A ceremony was held on July 18 to mark the opening of a new monorail on Kesennuma Oshima in Miyagi Prefecture, an area heavily affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that also triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Kyodo reported.
The monorail links the midpoint of the 235-metre Mount Kameyama, on Japan’s largest inhabited island in the north-eastern Tohoku region, with its summit, where visitors can access an observation terrace, walking trails and a café. Commercial service begins on July 19.
The mountain previously had a chairlift, which was destroyed in a fire caused by the 2011 disaster. Unlike the lift, which was vulnerable to poor weather, the new monorail is designed to run year-round.
“We have made something good and want to show the city’s appeal,” said Kesennuma Mayor Shigeru Sugawara, Kyodo reported, adding that he hopes the new attraction will help boost tourism to the area.
Guests on trial rides were offered sweeping views of local oyster farms and the city centre, with the one-way trip taking six to seven minutes.
The monorail will operate daily, except during the year-end and New Year holidays. Round-trip fares are set at JPY1,200 ($7.40) for passengers of junior high school age and older, JPY600 ($3.70) for elementary school pupils, with preschool children riding free.