All Reviews of Kankakei (Ropeway)

I visited Shodoshima in November, and Kankakei was what I was looking forward to 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 unusually shaped rock formations, the scenery had a lot of depth. The ropeway slowly climbed higher, and the view kept changing as I looked down from different angles.

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

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

Afterward, I walked around the area a little more. It was already a bit cold 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—you just ride the ropeway, look at the maple leaves and the sea, and take a leisurely walk. But that was exactly what made it so relaxing for me.

If you happen to visit Shodoshima in November, I think Kankakei is worth checking out. 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.