Mount Nasu Ropeway (Chausu-dake)

The Nasu highlands rise to a cluster of peaks topped by Chausu-dake, an active volcano that still vents sulfur from its summit. A ropeway does the hard early work, lifting you high up the mountain’s flank in a few smooth minutes.

Why It’s Interesting

From the top station, a short but genuinely rocky scramble leads to the crater rim, where steam hisses from the bare red-and-gray ground and the view opens across the whole Nasu plateau. It’s an accessible taste of real volcano — not a gentle viewpoint but a working summit you can stand on. In autumn the slopes below detonate into one of Kanto’s best displays of colour.

Best Time to Visit

Early-to-mid October for the foliage; the ropeway runs spring through autumn and closes for winter. Check the weather — conditions on top change fast.

Getting There

Buses climb from Kuroiso Station to the ropeway base, the natural high point of a Nasu road trip.