Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a unique, scenic mountain route through the Tateyama Mountain Range, which consists of peaks over 3,000 meters high. The 37.2-kilometer route extends from Ogisawa Station in Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture, to Tateyama Station in Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture. The highest point is 2,450 meters above sea level.

A series of buses and cable cars connect the route, allowing visitors to enjoy beautiful nature and spectacular scenery. You can start the trip from either end and turn around at any point to go back to the starting location. Since I drove, I took a round trip from Ogizawa to Murodo in the fall and from Tateyama to Murodo the following summer.

I stayed in Omachi City to visit the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. It is a quiet town surrounded by mountains. Most of the people visiting this town are mountain climbers or tourists going to the route.

Kurobe Dam

The first stop from the Nagano side is the Kurobe Dam. It is Japan’s tallest dam at 186 meters. The construction of the Kurobe Dam was so difficult that 171 people were killed.

The Kurobe Dam is one of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route’s main attractions. Seeing more than 10 tons of water discharge every second is breathtaking. If you’re lucky, you might see a beautiful rainbow over the water. Kurobe Lake formed when construction of the dam was completed.

You need to walk across the dam to get to the connecting station, Kurobeko (Kurobe Lake).

The cable car connects Korobeko (黒部湖) and Kurobe Daira (黒部平) meaning Kurobe plateau.

Daikanbo (大観峰)

Daikanbo is located in the middle of the towering cliff. Visitors can look down at the spectacular view of Kurobe Lake and the Tateyama Mountain Range from a height of 2,316 meters above sea level. Take the ropeway and slowly make your way through the surrounding nature.

Murodo （Mt. Tateyama）

The peak of the Alpine Route sightseeing!

Murodo is the highest point on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, located at an elevation of approximately 2,450 meters. There, you can see tall snow walls along the road that reach as high as 20 meters. The Big Snow Valley is only accessible on foot from spring to early summer. I visited in early June, and the walls had shrunk considerably. Nevertheless, seeing the snow walls up close is more spectacular than seeing pictures of them.

Murodo offers a network of hiking trails, and you can enjoy the Murodo area all day and more. There are hotels, lodges and drop in onsen (hot spring bath) along the trails. I was lucky to see few birds in Murodo.

Bijyodaira

Bijyodaira is the first stop of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route from Toyama side(or the last from Nagano side). It is also a transfer station to switch between the train and the bus. I did not spend much time here but you can enjoy trekking and bird watching here.

View from the bus was great.

How to get to Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The route is closed from December to mid April. Check the official site for the opening period.

If you are departing from Tokyo, it is easier to go through Nagano than through Toyama. And if you are going to Nagano, I recommend visiting interesting places, such as Karuizawa, Matsumoto and Kamikochi, before going to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. I have some suggestions for places to visit in Nagano.

From Tokyo to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
Take the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station (100 minutes, around 8500 yen) and then a bus to Ogizawa (about 105 minutes). The Japan Rail Pass and JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass cover the shinkansen, but not the bus.

If you are in or around Hakuba or Matsumoto, take the JR train to Shinano Omachi and then the bus to Ogizawa.

From Toyama to Tateyama

You need to take a train departing from Dentetu-Toyama Station operated by Toyama Chihou Railway. The station is located next to JR Toyama Station. Take the Tateyama line train to Tateyama Station.

Access to Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is shown in detail on the official Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route website.