Mt. Gozaisho 御在所岳

Ride a ropeway up 1,212-meter Mt. Gozaisho to reach Nagoya's closest ski resort and a host of other fun mountaintop activities.

You can reach the mountain through a combination of train, bus, walking and a ropeway ride.

Mt. Gozaisho is located on the border between Komono in Mie Prefecture and Higashi-Omi in Shiga Prefecture, in the center of Suzuka Quasi-National Park.

From Nagoya, take the Kintetsu-Nagoya Limited Express to Kintetsu Yokkaichi Station. Transfer to the local train and get off at Kintetsu Yunoyama Onsen Station. Once here, take the Mie Kotsu Bus to Sanko Yunoyama Onsen. Walk 10 minutes to the ropeway. The journey takes about one hour and 20 minutes.

To get to the summit of Mt. Gozaisho from the hot springs at Yunoyama Onsen below it, you must take the Gozaisho Ropeway. The gondolas offer amazing views of the cities of Yokkaichi and Ise Bay as well as the Suzuka Mountain Range.

After your ropeway ascent, you'll be at the summit and a quaint ski resort. There are also numerous hiking trails in this area with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains.

The area that stretches beneath the ropeway, known as Summit Park, has a lot to offer visitors. It includes paved walkways for easy hiking, Gozaisho Nature School with exhibits on the local flora and fauna, and three observatories from which to take in the view.

There is also a gift shop and a restaurant that serves the local specialty, Gozaisho curry udon.

Some interesting rock formations can be found on the side of Mt. Gozaisho and are viewable from the gondola. One of the most intriguing is a square stone precariously balanced on two supporting pillars. The Japanese believe this formation resembles Jizo, the Buddhist guardian deity of children.