Cable Car Day

What Is Cable Car Day?

August 29 marks "Cable Car Day," commemorating the opening of Japan's first funicular railway, the Ikoma Cable Line (now the Kintetsu Ikoma Cable), on Mount Ikoma in Nara Prefecture on August 29, 1918.

The Day Japan's First Cable Railway Connected a Mountain

The Ikoma Cable Line opened between Toriimae Station and Hozanji Station on Mount Ikoma. Built to carry pilgrims and visitors up the mountain, this line marked the beginning of funicular railway history in Japan.

• Origin: Japan's first funicular railway, the Ikoma Cable Line, opened on August 29, 1918.
• Route: Between Toriimae and Hozanji stations on Mount Ikoma, Nara Prefecture
• Today: Still in operation as the Kintetsu Ikoma Cable

A Vehicle That Links Mountains and People

Cable cars use wire ropes to carry passengers safely up and down steep slopes, and have long been a familiar sight at sacred mountains and scenic spots across Japan. The Ikoma Cable, as the pioneer of this technology, continues to make history to this day.

Ways to Mark the Day

• Learn about the history of the Mount Ikoma cable car
• Look into other cable car lines around Japan
• Take a ride on a cable car near you
• Think about how transportation to mountains and scenic spots has evolved

A Ride That Has Run for Over a Century

Cable Car Day looks back on the history of Japan's first funicular railway connecting a mountain to the world below. August 29 is a chance to appreciate the long journey behind a ride we often take for granted.