Today I want to recommend a very interesting tourist spot in the Izu region for travelers. It is Mount Katsuragi and the Panorama Park cable car located in the city of Izunokuni in Shizuoka. Ready for a better view of Fuji?
Table of Contents
Izunokuni Panorama Park
Panorama Park is a tourist facility that offers a 1.8km cable car to ascend Mount Katsuragi. It is possible to climb the mountain, but the best option is to take the cable car due to its giant length and height.
The cable car is quite fast and fun, it can be scary for those who are afraid of heights… The ride is quite long, you even cross a valley, and when you think you are almost at the top of the mountain, you are still far away…
In the region, you can also find the famous Izu Nagaoka Onsen, which can enhance your trip to the area. The price of the cable car is over 2,000 yen, but it is worth every penny, a unique experience combined with photos of fujisan.
Below is a small video of my ascent and descent on the cable car in 2018 with my friend Roberto Pedraça. In addition to the video, we also share some photos we took at the location and of the view of Mount Fuji that will enchant you.
Mount Katsuragi
At the top of the mountain, which is 452 meters high, you have a privileged view of the region, depending on the weather you can clearly see Mount Fuji, Mount Amagi, and even the Japanese Alps in Nagano. It is truly an incredible sight of Japan.
There you will find restaurants, souvenir shops, and even a mini onsen for your feet. There are also tea houses, athletics, and take-off points for aerial sports. There is also a retransmission station Izu Nagaoka.
The place also has trails and a mini zoo. At the top of the mountain is the Katsuragi Shrine and Hyakutai Jizo, which is said to have been consecrated since the Kamakura era. There you will also find a statue of Gen Yoricho.
The mountain is generally called Izu Katsuragi, as there are four other mountains with the same name scattered throughout Japan. It is also called Shaka Dorminhoco because of the mountain’s resemblance to the Buddha of Gunma in the image below:
My Experience in Izu
We didn’t just go to this location, initially we went to the port and fish market in Numazu, then we headed to the cable car, visited a random park in the region (I don’t remember the name), and stayed at a Cyber Café.
The next day we went to the famous Mishima Sky Walk bridge and then followed the path to the Izu region in the city of Ito. There we visited a mixed onsen in the mountains, then stayed at a cheap Ryokan and visited several Izakaya.
The point is that there are many places to visit in the Izu region, so here’s a tip, prepare your itinerary and don’t miss visiting Izunokuni Panorama Park and Mount Katsuragi. If you liked the article, share it with friends and leave comments.
Leave a Reply