Hakkōda Ropeway Sanroku Station — Attraction in Aomori

COMPLETE GUIDE TO VISIT HAKKODA MOUNTAINS IN WINTER! This is a guide hiw to enjoy your WINTER TRIP to Hakkoda Mountains by public transport Book hotel in Aomori near JR Station so you can walk to the bus stop in 5 minutes in the morning. I would suggest Sun Route Hotel or APA hotel Aomorieku, both approx 5,000 yen for a double room. Try to AVOID weekends.. not only hotels are pricey but also there will be more crowded in the forest of snow monsters! Wake up at 8 and leave hotel at 8 30. There are 2 options for a hearty breakfast: french bakery at Lovina Mall, next door to JR Station, to get a strong coffee and heavily ice-glazed warm cinnamon roll, or.. a FRESH SEAFOOD brekky at a local fish market, 10 min walk from hotels above, follow Google Maps to Aomori Nokkedon. DO NOT LEAVE Aomori before consulting the website of Hakkoda Ropeway!! Every morning at 9 am they update the STATUS of the ropeway on the website. If it is too windy, they suspend the service. So do not deoart by the first bus at 8 am, because at this time nobody knows if the ropeway will be opened. Take a bus at 10 am from BUS STOP 11 (in front if the Tourist Information Office if JR Station). You pay in cash 1,100 yen when you arrive to destination which is Hakkoda Ropeway. You will arrive by 11.20. The road by bus is VERY beautiful, it passes in a frozen fairy tale forest, so enjoy the views and make some photos! Once arrived to the Ropeway, buy a return ticket 1,850 yen and take a cabin to the top. If it is not foggy, you will be able to get 360 views from the cabin! Take a place near the window. Once you reach the top station, go for a walk to the forest of SNOW MONSTERS, you will be amazed by their beauty. You do not need to have snow shoes to explore the forest, just good...

Rope car: great views, huge car, nice speed, smooth, 10-minute ride each way. Round trip is ¥2000.

Observation deck: great views if you don't want to do the hiking! A few snacks for sale, but no proper meals (there is a soba shop at the ropeway base).

Hiking: the 30-minute course isn't very hard. It's all either paved or boardwalk. Some steep steps. The 60-minute course is a bit harder, but still doable for beginners. The incline isn't steep, nor is the distance far. The biggest challenge may be that the trail is overgrown in many spots, so it's hard to see steps or drops. Long pants are recommended in all seasons because of the plant overgrowth.

Transport: definitely doable as a half-day trip from Aomori using the JR bus, especially in the warmer months. From Aomori Station departure to arrival, I took...

This is an introduction to the ski trails that descend from the top of the mountain via the Hakkoda cable car (gondla).

There are two trails from the summit on the ropeway: the Forest Trail and the Direct Trail. The boundaries of both trails are marked with banboo poles, so you don't need avalanche gear as long as you ski through them. However, if you cannot resist the temptation to ski outside the poles, should have them and do so at your own risk.

Superb views, fantastic snow quality, exhilaration and openness. The best ski runs you won't experience anywhere else. One of the best snow resorts, except for the windy days and frequent gondola...