited, it was super foggy and visibility was really poor.