Looking Down on a Sea of Clouds from Sora Terrace, Mount Ryūō, Nagano Prefecture

Sora means “sky” in Japanese, and it’s an apt word for the name of Sora Terrace, an observation deck near the summit of Mount Ryūō in Kita-Shiga Kōgen, Yamanouchi-machi, Nagano Prefecture. An eight-minute ride on a ropeway lift from the base of the mountain takes visitors to Skyland Station, next to Sora Terrace at an elevation of 1,770 meters. From this vantage point, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding peaks, and often they can experience the dramatic sight of a sea of clouds spreading out below them, as if they were looking down from an airplane. Especially popular is the scene at sunset, when the clouds take on hues that change from minute to minute.

The ropeway lift is scheduled to operate daily through November 4 this year (2019), with the exception of September 2–6. It carries up to 166 passengers at a time, and dogs in carriers are also allowed to ride.

(Originally published in Japanese. Created in cooperation with Goolight.)