Japan: Going Up Mount Tsukuba By Cable Car

As Ah Yu was going to send Emi and me to Tsukuba International Christian Assembly Church that Sunday morning, he also planned an afternoon activity for all of us: visiting Mount Tsukuba, the main tourist attraction famous for its double peaks, Nantai-san (Mt Male Body) and Nyotai-san (Mt Female Body), which make a couple.

When we reached the car park, the first thing I noticed was a frog statue on the right.

I thought it was a theme park. Later I learned there was a frog-shaped rock "Gama-ishi" up there at the mountain.

We walked towards the left building

to take the cable car.

It was the first warm sunny day since we arrived in Japan. We were blessed with a clear view of the sky, the plain and the mountain.

Upon the arrival at the station on the notch, we had an ice-cream break at a restaurant-souvenir shop.

Then, we hiked towards the top of Nyotai-san, the higher of the two peaks.

The panorama was magnificent at 877 metres' height.


But Yuri did not seem to be very impressed.

Small shrines at both peaks were devoted to their respective gods based on the legends.

We enjoyed the abundance of nature

while climbing down the steps.

If I had wings, I would have flown in a glider instead of using the cable car again...