---
node: spot_sapporo_mount_moiwa
type: spot
slug: mount_moiwa
destination: dest_sapporo
title: "Mount Moiwa"
lead: "Mount Moiwa rises 531 metres on the south-west edge of Sapporo, reached by a ropeway and a small cable car in tandem. From the summit the city's grid runs out below in straight lines to the sea."
published: 2026-08-12
updated: 2026-08-12
image_file: spot_sapporo_mount_moiwa.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moiwa_Mountain_in_Sapporo_in_2009.jpg"
image_author: "Nikm"
image_license: "Public domain"
---

## Overview

The mountain's forest was protected from 1921 and is now a natural monument, which is why a primeval stand of hardwood sits within tram distance of a city of two million. The observation deck was rebuilt in 2011 with a restaurant and planetarium. The night view from here is marketed as one of Japan's three great night views, alongside Nagasaki and Kobe, a designation that dates from 2015 and is taken more seriously than it sounds.

## Highlights

Take the tram to Ropeway Iriguchi and the free shuttle to the base; the whole trip from Susukino is about half an hour. Go up before sunset and stay for the lights, which is when the grid becomes legible. In winter the summit is several degrees colder than the city and the wind is unobstructed.