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Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

Snowy Ootani Walk" through a powerful 20-meter-high snow wall

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, one of the world's most famous mountain tourism routes, runs through the 3,000-meter-high Northern Alps. The "Tateyama Kurobe Snow Valley Festival" is held in Murodo, Tateyama, from mid-April to mid-June, just after the Alpine Route is fully opened. The most popular event is the "Yuki-no-Otani Walk," a walk through a wall of snow. Located near Murodo, an area of heavy snowfall, the snow wall formed by snow removal from roads in the valley is as high as 20 meters. Visitors can see and touch the huge snow walls soaring toward the sky, and experience their power up close.

▼Snowy Otani Walk
Date: Tue, April 15 - Wed, June 25, 2025 (tentative)
Location：500m section of Tateyama Murododaira and Tateyama Toll Road from "Murodou Terminal" to "Ootani
Fee: Free of charge
URL :https://www.alpen-route.com/enjoy_navi/snow_otani/#fststage

Stroll along the snow boardwalk with a panoramic view of the Tateyama Mountain Range

In addition to the Yuki-no-Otani Walk, there are many other spots here and there with spectacular views of mountains and snow. The snow boardwalk "Panorama Road" offers a panoramic view of the mighty Tateyama mountain range and is breathtakingly beautiful. In addition, the "Snow Tunnel" and "Snow Pocket," a giant snowman, are just a few of the many fun things to do only in the spring when the snow is falling.
From the Nagano Prefecture side, it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Ogisawa Station in Omachi City to Tateyama Murodo, the venue of the festival, by cable car or ropeway. Direction by a variety of vehicles is also a real pleasure.

▼ Panorama Road
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - Tuesday, May 6, 2025 (Mon) 10:00 - 15:00
▼Snow Pockets
Date: mid-April to early May, 2025
Snow Tunnel
Date: mid-May to mid-June, 2025

All of them are free of charge. For details, check the official website. https://www. alpen-route.com/enjoy_navi/snow_otani/#fststage

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

• Tateyama Murodo Area MAP
• From JR Shinano-Omachi Station, take a bus to Ogisawa Station or drive 40 minutes. From Ogisawa Station, take the Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus, Kurobe Cable Car, Tateyama Ropeway, or Tateyama Tunnel Trolley Bus to Murodo in 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Scheduled operation period in 2025: April 15 (Tue) - November 30 (Sun)
• Free of charge for sightseeing
• 076-432-2819
• Ogisawa Station Pay & Free (Omachi City Parking)

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Kurobe Dam

The snow-covered Tateyama Mountains coming from the dam with the highest embankment in Japan are a sight to behold!

Located on the border between Nagano and Toyama prefectures, this is Japan's tallest arched dome overflow dam. Surrounded by 3,000-meter mountains, it is covered in snow even in mid-April, when the tourist season begins.
From Ogisawa Station, the gateway to the Nagano Prefecture side, take an electric bus to Kurobe Dam Station (about 16 minutes). From there, two routes are available: one is a 60-step descent to the dam's embankment, and the other is a 220-step climb to the dam observation deck. From the dam, the Tateyama mountain range with lingering snow can be seen in full view. The snow melts around G.W., and visitors can enjoy the dazzling fresh greenery in mid-May.

Watching the powerful sightseeing water discharge from various angles

Don't miss the annual sightseeing water discharge from June 26 to October 15. The sight of more than 10 tons of water sprayed into a mist every second is truly breathtaking. There are various viewing points, such as the water discharge viewing stage and Rainbow Terrace. On a clear day, you may be able to see a beautiful rainbow over the water discharge.
If you want to take a break, try "Kurobe Dam Curry," a specialty that represents the dam, at the Kurobe Dam Rest House, which overlooks the dam below. From June to early November, visitors can take a 30-minute cruise on the Kurobe Lake sightseeing boat "Garube," which operates at the highest altitude in Japan, for an exhilarating experience.

Kurobe Dam

• Tateyama Town, Nakashinagawa-gun, Toyama MAP
• Approx. 40 min. from JR Shinano Omachi Stn. to Ogisawa Stn. by bus or car, approx. 16 min. from Ogisawa Stn. by Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus.
• 7:30-17:00
• December to mid-April
• Free of charge for sightseeing
• 0261-22-0804
• Ohgisawa Station Pay & Free (Kuroyon General Reservation Center)

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Yukigata Watching

A poetic tradition that heralds the arrival of spring in the Northern Alps

The name "Yukigata" comes from the name given to the contrast between the white areas of remaining snow and the black areas of the mountainside when the snow begins to melt, and the shape of a person or animal is found. Some of the names of mountains, such as "Chogatake" (Mt. Chogatake), are derived from the shape of the snowflake, which looks like a butterfly. Many snow forms appear on the slopes of the Northern Alps from late April to late May. People in the foothills of the mountain used to use this time of year as a guide for starting their agricultural work, such as sowing seeds when they saw "seed sowing grandfather" wearing a straw raincoat and a hat, or filling rice paddies with water when they saw "shirokaki-uma" (a horse used for raking seedlings).

Let's go around the viewpoints and look at the snowy shape of the mountains.

You can see the snow-covered landscape from the windows of the JR Oito Line if you take the train, or from the North Alps Panorama Road near the Azumino IC if you take the car. Look at the Northern Alps over watered rice paddies and apple blossoms, and note the patterns on the surface of the mountains.
If you want to learn more about the timing and direction of the snowshapes, we recommend participating in the "Snow Shape Watching" (500 yen for high school students and older), which is held every year on two Saturdays and Sundays between the end of May and the end of G.W. While listening to a commentary by the Azumino Snow Shape Study Group, you can take a bus to snow shape viewpoints in Omachi City, Hakuba Village, and Azumino.

▼Snow Shape Watching
URL: https: //kanko-omachi.gr.jp/spot/yukigata/
Address: Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture - Omachi City - Azumino City area
TEL：0261-22-0190（Omachi City Tourist Association)
Note: For more information about the "Snow Shape Watching" event, please visit https://kanko-omachi.gr.jp/event/ Confirmation required at

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Lake Nakatsunako

Breathtaking red Oyama cherry blossoms reflected in the water mirror

Lake Nishina is one of the "Three Lakes of Nishina" along with Lake Kisaki and Lake Aoki, located in the northern part of Omachi City. Located at an elevation of approximately 815 m, the lake usually blooms in late April or early May, a little later than the cherry blossoms in the city, when approximately 100 oyama cherry trees bloom with pale red flowers.
The best time to visit is on a sunny morning when there is no wind and the surface of the lake is not shaking. The colorful cherry blossoms are reflected on the surface of the water, and the beauty is beyond description. With a circumference of about 2 km, it is the smallest of the three lakes of Nishina, so you can walk along the lakeside to find the best spots.

Cherry blossom viewing cruises are also available to view the cherry blossoms from the lake

Lake Nakatsuna is also known as a power spot. Once upon a time, there was a temple called Jukokuji Temple on the shore of the lake, which sank into the lake along with the golden bell in its bell tower due to a major earthquake one year. Since then, legend has it that the sound of the bell can be heard whenever the weather changes and that the golden bell can be seen at the bottom of the lake when riding in a boat on a sunny day.
In spring, Lake Nakatsuna, where such legends remain, offers activities such as a "cherry blossom viewing cruise" in which visitors can enjoy the cherry blossoms in a canoe. The view of the Oyamazakura cherry trees in full bloom from the lake is exceptional.

Lake Nakatsunako

• Hiranakatsuna, Omachi-shi, Nagano MAP
• 20 min. drive from JR Shinano-Omachi Stn., 3 min. walk from JR Yanaba Stn.
• 0261-22-0190（Omachi City Tourist Association)
• Free of charge
• For more information about Hanami Cruise, please check https://activityjapan.com/publish/plan/26158( Omachi-Aokiko Adventure Club)

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Omachi Park

Admire the pale cherry blossoms and lingering snow in the Northern Alps

A peaceful park in front of the Omachi Mountain Museum, where you can see the city of Omachi below. About 40 Someiyoshino and Oyama cherry trees are planted in the park, and their pale pink flowers usually bloom in late April. The highlight of the park is the contrast between the cherry blossoms and the white lingering snow-covered Northern Alps. During the daytime, the park is crowded with people enjoying cherry blossom viewing on picnic sheets laid out on the lawn, and from mid-April to early May, the Omachi Cherry Blossom Festival is held, during which the cherry blossoms are lit up by lanterns after dark, creating a fantastic night view of the cherry blossoms.

Take a walk while viewing cherry blossoms against the backdrop of magnificent mountains

The Omachi Cemetery, a 5-minute walk south of Omachi Park, is likewise known for its spectacular view of the cherry blossoms and the Northern Alps. The Omachi Sightseeing Road, which runs from the Omachi Mountain Museum to Mikamachi in the north, is also lined with cherry trees. The road runs parallel to the mountains of the Northern Alps, and a leisurely stroll is recommended to enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains through the cherry blossoms. Be careful of cars as the road is narrow, and enjoy Omachi's unique spring scenery.

Omachi Park

• 8056-1 Omachi, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture MAP
• 7 min. drive from JR Shinano Omachi Station
• 0261-22-0190（Omachi City Tourist Association)
• Free of charge

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Nakayama Kogen

Be healed by the rape blossoms covering the hillside.

Located on the east side of Lake Kisaki is a gently sloping hillside of about 15 hectares. From late April to late May, the 900-meter-high plateau, which has been used as the location for a TV drama, is decorated with a yellow carpet of rape blossoms. On a clear day, you can enjoy an exhilarating view of the Northern Alps. In late summer, the sight of white buckwheat flowers blooming all over the area is also fantastic. The autumn leaves turning red and yellow are also beautiful, making this a spot to visit in various seasons. There is also a café where you can enjoy vegetables from their own farm and cuisine using gibier, and we recommend taking a break while enjoying the spectacular view.

Nakayama Plateau

• 8295-48 Omachi, Omachi-shi, Nagano MAP
• 12 min. drive from JR Shinano Omachi Stn.
• 0261-22-0190（Omachi City Tourist Association)
• Free of charge

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Nogugawa River Park

A spring panorama of pink carpets and the Northern Alps

The banks of the Nohgugawa River are located on the east side of downtown Omachi, upstream from the Shimokemi Bridge. It is a popular spot for the colorful shiba-zakura (lawn cherry blossoms), which cover the entire area underfoot in shades of pink, white, and light purple. The best time to see the shiba-zakura is from late April to early May. The best time to view the flowers is from late April to early May, and it takes several weeks from the time they are in full bloom to the time they begin to fall, making it a relatively long viewing period. In late May, the flowers of irises and azaleas can also be enjoyed.

Nogugawa River Park

• Omachi Yamadamachi, Omachi-shi, Nagano MAP
• 5 minutes from JR Shinano-Omachi Station by car
• 0261-22-0190（Omachi City Tourist Association)
• Free of charge

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Oide Park

A cherry blossom viewing spot reminiscent of the original landscape of Japan

With the spectacular mountains of the Northern Alps in the background, the park offers an idyllic view of the pristine Himegawa River, a suspension bridge, a water mill, and thatch-roofed houses, all of which are part of the original Japanese landscape. Someiyoshino and Oyamazakura cherry trees along the riverbank are usually in full bloom from late April to early May. During the cherry blossom viewing season, the park is crowded with people taking pictures and sketching. A 5-minute walk up a gentle slope from the parking lot leads to an observation deck on a natural hill, where visitors can enjoy the dynamic view of the 3,000-meter Hakuba Sanzanzan (Mt. Hakuba Yari, Mt. Shakushidake, and Mt. Hakuba). There is also a coffee shop near the observatory, where you can enjoy coffee indoors or out.

Oide Park

• Kitajo Oide, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano MAP
• Approx. 14 min. walk from JR Hakuba Station
• 0261-72-7100（Hakuba Village Tourism Bureau)
• Free of charge