Enjoy an elegant moment at the Izu Panorama Park Ao Terrace and take in the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay!

We arrived at Izu Panorama Park and immediately boarded the ropeway.
The ropeway is boarded from the second floor of the facility at the foot of the mountain, where you can find a store selling souvenirs as well as an Italian restaurant.
This ropeway is approximately 1,800 meters long. The normal operating speed is surprisingly fast at 4 meters per second or about 14 kilometers per hour. It takes approximately 7 minutes and 30 seconds to reach the summit.
As you get higher in the air, the view gradually expands to include the peaceful rural landscape of Izu-Nagaoka, the cityscape of Izunokuni City, Mt. Fuji, and Suruga Bay.
We reached the summit of the 452-meter-high mountain in no time while admiring the vast scenery.

The first thing that immediately catches your eye when you get to the observation deck at the top of the mountain, called the “Ao Terrace”, is the bright blue water basin.
There are a total of three water basins, each designed with the concept of “water reflecting the blue of Mt. Fuji, Suruga Bay, and the sky”.
The beautiful blue color of the water basin makes the sweeping view even more vivid and mystical.
One of the three water basins, an elongated trapezoidal basin in the center of the deck, shows a reflection of an upside-down Mt. Fuji on the surface of the water when the weather is clear. (Depending on the intensity of sunlight and time of day.)
The grand panoramic view from the Ao Terrace that you can enjoy while feeling the gentle breeze is something you will never get tired of looking at.

There are four booths at the “Katsuragi Saryo Private Gazebo”, located at the back of the Cafe-Katsuragi Saryo.
The booths, which are partitioned by wood panels, offer a private space like a wooden veranda where you can relax.
We recommend making a reservation in advance.

Katsuragi Coffee, located just off the ropeway, is a cafe based on a modern Japanese-style concept.
We recommend their drip coffee, café latte, and coffee-flavored soft-serve ice cream that is accented with the aroma and bitterness of coffee.
Katsuragi Coffee’s most popular non-alcoholic cocktails are brightly colored and perfect to show off on SNS! Enjoy their mildly sweet and refreshing taste.

At Katsuragi Saryo, which is located on the water basin side, you can enjoy light meals made with Suruga Bay specialties such as the sakura shrimp kakiage (mixed tempura) udon and shirasu (whitebait) rice bowl, as well as Japanese sweets such as irodori dango (tricolor dumplings).

The best part of Katsuragi Saryo is the amazing view! The restaurant has large windows, so you can gaze at Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay from your seat inside the restaurant.
There is also a seating area on the deck outside the restaurant for a more open-air experience.

Walk past Katsuragi Saryo toward the mountain path, and soon you will see a footbath on your right.
Here at the Fujimi no Ashiyu footbath, you can see Mt. Fuji from a different angle from that of the Ao Terrace.

Towels are also sold here, so please ask the staff if you need one.
*The footbath can be enjoyed free of charge.

After passing the footbath, you will arrive at a large space at the top of the mountain a couple of minutes away.
There is a photo spot where Mt. Fuji looks like it is framed next to the observatory at the top of the mountain, so be sure to take a commemorative photo together with the spectacular view.

Just past the boardwalk is the “Saezuri no Oka Observatory”, which offers scenic views of Nakaizu in the opposite direction of Mt. Fuji, including Shuzenji, Amagi Pass, Mt. Omuro, and Kano River.

As the name suggests, the view of the green forest from this observatory, where you can also hear the chirping of birds such as Japanese nightingales, will also soothe your soul. By the way, when I visited in August, the sounds of the buzzing cicadas were louder than the chirping of the birds.

On the deck at the end of the observatory which overlooks Mt. Fuji is the “Shiawase no Kane”.
This bell of happiness is considered a symbol of the “lover’s sanctuary”.
Izu Panorama Park has been selected as a lover’s sanctuary by the “Lover’s Sanctuary Selection Committee”.
If you’re visiting as a couple, don’t forget to take a commemorative photo with your partner!

Izu Panorama Park also has various spots related to local beliefs, such as Katsuragi Shrine, Katsuragi Jizoson, and Geta Kuyozuka.

Katsuragi Shrine has a long history dating back to the Heian period, and the name of Mt. Katsuragi is also said to have been derived from this shrine.

The shrine serves as a reminder that the summit of Mt. Katsuragi, where Izu Panorama Park is located, was a sacred place for the people in the community.

Trattoria Izu Paradiso is an Italian restaurant that offers pasta, pizza, meat, and fish dishes using local ingredients based on the concept of if the city of Izu was in Italy, instead of Japan.
We highly recommend the pizza, which is made by hand from the dough using authentic Italian wheat. The pizzas, which have a delicious crispy and doughy texture, are baked in an authentic pizza oven that can be seen in the kitchen through the glass as you enter the restaurant.

Pets are welcome in the terrace seating area, so please spend a pleasant time here with your loved ones.