Shimoda, Vol. 3.2 The Ropeway

Streetside shrine near the hotel.

When I got back from the beach, there was still plenty of daytime left for doing other stuff, so I opted for the Ropeway.

Shimoda Mos Burger, in front of the Ropeway

After a quick shower and change, it was back "downtown" to the station area to catch a cablecar up to the top of Mt. Nesugata. Passing by Mos Burger, I ran into the gaggle of girls you see in the photo above. They chatted me up for a few minutes, or rather their ringleader did, before we all moved on in our separate directions. I ran into them again the next day when I was leaving, and they were on their way to the beach. Oh, how jealous was I...

JoJo and I in the cable car

The ride up cost me in the area of 1000 yen (1200?) and took about 5 minutes or less. Joseph and I tried to take as many pictures as possible before just sitting back and enjoying the ride and view.

The area behind the train station, inland from the bay.

True to form, Joseph shows off his ropeway ticket.

Oh, which way to go...

The path and numerous lookouts offer great views of Shimoda Bay (Harbor? I don't know what they're calling it these days). Of course we all remember that it was into this bay that came the Black Ships (Kurofune) bearing Commodore Perry and his Opening of Japan.

Joseph gets homesick.

Joseph hopes for a better view.
You need 100 yen, Joseph.

The islands off Izu.

When an English surveying ship, the Marina, entered Shimoda Bay in 1849, the Tokugawa Shogunate quickly built this lookout point to keep an on it and the bay. With no more Black Ships to monitor, this cannon is the only thing that keeps an eye out these days. In 1849 it was used aboard an American ship.

Ema from the shrine at the top of Mt. Nesugata.

Nesugata means "sleeping form," supposedly because the mountain resembles the shape of a woman sleeping. Since all my views were from the top, I didn't get that so much. Should have looked up from the bottom.

180 view of Shimoda Bay