JPN: Mount Kinka
257 Senjojikishita, Gifu City, Gifu, Japan
After lunch, I decided to purchase a commemorative medal from a vending machine nearby.
Rising to a height of 329 m, Mount Kinka stands proudly along a section of Nagara River in the heart of Gifu City. Formerly known as Mount Inaba, which was the name of the original castle perched on top of it, it's the most famous mountain in the city. Visitors can take a ropeway to the summit, a convenient alternative for those not keen on hiking all the way up.
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JPN: Mount Kinka <YOU ARE HERE!>
JPN: Flight of Dreams
JPN: Chubu Centrair International Airport
JPN: All Nippon Airways NH494 (Economy)
JPN: All Nippon Airways NH833 (Business)
VIE: Le Saigon Hotel
VIE: Tan Son Nhat International Airport
VIE: Le Saigonnais Business Lounge
SIN: Singapore Airlines SQ177 (Business)
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The ropeway station that takes you to the summit of Mt. Kinka is located within Gifu Park. It's not situated near a train station, so if you're arriving by public transport, taking a bus is your best bet.
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| A return ticket for an adult used to cost ¥1,100 (~S$10.10) in 2023, but it's gone up to ¥1,300 (~S$11.95) at the point of writing. |
While waiting for the ropeway, which generally runs at 15-minute intervals, I took a moment to took around.
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| The gift shop carries reasonably priced goods. |
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| Would you like to take a photo with that squirrel standee? |
It takes around four minutes to get to the summit station. The maximum capacity of the ropeway is 46 people.
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| As we ascended I caught a glimpse of a three-storey pagoda nearby. |
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| The ropeway has been in operation since 1955. |
Remember the squirrel standee earlier? Right next to the summit station is Squirrel Village, where visitors can enjoy the sight of those adorable creatures roaming freely.
The name kinka (金華), which literally translates to 'golden flower', refers to the Japanese chinquapin flowers. When in full bloom, their golden hues give the mountain a radiant appearance.
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| As a chemistry teacher, I can't resist pointing out that chert is made up of silicon dioxide. |
Inabayama Castle, originally established in 1201, was later renamed to Gifu Castle when Oda Nobunaga took over in 1567.
The current version of the main keep was constructed in the 1950s with a few modifications to the original plan. That deserves its own spotlight, so stay tuned for the next post!
If only I had more time, I'd really love to go trekking. Anyway, I did follow one of the trails and arrived at a nice vantage point.
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| The contrast between the lush greenery above and the urban sprawl below~ |
I didn't do much research beforehand, but I figured there had to be a place up there where I could fill my stomach.
I had lunch at Le Pont de Ciel. Ironically, despite its name, there wasn't a single French dish in sight.
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| I savoured Japanese cuisine with a picturesque view. |
Just before my descent, I stumbled upon another viewing platform.
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| From that altitude, the winding Nagara River is simply beautiful. |
Though my visit lasted barely three hours, every moment up there felt calm and unhurried.
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| Did you know that Mount Kinka Mount Kinka is home to a thriving population of wild macaques? |
While Mount Kinka gets most of the attention, the title of the highest peak of the city belongs to Mount Dodo to the north, which rises to 417.9 m.
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