Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Hida Mountains, which run from north to south and precisely divide the two administrative regions of Nagano Prefecture and Toyama Prefecture, together with the Kiso Mountains and the Akaishi Mountains to the south, traverse the entire Honshu Island. The entire Chubu region of Japan is dominated by continuous and vast mountain ranges and majestic peaks. It is aptly called "the roof of Japan" !

In 1896, the British missionary Weston recorded in detail his climbing process of the Hida Mountains and the beautiful scenery he saw, and later published the book "Mountain Climbing and Exploration in the Japanese Alps", comparing the mountain views of the Hida Mountains to those of the European Alps in terms of beauty. Since then, the Hida Mountains have become known worldwide as the "Japanese Alps".

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a 90-kilometer-long tourist route that traverses the Northern Japanese Alps (also known as the Hida Mountains). It was completed in 1971. Open from mid-April to late November each year, it attracts approximately one million visitors from around the world and has become one of the classic hiking routes renowned both in Japan and abroad.

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Question: How long is the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route?

The starting point of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is Tateyama Station at the foot of the Tateyama Mountain Range on the west side. From west to east, it passes through Bijodaira, Midagahara, Tengudaira, Murodo, Daikanbo, Kurobedaira, and Kurobe Dam, and finally reaches the end point of Ogizawa in Nagano Prefecture. The total length of the route is approximately 35 kilometers, with an elevation difference of nearly 2,000 meters. If calculated from Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture to Omachi City in Nagano Prefecture, the total length is nearly 90 kilometers. Among them, Murodo is the highest point of the entire route with an altitude of 2,450 meters.

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Question: Does visiting the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route require climbing mountains?

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a mountain tourism route, with most of the scenic spots located at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. However, visiting the Tateyama Kurobe is not limited to hiking. For tourists from all over the world, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is very friendly, as long-distance walking is not common. Traveling from one location to another is mostly done by various mountain transportation means, such as aerial cable cars and trolleybuses. Then, tourists can explore the small area near the drop-off points and enjoy the natural scenery of Tateyama and Kurobe Gorge from the observation decks. It will definitely not be tiring.

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Question：How can one tour the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and what are the options available? 

You can start the tour from either end of the route (Tateyama Station in Toyama Prefecture or Ogizawa in Nagano Prefecture) and ascend the mountain. The route can be explored based on your time and other itinerary arrangements.

For instance, you can start from Tateyama Station, tour the entire Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, and descend at Ogizawa, or vice versa.

Alternatively, you can ascend from one side, explore the route, and then return the same way, such as starting from Tateyama Station, enjoying the trip all the way to the Kurobe Dam, and then returning. If there is sufficient time, you can also stay overnight at a hotel on the mountain.


Question: How long does it take to complete the entire journey along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route?

It usually takes 8 to 9 hours.

Tokyo： Sensoji Temple Tokyo Skytree Tokyo Tower Nakamise Shopping Street Shibuya-ku Omotesando Hamarikyu Onshi Teien Imperial Palace East Garden Shinjuku Gyoen Akihabara Tokyo's Ginza Sumida River Cruise Tokyo Disneyland Kyoto： Kinkaku-ji Temple Nijo Castle The Kyoto Imperial Palace Kiyomizu-dera Temple Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka Nishiki Market Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Togetsukyo Bridge Tenryu-ji Temple Arashiyama Yakatabune Boat Gion Gion Corner Jōjakukō-ji Temple Higashiyama Jishō-ji Temple Heian Shrine Samurai and Ninja Museum with Experience Center Nara： Todaiji Temple Nara Park Kasuga Taisha Shrine Mt.Wakakusa Naramachi Isuien Garden Toshodai-ji Temple Hōryū-ji Temple Mt. Fuji： Arakurayama Sengen Park Lake Kawaguchiko Oshino Hakkai Mount Fuji climbing route: Yoshida Trail the Fuji Panorama Cable Car Fuji Sengen Shrine Oishi Park Saiko Iyashi no sato Nenba Kubota Itchiku Art Museum Osaka： Osaka Castle Dōtonbori Food Street Shinsaibashi Street Museum of Japanese Houses Kuromon Market Universal Studios Japan Umeda Sky Building Osaka Aqua Liner Shitennoji Temple Tsutenkaku Tower Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan Tempozan Ferris Wheel Hiroshima： Itsukushima Shinto Shrine Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum Atomic Bomb Dome Miyajima Island Hiroshima Castle Shukkaien Garden Hokkaido： White Lovers Park Odori Park Sapporo Clock Tower Sapporo Beer Museum Hokkaido Shrine Former Hokkaido Government Red Brick Building Sapporo TV Tower Nijo Market Central Wholesale Market Sapporo Tanukikoji Shopping Street Mt.Okura Observatory Otaru Jozankei Onsen Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse Goryokaku Park Hakodate Morning Market Lake Toya Lake Shikotsu Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley Mount Hakodate Motomachi District Onuma Quasi National Park Cape Chikyu Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe Noboribetsu Bear Park Noboribetsu Date Jidai Village Furano Farm Shikisai No Oka Hokusei no Oka Observatory Park Blue Pond Nagano： Matsumoto Castle Zenkoji Temple Nozawa Onsen Jigokudani Monkey Park Karuizawa Suwa Shrine Kiso Valley Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Kanazawa： Higashi Chaya District Kenrokuen Garden
Location: Japan - Nagano
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a 90-kilometer-long tourist route that traverses the Northern Japanese Alps.
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Private customized travel packages related to Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route


Tags: Couple Tours Group Tours Winter Tours

Code: Tour-JPN-12D-C006
Price: from 7800 USD
Itineraries: Tokyo(2 days)-Mt. Fuji-Nagano-Matsumoto-Takayama-Kanazawa-Kyoto(3 days)-Nara-Osaka

This is a personalized custom itinerary for a winter trip to Japan. Enjoy a private driver and guide throughout your personalized journey in Japan, with each day's sightseeing itinerary tailored to your needs. The trip starts from the southern coast of Tokyo and reaches the northern coastline, from Kanto to Kansai, smoothly transitioning from bustling cities to peaceful villages.

Tags: UNSECO Japanese Alps Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Couple Tours Group Tours

Code: Tour-JPN-12D-B029Z0303
Price: from 9800 USD
Itineraries: Tokyo - Mt. Fuji - Hakone - Nikko - Ashikaga - Toyama - Kanazawa - Shirakawago - Matsumoto - Tokyo

This 12-day journey will take us to visit the most popular natural and cultural attractions around Tokyo, including Hakone, Nikko, and Mt. Fuji. And we will also embark on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, crossing the Japanese Alps, known as "the roof of Japan", to capture the breathtaking alpine natural scenery.

Tags: Japanese Alps Couple Tours Group Tours

Code: Tour-JPN-10D-B032Z0319
Price: from 7200 USD
Itineraries: Tokyo - Mt. Fuji - Suwa - Matsumoto - Naraijuku - Alps - Nagano - Karuizawa - Tokyo

This 10-day journey will take us to visit the most popular natural and cultural attractions in Tokyo and Nagano, including the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Narai-juku, Suwa and Matsumoto, as well as the World-class tourism town Karuizawa.

Tags: Japan Alps Winter Couple Tours Group Tours

Code: Tour-JPN-12D-WNG010
Price: from 8800 USD
Itineraries: Tokyo(Arrival)-Tokyo-Kyoto(3 days)-Takayama(2 days)-Matsumoto(2 days)-Nagano-Karuizawa-Tokyo(Departure)

This is a personalized winter travel route in Japan, away from the big cities, allowing you to spend more time exploring the rural areas. The vast mountains of Nagano Prefecture are known as the "Japanese Alps", it is a great choice for a visit because the region has well-developed winter infrastructure and all facilities are open.