Goko Terrace (Rainbow Line Summit Park)

A terrace high above Wakasa Bay where you lie back on round sofas over the Mikata Five Lakes and the Sea of Japan. Each lake has its own saltiness and shade.

A lookout you can lie down on, at the heart of the summit park

Goko Terrace (Rainbow Line Summit Park) is a terrace in the Rainbow Line Summit Park on top of Mount Baijo in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture. It sits in the middle of the park on the Mikata Five Lakes side, and you can lie on round sofas and gaze at the lakes, the ranges of mountains and the sky.

The summit park has other terraces too: the two-storey Wakasa Terrace, looking down on Lake Mikata, Lake Suigetsu and Lake Suga with the Tango Peninsula in the distance, and the all-weather Mihama Terrace, where you can see all five lakes and the Sea of Japan at once. Mihama Terrace has the "Sky Ashiyu", a foot bath where you can soak your feet in hot water while taking in the view, which was chosen for a Cool Japan Award in 2019. There is also a cafe and a Japanese-style teahouse, where you can enjoy drinks and light meals along with the scenery.

The Mikata Five Lakes, each with its own saltiness

The Mikata Five Lakes (Mikatagoko) are Lake Mikata, Lake Suigetsu, Lake Suga, Lake Kugushi and Lake Hiruga, which straddle the towns of Mihama and Wakasa. They are the best-known scenic spot in Wakasa Bay Quasi-National Park, and in 2005 they were registered under the Ramsar Convention (an international treaty protecting important wetlands where waterbirds live).

The five lakes differ in depth and in how salty they are, and they are also called the "lakes of five colours". Lake Mikata is a freshwater lake, Lake Hiruga is a saltwater lake connected to the sea, and the other three are brackish, a mix of seawater and fresh water. At the bottom of Lake Suigetsu, 70,000 years of layered sediment called nenko (varves) have built up without a break, and they are used around the world as a standard for dating.

Up to the summit by chairlift or cable car

To reach the summit park, you take a chairlift or cable car up from the car park partway along the Mikatagoko Rainbow Line, an 11.4km scenic drive on a prefectural road. Both take about two minutes each way, and the fare is included in the park admission. The single-seat chairlift lets you feel the breeze as you take in the view, while the 30-person cable car runs whatever the weather. There is also a walking path up (about 15 minutes each way).

You cannot enter the park on foot; you need to drive along the road. If you come by train, take a taxi or hire a car from a station such as Mihama on the JR Obama Line. By car it is about 20 minutes from Wakasa-Mikata IC (interchange) on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. On weekends and public holidays from spring to autumn, the Gokoichi Bus loop bus also runs from Tsuruga, Mihama and Mikata stations (until 6 December in 2026). Check opening hours and prices on the official website.

Tips

• The round sofas on Goko Terrace are popular, so at some times of year use may be limited to 10-20 minutes.
• When riding the chairlift, you are asked not to wear backpacks or other bags on your back but to hold them on your lap.
• The official website's home page shows the day's weather and how well the lakes and the Sea of Japan can be seen. It is reassuring to check before you set out.
• The car park charges a fee. Rose garden fairs are held in spring and autumn.

Sources

• 天空のテラス｜レインボーライン山頂公園（公式） (opens in a new tab)
• 三方五湖｜レインボーライン山頂公園（公式） (opens in a new tab)
• レインボーラインとは｜レインボーライン山頂公園（公式） (opens in a new tab)
• リフト・ケーブルカー｜レインボーライン山頂公園（公式） (opens in a new tab)
• 交通アクセス｜レインボーライン山頂公園（公式） (opens in a new tab)
• レインボーライン山頂公園｜ふくいドットコム（福井県観光連盟） (opens in a new tab)

Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.