Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park

In short

Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park is an amusement park located at the summit of Mount Ikoma at an elevation of 642 meters. It was opened in 1929 by Osaka Electric Railway, the predecessor of Kintetsu, along with the opening of the cable car's Sanjo Line. The Flight Tower, which has existed since the park first opened, is the oldest existing large-scale amusement ride in Japan.

• ​Flight Tower​​: Four airplane-shaped gondolas are suspended by cables and rotate around the tower. During the war, it was used as an anti-aircraft observation post, which spared it from demolition.
• ​View from the Summit​​: Overlooking the Osaka Plain and the Nara Basin, on a clear day, you can even see Awaji Island beyond Osaka Bay.
• ​Ikoma Cable​​: Transfer to the cable car at Kintetsu Ikoma Station to ascend to the amusement park on the mountain summit.

History and Highlights

​Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park​ is an amusement park situated at the summit of Mount Ikoma, which rises on the border between Nara and Osaka Prefectures. The elevation is 642 meters. In 1929, Osaka Electric Railway, the predecessor of Kintetsu, opened it near the summit station along with the launch of the Sanjo Line of the cable car that ascends Mount Ikoma. The amusement park was created to develop areas along the railway line.

The symbol of the park is the Flight Tower, which has stood since the park's opening. Among existing large amusement rides, it is the oldest in Japan. It was designed by Doi Manzo, an engineer who worked on the domestic production of large-scale amusement rides. Originally, it was equipped with an elevator and also served as an observation platform. Flight towers in other locations were lost to metal requisitions and other measures during World War II. This Flight Tower was spared demolition because the Navy used it as an anti-aircraft observation post to watch for enemy aircraft. It has undergone repeated renovations since then and remains in operation today.

In fiscal year 2021, the Ikoma cable car and the Flight Tower were selected as a Civil Engineering Heritage Site by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers. They are regarded as the oldest facilities showing the tourism initiatives of Japan's private railways.

Highlights for Viewing and Experiencing

• ​Riding the Flight Tower​​: Four airplane-shaped gondolas, each seating seven people, are suspended by cables and rotate counterclockwise. Four arms extend from a steel-framed tower, and the gondolas rise and descend while rotating.
• ​View from the Summit​​: Below, the Osaka Plain and the Nara Basin stretch out. It is said that when the weather is good, one can see as far as Shodoshima Island, more than 130 km away. In the direction of Osaka, Awaji Island can also be seen across Osaka Bay.
• ​First-Order Triangulation Point of Mount Ikoma​​: South of the Flight Tower is the first-order triangulation point at the summit of Mount Ikoma. It sits at an elevation of 642.0 meters, in an unusual location surrounded by the tracks of a mini steam locomotive train that runs through the park.

Tips for Exploring

Board the cable car from Kintetsu Ikoma Station and get off at Ikoma-Sanjo Station, and the amusement park will spread out right before your eyes. The cable car originally opened in 1918 between Toriimae and Hozanji as Japan's first commercial cable car. For the mountaintop amusement park, the section from Hozanji to Ikoma-Sanjo opened in 1929. If you get off at Hozanji Station along the way, you can also stop by Hozan-ji Temple, about a 10-minute walk away. If traveling by car, you can use the parking lot adjoining the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline. About 1.5 km south down from the summit of Mount Ikoma lies Kuragari Pass.