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Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The is a mountain sightseeing route between Tateyama, Toyama and Ōmachi, Nagano, Japan. Opened on June 1, 1971, it is long, with a difference in elevation of as much as .

The Alpine Route goes through Tateyama (Mt. Tate) in the Hida Mountains with many scenic sites as well as walking trails, including Japan's largest dam, Kurobe Dam. Some stations have hotels around them and are used as bases for mountain climbing or trekking. From the top of the mountain, it is possible to see Mount Fuji on a clear day.

Overview

The route is composed of seven different transportation services using five different modes: funicular, bus, trolleybus, aerial tramway, and walking. Three transport lines go through tunnels to protect them from snow: one funicular railway and two bus lines. One of the bus lines is the last trolleybus line in Japan, and the other was converted to all-electric buses in 2018. The bus lines are used because they do not exhaust fumes in the tunnels. During summer, shuttle buses between Toyama and Murodō are also available.

The operates most lines in the route. Its official abbreviation is TKK. The word kankō (貫光) was coined by Muneyoshi Saeki, the first president of the company. According to him, kan () means "time-space", and kō () means "outer space", while kan (貫) also (normally) means "to penetrate", as in "to penetrate Tateyama Mountains" and kō (normally) means "light". The word is a homophone to kankō (観光; "sightseeing"), possibly intentionally.

Lines and stations

<sup>1</sup>: Sometimes considered as a part of the route. However, most guided tours use chartered buses for this section.
<sup>2</sup>: The line runs entirely in a tunnel.
<sup>3</sup>: The line is mostly in a tunnel and operated with trolleybuses until November 2018.

Sights

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route involves many sights and attractions for visitors, including:

  • The Oyama Shrine, near the Oyama Peak. This peak is better known but it is not the highest point of the mountain (Onanjiyama).
  • A shopping area and onsen bath on Murodo Plateau. The onsen on Tateyama is famous for its use of sulfur spring water for the bath. There are also several hiking and walking paths that visitors can take through Hell's Valley (Jigokudani) and the other valleys. As with many volcanic areas in Japan of the same name, people cannot walk within the sulfur valley due to gas-related safety concerns.
  • The snow walls called Yukino-ōtani, which are present from mid-April to June, and which tower anywhere from 15 to 20 meters high (roughly 50 to 65 feet). They flank the road leading to Murodo Station. There are many charter services from Taipei, Incheon and Thailand during the high season to reach Murodo at this time.
  • The Kurobe Dam, which stands at 186 meters (610 feet), making it the tallest dam in Japan. From Murodō Station, visitors should take the Tateyama Tunnel Trolleybus (10 minutes), followed by the Tateyama Ropeway (7 minutes), and finally the Kurobe Cable Car (5 minutes).

Midagahara is a flat walking area filled with flowing plains interrupted by blue ponds. Near the bus stop that returns visitors to Bijodaira back down the mountain is a slightly hidden walking path. Midagahara is accessible from Tateyama Station via the Tateyama Cable Car (7 minutes) followed by Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route bus (about 40 minutes) that goes in the direction of Murodō Station.

Shōmyō Falls (the tallest waterfall in Japan) is visible across the valley while traveling along the main road from Tateyama Station to the Murodo Plateau.

The section between Kurobe Dam and Ōgisawa was originally made for construction of the dam, while the section between Tateyama and Kurobeko was for tourists from the beginning.

Today, the entire route serves exclusively as a scenic sightseeing journey through the Japanese Alps, popular with tourists. Most travelers complete the route in one direction, either east to west or vice versa. It can be done in a single day or at a more relaxed pace, with an overnight stay at one of the lodges or hotels along the way.

See also

References

External links