Cable-car / ropeway history

[Commencing operations in 1925 (photo provided by the Rokko Maya Tourism Promotion Council)]

[Commencing operations in 1955]

Photographs depicting the history of the Maya Cable system

[1st-generation Maya Cable-car]
(photo provided by the Rokko Maya Tourism Promotion Council)
[2nd-generation Maya Cable-car]
(photo provided by the Rokko Maya Tourism Promotion Council)
[2nd-generation Maya Cable-car Tenjoji-go, repainted in 1978]
[2nd-generation Maya Cable-cars, renamed the “Yume-ajisai (city musical band)” and “Niji-ajisai (mountain musical band)” 2001]
[3rd-generation Maya Cable-cars]

Photographs depicting the history of the Maya Ropeway system

[1st-generation gondola “Suzu-kaze”]
[2nd-generation gondola “Soyo-kaze”] (photo provided from “Photo-book on the History of Public Ropeways,” published in December 18th, 1985)
[3rd-generation gondola “Hiko-boshi”]
[3rd-generation gondola “Ori-hime,” refurbished in 2014]

History

Year	Event (Maya Cable)	Event (Maya Ropeway)
1925	- The Maya Cable system commences operations (Maya Cable Line Co., Ltd．), with its first stations named Takao Station and Maya Station
1938	- Service is suspended due to the Hanshin flood disaster
1944	- Service suspended due to Maya Cable facilities being dismantled for military use
1955	- Maya Cable system reopens, with the introduction of its 2nd-generation passenger cars, which were renamed from car number 1 and 2, to the “Tenjoji-go” and “Bokujo-go”	- The Oku-Maya Ropeway commences operations (Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau). The gondolas are nick-named “Suzu-kaze” and “Soyo-kaze” - The Oku-Maya Amusement Park opens (Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau)
1973	- Maya Cable Takao Station is renamed the Maya Cable Shita Station
1974		- The 2nd-generation Maya Ropeway gondolas, named “Suzu-kaze” and “Soyo-kaze” are built
1975	- Rokko-goe Arima Railways Co., Ltd．acquires and merges with the Maya Cable Line Co., Ltd．, changing its name to Rokko Maya Railways Co., Ltd．
1976	- Mayasan Tenjoji Temple was burned down.
1977		- Operations of the ropeway are transferred from the Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau to the Kobe Urban Development Corporation, and the ropeway reopens as the “Maya Ropeway”
1985	- The main hall of Mayasan Tenjoji Temple was rebuilt.
1995	- The Maya Cable and Maya Ropeway system suspend operations due to the occurrence of the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake
2000	- Operation of the Maya Cable system is transferred from Rokko Maya Railways Co., Ltd．to the Kobe Urban Development Corporation
2001	- The Maya Cable and Ropeway systems commence renewed operations under the name “Maya Viewline Yume-sanpo”
	→ Cable cars: the 2nd-generation cars are renamed the “Yume-ajisai (city musical band)” and “Niji-ajisai (mountain musical band)”	→ Ropeway gondolas: 3rd-generation gondolas “Hiko-boshi” and “Ori-hime” commence service
	- Stations are renamed the Maya Cable Station, Niji no Eki Station, and Hoshi no Eki Station
2005	- The “Maya Kira-kira Path” is opened at Kikuseidai on Mt. Maya
2012	- Maya Cable 2nd-generation cars are retired
2013	- The Kobe Urban Development Corporation is renamed the Kobe Housing & Urban Development Corporation
	- Maya Cable 3rd-generation cars begin operation
	- The“Maya View Terrace 702” is opened at the Maya Ropeway Hoshi no Eki Station
2014		- The Maya Ropeway implements energy saving features that makes use of a regenerative power system (the first of its kind in Japan)
2015	The Maya Cable system celebrates its 90th anniversary of commencing operations!	The Maya Ropeway system celebrates its 60th anniversary of commencing operations!
2015	The total number of passengers served for Maya Viewline (Maya Cable/Maya Ropeway) reaches 25 million (since restarting operations as the Maya Cable system in May 1955)