The Beppu Ropeway was on our radar, but some locals talked us out of it unless we were visiting in peak autumn colors. Apparently, while it's been carrying folks up Mount Tsurumi since 1962 and can pack in an impressive 101 people per cabin, the views aren't quite as spectacular outside of fall.

That said, a 10-minute ride floating above Beppu in one of those massive cable cars sounds pretty epic - especially since it's one of the few places in Kyūshū where you can see hard rime (that cool frost formation that makes everything look like it's covered in white spikes).

For anyone planning a Beppu trip: maybe time this one for autumn if you can. From what we heard, that's when the mountain really shows off with fall colors making those aerial views worth the trip up. Otherwise, you might want to spend your time exploring Beppu's other attractions - there's plenty to see at ground level!