Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route
October 2014
After leaving Tokyo early evening with the MAX Toki Shinkansen number 341, we reach Echigo-Yuzawa.
We switch train and board the Limited Express Hakutaka to Toyama.
In Toyama we spend the night at the Apa Ekimae hotel, next to the train station. We rise early to attack the crossing of the Japanese Alps.
Of the three advertised seasons, the early spring is most famous for its 20m high vertical snow walls. The fall, however is the most popular for its colors and we expect to face a crowd, as this is the 'Health's Sports Day' weekend, the busiest in the year.
Setting off to the train station, I capture this art-meets-reality moment.
At the Toyama Dentetsu station we face high-school rush hour!
Our train enters the station. It is the first leg in a complicated multi-means-of-transportation route through this portion of the Japanese Alps.
The Toyama Chiho Railway winds its way towards Tateyama Station, a sleepy town at the foot of the Alps.
At Tateyama Station, we board a bus for Murodo. The usual route is to take the cable car to Bijodaira and then only a bus to Murodo, however, because this is the busiest week-end of the year, special buses are arranged to offload the tiny cable car.
The road is scenic, climbing the valley side through countless switchbacks and tunnels...
...most of which have windows!
After passing Bijodaira station, we drive through a thick forest of beautiful old cedars.
We soon reach Midagahara, a wetland situated on a plateau 2000m above sea level.
During the winter, snow falls heavily here as attested by the roadside 5m high snow markers.
One hour after leaving Tateyama Station, we reach Murodo. From here, the normal road stops and tourists normally take a trolley bus through a tunnel followed by the Tateyama ropeway down to Kurobedaira. Leaving that route to the throngs of elderly Japanese ladies, we decide to make it sporty and walk from Murodo to Kurobedaira (5h and 1700 vertical meters).
Shortly after leaving Murodo Station, we pass by the beautiful Mikurigaike pond.
Now, the real work begins! The first stretch climbs from Murodo to the Ichino-Koshi pass.
At Ichino-Koshi, a mountain hut serves hot noodle soup.
From here, we could go down the other side to our destination. However, since we lucked-out on the weather, we decide to make it to the top of Mount Tate. The map says it should take an hour.
Gaining elevation, beautiful vistas open, showing off spectacular autumn colors.
The hut now seems tiny as we approach the top.
Near the top is a second hut.
We pass the Tori Gate and head for the last leg to the top.
After only 45 minutes, we reach the shrine sitting at the top of Mount Tate, 3003m above sea level.
In the distance Mount Fuji is even visible! Mount Tate is the second most sacred mountain in Japan.
Time to return to Ichigo-Koshi...
Following the locals, we grab a noodle soup at the hut and make a welcome lunch stop. The climb down Tateyama was fun and quick but it took its toll on our legs. Now feeling quite tired we face the walk down to Kurobedaira, a 1200m altitude drop.
The first part is relatively gentle and we feel optimistic...
A third of the way down, the top station of the Tateyama Ropeway becomes visible.
Following the rope, we realize that the base station (our destination, on the left side of the picture) is still quite far away! Indeed, the following two hours will prove to be quite hellish as we have clamber down a lengthy, poorly maintained, steep trail.
Well, we finally make it to Kurobedaira, just in time for the 4pm cable car.
After being pretty much alone on the way down, we meet the crowd again!
The cable car looses another 400m to reach Kurobeko (Lake Kurobe) at 1455m.
After a long tunnel (my legs are now totally cramped up and i can barely walk), we exit directly onto the Kurobe Dam.
The lake behind the dam beautifully reflects the fall colors enhanced by the setting sun.
During the week-ends, water is released through the dam, purely for the visual pleasure of the tourists.
The Kurobe Dam is the highest dam in Japan and was notoriously difficult to built, with many (171) workers losing their lives.
Crossing the dam to the other side, we reach the station.
The next leg is a trolleybus going through the Kanden tunnel accross the final mountain range to the resort town of Ogizawa. From there we take a bus down to Shinano-Omachi where we catch a train to Matsumoto. We reach Matsumoto at 8pm, 13 hours after leaving Toyama, super tired, but very happy to have completed this spectacular itinerary accross the beautiful Japanese Alps during the fall foliage season. We spend the night at the friendly Dormy hotel where the rooftop onsen is feels like paradise.
