Hi there!
So you’re thinking about making a day trip to the Shinhotaka ropeway during your winter visit to the Japanese Alps!
And… you’ve checked the weather forecast to see that there’s a chance that it’s going to be cloudy at the top.
Now, while weather forecast aren’t always accurate, especially with mountain weather as things can change quickly, if you’re looking for some sort of clue, it might be able to tell you your chances.
The live camera might be another clue to check right before you leave for the ropeway! (If the live cam is pitch black when you look at it, consider what time it is right now in Japan!)
A day trip to Shinhotaka from Takayama is a perfect part of a winter trip to Japan! See more of how to spend 10 days in Japan in the winter.
So…
If there’s bad weather in the forecast at Shinhotaka ropeway, or if there’s no visibility on the live cam… Is it worth making the trip?!
The ropeway up to the main observatory is actually 2 rides.
Then once you get to the top of the second ropeway, there’s an observatory platform.
And it’s as you get closer to the top that bad weather can REALLY make a difference.
If there’s no visibility… well, there’s NO visibility! You can’t see snow-capped mountains in the distance.
So the REAL question is…
If the observatory is a disappointment, is the whole trip going to be a disappointment?!
It depends. 😉
I know, how annoying.
But it really depends on what makes it worth it to you.
So then…
What is there to do that CAN make it worth it?!
Things to do on a trip to Shinhotaka ropeway on a cloudy day
SIDE NOTE!
Here are Japan experiences you will love:
Read the reviews at partner website Viator!
- Samurai training
- Japanese calligraphy class
- Traditional tea ceremony + you get to wear a kimono!
- Ninja lesson
- Make ramen from scratch!
- Sushi making experience
- Sumo training!
Winter scenes from the ropeway
You’ll see winter landscape as you take both of the ropeways up. Even if it’s cloudy, you’ll see snow-covered trees.
Foot onsen hot springs bath
You can spend some time soaking your feet in the foot onsen hot springs bath.
That can be done no matter the weather.
Bring a towel to wipe your feet dry if you plan on doing this!
You’ll come across this when you make the “transfer” between the 2 ropeway rides.
Eat with winter views
You can also spend some time at the restaurant at the top level, and enjoy a meal (and a beer) with the winter landscape in front of you.
Short winter hike
You can also go for a short winter hike!
There are many people who are fully decked out in winter hiking gear before embarking upon the winter hiking trails from the top level.
But if you want to experience a winter hike without the full commitment of all the winter hiking gear, then you can also walk on one of the trails for like 15 minutes and then turn around, going back the same way you came.
So if it’s cloudy weather, while you won’t get the snow-covered mountain landscape at the observatory, and while that might be disappointing, these other things could possibly still make it worth it for some people… including you!
It can be a low key fun winter day if these things sound good to you!
⛄
Now…
More photos from a cloudy day to Shinhotaka ropeway!
So that’s a bit of what a cloudy day in the Japanese Alps might look like!
What’s it like when it’s sunny?!
HAPPY CLOUDY DAY AT THE SHINHOTAKA ROPEWAY!
How to spend winter in Japan
If you're looking for a route for winter in Japan, here are some ideas!
- 10 day Japan winter itinerary
- Tokyo to Nagano bus
- 2 days in Nagano with snow monkey pass // Stay at this Nagano hostel (private rooms available)
- A few days in popular ski resort area Hakuba (go here for at least a day even if you don't ski for the winter landscape in the mountains!) // Stay at this Hakuba hostel (private rooms available)
- Hakuba to Takayama (Hakuba to Matsumoto train / a few hours in Matsumoto / Matsumoto to Takayama bus)
- A few days in Takayama with day trips: Shirakawago / Shinhotaka ropeway on a sunny day // Stay at this Takayama hostel (private rooms available) and eat regional Takayama ramen
- Takayama back to Tokyo OR Takayama to Nagoya airport to fly to Hokkaido for more winter landscapes!
Hokkaido winter itinerary (train to get around - there are JR Hokkaido passes available, and you can use a regular JR pass too)
- Sapporo to Asahikawa (Asahikawa for penguin walk at zoo)
- Asahikawa to Abashiri (Abashiri for drift ice cruise)
- Abashiri to Obihiro (night in Obihiro and go to Lake Shikaribetsu ice village the next day)
- Obihiro to Sapporo
- Sapporo to Noboribetsu onsen hot spring town (day trip)
- Sapporo to Hakodate // Stay in this Hakodate hostel
- Hakodate to Tokyo on shinkansen bullet train through the underwater tunnel! (Regular JR pass will be worth it if you take this train ride along with one more long distance train ride within 7 days)
Is a JR pass worth it?!
- Google maps can make it easy to figure out whether or not you should get a JR pass!
- In google maps, type in your departure and arrival city, and choose the transit icon. The route will come up, and so will the estimated cost at the bottom!
- Here is an example of a train route with cost on google maps.
- So do that for all of your long distance routes to figure out how much it might cost.
- Next, go here to see how much a JR pass costs from an official JR pass vendor (and partner of this website).
- And compare!
- Not all forms of public transportation are JR, but long distance shinkansen bullet trains are, and that's where the most cost savings will come.
Best of Kyoto (and Japan!)
👇 Explore the best places to visit in Japan!
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