The Shinhotaka Ropeway comprises two aerial tramways in northern Gifu Prefecture, high in the Japan Alps. The Ropeway features Japan's only double-decker gondolas – and they've just been renovated and are brand-new!

Getting to the Shinhotaka Ropeway is easy – it's less than two hours by highway bus from the city of Takayama. It's located in Chubu-Sangaku National Park, an extensive highland park that also extends into the prefectures of Nagano, Toyama, and Niigata.

The Ropeway's lowermost terminus, where the bus from Takayama let us off, is Shinhotaka Onsen Station, which is located just steps from Hotel Hotaka, whose lobby overlooks a pretty garden and a river below.

The automated multilingual vending machines in the station's lobby make buying tickets to ride quick and easy. Many kinds of credit cards and digital money are accepted for payment.

A live-cam monitor and information panel showing the conditions at the topmost station indicated that the temperatures were considerably cooler than at lower altitudes, so dress accordingly!

From here it's a four-minute, 1,305-meter ride to Nabedaira Kogen Station, then a short walk to Shirakabadaira Station, where you board the two-level gondola on the No. 2 Ropeway that takes you the rest of the way up.

Together, the two tramways carry you over a scenic course that takes you to an altitude a thousand meters higher up, where spectacular mountain views await. The Ropeway recently opened again after a closure of several months, during which time the two-level gondolas on the No. 2 Ropeway were replaced with completely redesigned units. These new gondolas feature windows that are wider and clearer, and more resistant to fogging and icing. They afford 360-degree views of the surrounding scenery.

They're also equipped with multilingual information monitors strategically placed for good visibility. The ride to Nishihotakaguchi Station at the top is about seven minutes.

Once at the station, I took the stairs to the rooftop lookout deck, whose magnificent panoramic views from its altitude of 2,156 meters above sea level have earned the facility two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan.

Plaques along the railings name the mountain peaks visible in the distance.

Often, professional photographers are on the deck, too, taking and selling souvenir photos for visitors. They're usually also happy to take a picture of you with your own camera or phone, at no extra charge.

With the times being what they are now, Shinhotaka Ropeway is taking careful common-sense steps to protect visitors and block the spread of COVID-19. These measures include sanitizer spray at every building entrance.

Employees all have their temperature taken and report their health status before work, and wear masks while on shift. Visitors are asked to wear masks as well. Facilities are ventilated, including the tramway gondolas, which are also regularly disinfected by wiping down surfaces with alcohol. To ensure appropriate social distancing, tram passenger capacity is limited to about 50%, and the floors in waiting areas, shops, and restaurants are marked to encourage safe spacing.

By then I was starting to get hungry, so I stepped into the restaurant below the observation deck. Just inside is an illustrated menu panel, making it easy to choose. You order by buying tickets from the vending machine near the menu, then taking the tickets to the counter a few steps away.

This part of Japan is famous for Hida beef – a regional brand of high-end wagyu beef. I opted for a plate of curry and rice made using this meat.

The restaurant has big windows that let diners enjoy views of the mountains as they eat – with everyone practicing proper social distancing, of course.

I also tried a "gondola croquette" – a deep-fried meat-filled treat adorned with an edible picture of the new two-level gondola. Tasty!

On the way back down, at Shirakabadaira Station, I stopped into the newly remodeled Alpine Bakery, where the tasty offerings for sale here are baked fresh daily.

They even had some bread shaped like the double-decker tramway gondolas!

After that, it was just one more ride back down to board the bus back to Takayama.

Thanks to the thorough anti-infection measures implemented by the Ropeway and the sensible hygiene and etiquette practiced by my fellow travelers, my first excursion since the pandemic began was not just enjoyable, but also taken with peace of mind. Travel safely, folks!