Beppu Ropeway (Mt Tsurumi)

The Beppu Ropeway carries visitors from its base station at 503 m to near the summit of Mount Tsurumi at 1,300 m in a 10-minute ride aboard a 101-passenger gondola. From the upper station, a gentle 15-minute trail leads to the actual summit at 1,375 m, where a 360-degree viewpoint rewards the short climb with sweeping views over Beppu Bay, the steaming hot spring districts below, the volcanic Kuju mountain range to the west and — on clear days — across the Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku. The mountain is popular year-round: cherry blossoms in spring, green hiking trails in summer, vivid koyo foliage in autumn and occasional frost flowers in winter.