This is the first attempt in Japan to introduce “windowless gondolas” on a regular cableway (passenger and cargo transportation using a box-shaped conveyor with a door). We took a test ride on the Ropestar, which was unveiled prior to the start of operation.
Windowless gondola “Ropestar” (advance reservation required)
Operating area: Momogendai Station→ Owakudani Station (one-way only)
Dates of operation: 5 days from March 10 to 14, approximately 50 days from April to September
Dates of operation from April onward will be announced on the Hakone Navi website as they become available.
Number of services: 4 times a day (10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00)
Ages: 12 years and up
Capacity: Maximum 8 people (shared rides)
Fee: 5,000 yen per person (unlimited one-day ropeway ticket + one-way Ropestar ride)
*2,500 yen per person if you have a Hakone Free Pass or other special ticket.
Payment is due at the reception desk on the day of use (in front of the dedicated booth on the 1st floor of Momugendai Station).
How to make a reservation: From the special page of Hakone Navi
Hakone ropeway is a 4-km-long cableway that connects Sounzan Station to Togendai Station, which is located on the caldera and central volcanic hill of Mt. From the window of the ropeway, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the outer rim of the mountain, Lake Ashi, and, if weather permits, Mt.
From 2007 to the present, a total of 31 gondolas (manufactured by CWA of Switzerland) of the third generation have been in operation, and the Ropestar introduced this time is one of them. The new Ropestar is one of the 31 gondolas in operation. It is a “window-removed” version of an existing gondola, and its basic specifications remain the same. Inspired by the blue of the sky, the blue of Lake Ashi, the blue of Mt. Fuji, and in honor of Shohei Otani’s success with the Dodgers, the blue car was chosen for the Ropestar.
It operates for five days from March 10-14 and approximately 50 days from April to September. While the regular gondolas have a capacity of 18 passengers, the Ropestar has a capacity of 8 passengers. Because of the reduced transportation capacity, the Ropestar will revert to the original windowed gondolas during the peak season of GW and summer. Therefore, during the peak season from April onward, the gondolas are mainly operated on weekdays (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays).
The service is limited to a one-way trip from Togendai Station to Owakudani Station and takes approximately 15 minutes. The reason for limiting the one-way trip to Owakudani Station is to allow visitors to stop at Owakudani, the highlight of the Hakone ropeway service, and take a sightseeing tour. The ropeway also offers a museum where visitors can learn about the history and mechanism of Hakone’s volcanoes, which are still active today, as well as gourmet foods such as the famous black eggs.
Reservations are required for the ropestar ride, and reservations can be made (and cancellations can be made) through the website, based on the day’s availability and other factors. On the day of the tour, when you head to the “Taogendai Station,” a special booth will be set up near the ropeway ticket booth, where you will first register and pay. At this time, you will be required to “confirm precautions” and “sign a pledge.
For safety reasons, no one under the age of 12 (elementary school students and younger) is allowed on the windowless gondola Ropestar, and pets are not allowed. Seatbelts must be worn during operation to prevent accidents involving falls, and passengers are not allowed to leave their seats, walk around, or put their hands or faces outside the gondola. In addition, no baggage (handkerchiefs, tissues, pamphlets, etc.), umbrellas (including parasols), tripods, or selfie sticks, which may scatter, may be used. Only smartphone cameras in their own cases may be used to take pictures while driving; digital cameras and single-lens reflex cameras are not allowed.
After signing the pledge, the staff will give you a special “pouch” and “smartphone shoulder case.” Put your valuables in the pouch and wear it on your shoulder with the shoulder belt, and put your smartphone in the case and wear it around your neck. All other luggage must be left in a coin locker at the station.
Once everyone was ready, the Hakone ropeway staff guided us to the boarding area and we waited for the ropestar to arrive. Then it is time to board. On board, there is always one attendant to ensure safety and enjoyment, who will check seatbelts and guide you through the scenery. As mentioned above, the gondolas are simply existing cars with the windows removed, but they are equipped with seatbelts as a special exception, and once installed, the seatbelts cannot be removed by the passenger.
Finally, it was time to depart. As soon as the train started moving and the scenery opened up past the station, I was struck by the crisp, invigorating “mountain air. And then there was the outstanding sense of openness and realism. The view, which would normally be seen through a single acrylic window with a slightly brownish tint due to heat and light shielding, was directly overlooked by the wind, sounds, and smells, allowing us to experience a sense of oneness with nature.
Although there are strict rules about bringing luggage, we recommend that you put away your smartphone and immerse yourself in the direct, spectacular view and walk in the air, rather than looking through a camera. I encourage you to experience the “gondola for adults.
Kayo Miyake of the Odakyu Hakone Transportation Department, who served as our guide, told us how the windowless gondola came to be built. She told us, “Several years ago, at an internal meeting, it was suggested that customers would be pleased if they could ride in a “work gondola,” a gondola with no windows but only a framework. It was a discussion at an internal meeting a few years ago,” he said.
When we went to the Kanto District Transport Bureau and other relevant authorities for advice on how to make this happen, they said, “This is an interesting first attempt in Japan! We will cooperate with you, so let’s do it together! The response was positive, and surprisingly, there were no major hurdles to overcome.
On the other hand, there are three sections of the Hakone ropeway that pass over public roads, and if something were to fall from a gondola, it could hit a car or pedestrian on the road and injure them. After consulting with the prefectural civil engineering department, it was decided to place restrictions on luggage and other items to ensure safe operation of the ropeway.
We have set very strict rules for this unprecedented introduction in Japan, and we hope to relax them as much as possible in the future. In the future, we would like to relax the rules as much as possible and devise ways to make the ropeway even more enjoyable. We hope that many people will enjoy the new Hakone ropeway during the spring holiday season.
© Source travel watch
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