Mount Sarakura, Mountain summit in Yahatahigashi-ku, Japan.
Mount Sarakura is a 622-meter mountain in Yahatahigashi-ku, part of the Hobashira Range within Kitakyushu Quasi-National Park. A cable car runs from the Hobashira trailhead to a station near the ninth stage, where a slope car continues to the summit. Broadcasting masts and antenna structures stand along the flat summit ridge, and a restaurant and observation deck overlook Kitakyushu.
Mount Sarakura's summit is linked to the legend of Empress Jingū, who is said to have climbed it and remarked on the falling dusk, giving the mountain its name. The summit's panorama was later chosen by night-view enthusiasts in an online community as one of the New Three Major Night Views of Japan. Since 1 December 2017, private cars have been barred from the road between Sarakura-daira and the summit.
The summit features multiple broadcasting stations that transmit television and radio signals to residents throughout the Kitakyushu metropolitan region.
The cable car runs from the trailhead at the northern foot to a station near the ninth stage, where riders transfer to a slope car for the last stretch to the summit. Since December 2017, private cars cannot drive from Sarakura-daira near the eighth stage to the top. On weekends and holidays a free shuttle bus links JR Yahata Station with the cable car's base station.
From the summit's 200-degree panorama, the night view of Kitakyushu is nicknamed the "10 Billion Dollar Night View" and was chosen by online night-view enthusiasts as one of the New Three Major Night Views of Japan. The name refers to the sweep of city lights below, not to any count of lamps.
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