Jukkoku Toge, which operates the Jukkoku Toge Panorama Cable Car in Japan, has announced that it will begin operating a new slope car in the summer of 2027 as a new mode of transport to replace the existing cable car.
The current cable car has been in service for 70 years since it opened in 1956. As the facilities have aged, it has become increasingly difficult to procure parts. In light of these circumstances, and given the growing likelihood that it will be difficult to maintain safety in the future, the operator has decided to update the system to a new transport mode.
The newly introduced slope car will consist of two cars and have a capacity of 80 passengers. It will connect the foot of the mountain and the summit of Jukkoku Toge in about four minutes one way. The total route length will be approximately 320 meters, with an average gradient of 20 degrees, and the total construction cost is expected to be around 800 million yen.
The vehicles will be straddle-type slope-running monorails manufactured by Kaho Manufacturing, adopting a self-propelled, motor-driven rack-and-pinion system. This system can handle gradients of up to 50 degrees and allows flexible route design that follows the terrain. It is said that even on sections where the gradient changes, the floor inside the car can always be kept level.
The design is overseen by Yasuyuki Kawanishi, who has worked on JR West’s Series 273 and the 117 Series “WEST EXPRESS Ginga”, among others. Inspired by the name “Jukkoku” (literally “ten provinces”), the form evokes a ten-sided faceted cut-glass motif. Full-height large glass panels extending from floor to ceiling are arranged all around, allowing passengers to enjoy 360-degree views of the scenery of Hakone and the Izu region like a “moving observation deck.”
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