South Sapporo · MoiwaNo.713★★★Open in map →

Mount Moiwa

— The ropeway summit above southwest Sapporo

natureThe classic — done right

The mountain that stands over southwest Sapporo, reached by ropeway and a short cable car to a deck with an unbroken view. Daylight shows the Ishikari plain and the sea; after dark the city becomes a field of light.

FromOdori Station
~1 hrTram, free shuttle, then ropeway
Get off atRopeway Iriguchi tram stop (Sapporo Streetcar)
From there
Mount Moiwa

Directions ↗

Where it is

102 more notes in Hokkaido · open the map →

What to look for — in walking order

Summit observation deckDrivephotographer / CC0

Base stationthe ropeway terminal on the lower slope, where the combined ticket for both stages is issued
Ropeway cabinsglass-sided cars climbing the wooded face, with the city widening out behind you as you rise
Midway stationthe changeover point partway up, where the ropeway ends and the small cable car begins
Summit observation deckan open platform giving an unbroken circle of view, from the Ishikari plain to Ishikari Bay
Bell of Happinessthe bell and railing on the deck's upper terrace, hung with padlocks left by visitors

How to actually get there

Odori → Nishi 4-chome streetcar stop (walk), then the Sapporo Streetcar to Ropeway Iriguchi.
Ropeway Iriguchi → ropeway base station (free shuttle bus, or walk).
Base station → midway station (ropeway), then midway station → summit (small cable car).
Summit deck: take the circle of view in daylight first, then wait out the changeover into night before descending.

Sapporo Streetcar to the ropeway, then the free shuttle: From Odori, walk to the Nishi 4-chome streetcar stop and take the tram round the loop to Ropeway Iriguchi. A free shuttle bus links that stop to the ropeway base station. From the base station the ropeway and the cable car carry you the rest of the way. Allow about an hour from the city centre, more on a weekend evening when there is a queue for the cabins.
Return by shuttle and tram: Come down by cable car and ropeway, take the shuttle back to the tram stop and ride the streetcar into the centre. The tram runs later than the last descent, so the connection holds even if you stay for full darkness. Shuttle departures are tied to the ropeway timetable and finish with it, so do not linger at the base station.

Directions from my location (Google Maps) ↗

About the place

Mount Moiwa rises 531 m directly behind southwest Sapporo, close enough that the city grid begins at its foot. Most of the slope is old forest, protected rather than developed, which is why the mountain reads as a green wall from the streets below. Five walking routes are maintained up it, so locals treat it as a hiking hill as much as a viewpoint. Visitors usually take the mechanical way instead: a ropeway from the base station to the midway station, then a small cable car for the last stretch to the summit deck. The two stages are separate rides, sold together.

How to enjoy it

Aim to be at the base station about an hour before sunset. The ropeway starts running at 10:30 from April to November and at 11:00 through the winter, and it keeps going until 22:00 with the last ascent at 21:30, so an early evening arrival gives you daylight, dusk and full darkness on one trip. The deck is open and high, so take a layer heavier than the one the city needs.

Background & history

Old-growth forest still covers the slopes, and it is protected as a nationally designated natural monument, which is unusual for woodland this close to a city of Sapporo's size. The name comes from the Ainu, who knew the summit as the place people climbed to keep watch, and the mountain has kept that role of looking outward ever since. The night view is counted among Hokkaido's three great ones, alongside Mount Hakodate and Otaru's Mount Tengu, and it also appears on the national list of a hundred night views. Sapporo's later designation as one of Japan's leading night-view cities rests largely on what is visible from this deck.

Before you go

Cash: A single combined ticket covers the ropeway and the cable car in both directions, and at the time of writing it is listed at 2,100 yen for adults and 1,050 yen for children, with a group rate below that. Fares are revised periodically, so confirm on the official page. The streetcar accepts IC cards and cash; the shuttle bus is free.
Good to know: The mountain is high enough to sit in cloud while the city is clear, and on those evenings the deck shows nothing at all. Check the operator's conditions page before committing to the trip. The ropeway also shuts for annual maintenance in spring, and heavy wind can stop it at any season.
Another way: A toll road climbs to the midway station by car, but navigation apps often route drivers onto it when they search for the mountain rather than the ropeway, which is why the operator asks people to enter the ropeway by name. Five maintained trails also reach the summit on foot for anyone wanting the long way up.
After you get off: From the Ropeway Iriguchi tram stop the base station lies about 500 m west, roughly a ten-minute walk uphill on pavements, or a couple of minutes on the free shuttle that waits near the stop. The walk is straightforward but it climbs steadily the whole way.