Hiking Mount Usu | Crater-rim & Crater-floor Walks by Ropeway

Of all the hikes in the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, Mount Usu is the one to visit first. It is an active volcano that erupts every few decades, yet a ropeway carries you straight up the mountain—so even if you are not confident about your stamina, you can feel the scale of a volcano up close. The crater floor gouged out by eruptions, the sweeping panoramas from the outer-rim ridge—this is a perfect introduction to walking a “living land.” Kamonoya, a lodging operator on Lake Toya, shows you how to hike Mount Usu.

The crater floor of Mount Usu
The crater floor of Mount Usu (photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Up the mountain by the Usuzan Ropeway

Mount Usu hikes begin at the Usuzan Ropeway, at the foot of Showa-Shinzan. The gondola takes about 6 minutes each way and runs every 15 minutes. Below you spreads the reddish flank of Showa-Shinzan, and beyond it Lake Toya and Nakajima island; on a clear day you can see all the way to Uchiura Bay.

*Hours and fares are a guide as of July 2026. Because of suspensions and seasonal changes, please check the official Usuzan Ropeway website before you go.

Usuzan Ropeway base station (Google Street View)
The Usuzan Ropeway base station, at the foot of Showa-Shinzan (image: Google Street View)

Two observation decks from the summit station

Step off at the summit station and you first reach the Lake Toya Observation Deck, with the “Mt.USU Terrace” café where you can relax on a sofa and take in the lake side. The walk this far is flat and easy for anyone.

From there, a 7-minute walk along the promenade brings you to the Crater-floor Observation Deck, looking down on a crater formed by the 1977–78 eruption. The scarred terrain and the steaming ground feel strikingly close.

A gondola of the Usuzan Ropeway
About a 6-minute ride from base to summit (photo: Wikimedia Commons)

For keen hikers: the outer-rim deck

If you want to walk further, a hiking trail continues to the Outer-rim Observation Deck. It follows the outer rim of Mount Usu (the ridge encircling the crater), looking down over the crater floor—a trail only a geopark can offer. It has real ups and downs, so wear proper footwear and allow plenty of time.

Note: The outer-rim hiking trail is usually closed in winter, from around November to April. Access may also be restricted depending on volcanic activity. Check the opening status with the geopark or on-site information beforehand.

How long to allow

A round trip on the ropeway plus a walk to the crater-floor deck takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. If you continue to the outer-rim deck, allow another hour or more. At the base you will also find Showa-Shinzan and the Mimatsu Masao Memorial Hall, so a half-day to full-day plan works well.

To Mount Usu from a Lake Toya lodging

The ropeway base is about a 20-minute drive from the Lake Toya onsen area. Using a Kamonoya property as your base, you can ride the first gondola of the day to a quiet summit and soak in an onsen in the afternoon. With a multi-night stay, you can also pick a fine-weather day for Mount Usu.

For the whole geopark, see the complete hiking guide; for seasons and safety, see the practical guide.

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