The View from Mt. Tengu

Mt. Tengu rises above Otaru's coastline and the Tenguyama Ropeway reaches the upper slopes in around four minutes. Five observation platforms near the 532-meter summit offer views of Otaru's port, Ishikari Bay, and the Shakotan Peninsula. On a clear day you can see Mt. Shokanbetsu, 1,491 meters high, across the water. The mountain hosted the first All Japan Ski Championships in 1923, when the sport was barely a decade old in Hokkaido. In early May, a single 100-year-old native cherry tree blooms near the ropeway station. Year-round, black woodpeckers and Ezo red foxes live in the surrounding forest.