Flying High in Minato-Mirai

ByJason Gatewood

Minato Mirai, Tokyo Metropolis, Yokohama City

Apr 23, 2021

Flying High in Minato-Mirai

The concept of a gondola in an urban setting isn’t new; they serve as high-speed transport options in places like Bogota, Colombia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There was even a plan to build one to connect the main Olympic venues in Odaiba with Tokyo station and another connecting Tokyo Olympic Stadium to Station floated at one point; however, it morphed into a plan for BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) instead. However, what those plans did spark was an idea to utilize gondolas as a way to provide yet another tourist attraction in Yokohama’s Minato-Mirai amusement area and provide a direct way to zip across the collection of inlets and water features separating Sakuragicho station and the World Porters shopping center area.

What’s Old Is New Again

If you’ve been around the area for the last 30-odd years, you might have a sense of deja-vu; During the Yokohama Exotic Showcase (YES’ 89), there was a temporary one set up in roughly the same area for visitors to the expo. Still, it was quickly dismantled after the expo ended. The Yokohama Air Cabin, however, is a very permanent addition to the scene. The new gondola travels 630 meters and 40 meters above the landscape at its highest point, and just like the one built for the YES expo three decades ago, this one is meant more like an amusement attraction since it’s operated by the same company that runs the nearby Cosmoworld theme park. In fact, you can buy a combined ticket for both the new gondola and the famous “CosmoClock21” Ferris wheel.

From on high…

Each car can carry a total of 8 passengers (and expect that number to be tailored down and limited to the number of people in your party due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.) The trip across takes about 5 minutes and costs ¥1,000 one-way, but there are discounts for kids and combo tickets available.

📸 images via Yokohama Air Cabin website