A day for cable cars

Today, and August 29th annually, is Cable Car Day. It is the anniversary of the very first cable car ride. On this day in 1918 Japan's first cable car ran in Nara Prefecture.

A cable car is a railway that runs on steep mountain slopes, with cars connected to steel cables being hoisted up by a hoist or other device. In recent years, it has been used not only in mountainous areas, but also in transportation in cities and airports, due to its excellent propulsion efficiency as it does not require a power source to be installed in the cars.

Some people refer to ropeways and gondola lifts as cable cars, but in Japan, it mostly refers to "steel railways." Most cable cars in Japan are licensed under the Railway Business Act, but some fall outside this scope. Such as cable cars at amusement parks or those used as elevators in hotels or ski resorts.

Have you ridden a cable car in Japan? The pictured cable car runs on Mt Hodo in Nagatoro.