Activity report of Mt. Atago (Kyoto) Cable Car Ruins Hike

Date: May 20, 2017 (Saturday)

Weather: Fair. Very warm

Duration: 7 hours

Distance travelled: Approximately 14K

Participants: Tomo, Tosh and Mr. Maekawa (Guest)

Trip Report:

This event was organized as a unique combination of “廃墟 (Haikyo=Ruins)” and

　“hiking.”

Participants met at Hankyu Arashiyama Station at 8:50 a.m. The weather was

picture perfect with surrounding “Sagano” mountains in fresh green. We took a

bus to Kiyotaki, where we began our ascent to Mt. Atago. Instead of following the

regular hiking trail, we walked along the abandoned cable car track all the way

up to the station. On our way, we passed through several tunnels but were forced

to climb steep terrains around collapsed tunnels as well. It was quite thrilling as

those trails were very steep and slippery. We carefully followed ribbons/ropes,

which were strained by previous hikers. Also, those concrete bridges leading up

the mountain were in pretty bad shape after more than 70 years of abandonment

aggravated by natural decay i.e., rain, wind and snow. Walking along an uneven

and sometimes dangerously eroded track didn’t make us feel comfortable at all

having to look up from below. But it was all part of the excitement we truly

enjoyed.

Finally we reached the still existing cable car station and Mt. Atago Hotel at the

end of the route. Those monuments were not spectacular but seemed to have

retained its prestige and aura, which were visible even from the remaining

mosaic at the entrance.

It was a nice early summer hike with some wonderful views and a trip down

memory lane, a perfect way to reminisce those days long gone……