Kinugawa Onsen Sanroku Station serves as the base terminal of the Kinugawa Onsen Ropeway, a popular tourist attraction in the renowned hot spring resort of Kinugawa Onsen, located in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. The ropeway system connects this base station to Maruyama summit station at the top of a large hill.
The ropeway measures 621 meters in length and ascends 300 meters in elevation. The aerial journey takes approximately four minutes, offering passengers panoramic views of the Kinugawa Onsen town and surrounding valley. From the summit observation deck, visitors can see the Nasu mountain range, and on clear days, views extend to Mount Tsukuba.
The summit destination is particularly famous for its wildlife attraction. Known as "Osaru no Yama" or "Monkey Mountain," the peak is home to approximately 30 Japanese macaques. Visitors can purchase monkey food for 100 yen from station staff and feed the animals using wooden sticks with spoons attached for safety. Behind the observation area stands Onsen-jinja Shrine, which enshrines a portion of the deity from Toyokawa Inari-jinja shrine and is regarded as a god of both business prosperity and hot springs, attracting locals who come to pray for good luck.
Round-trip tickets cost 950 yen for adults and 480 yen for children aged four years through elementary school, with one-way tickets available for 560 yen (adults) and 280 yen (children). The facility operates year-round but closes annually from March 1-15 for maintenance.
Access to Kinugawa Onsen Sanroku Station requires a five-minute ride from Kinugawa-Onsen Station via courtesy shuttle bus, with reservation required. Alternatively, taxis from the station take approximately five minutes and cost around 1,300 yen. Kinugawa Onsen itself is accessible via Tobu Railway's direct express service from Tokyo's Asakusa Station, taking slightly over two hours. The NIKKO PASS provides discounts for the ropeway and covers all Tobu Railway and bus lines in the Nikko and Kinugawa area.
