TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE and GOKAYAMA PAGE 1 / 4

Practical Travel Guide - 402 TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE and GOKAYAMA

Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route（立山黒部アルペンルー ト） period are summer and the season of autumnal leaves (late Sep. The route for crossing the Northern Alps by various thru late Oct.). See http://www.alpen-route.com/english/index. means of transportation between -Omachi and html for more information. takes 8 hrs. to look around. You can enjoy the alpine nature Gokayama（五箇山） without heavy climbing equipment. Sneakers, an umbrella and a Nestled along the deep gorge of Sho River, 33 Gassho-zukuri cold weather outfit are necessary. The whole transportation houses have been preserved in the historic villages of Gokayama network is operated only from late Apr. to late Nov. The peak including Taira and Ainokura.

Tateyama-Kurobe & Toyama Toyama

Tateyama Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route To Nagaoka Shinano Nagano 05 km Ohmachi Matsumoto Japan Sea Kurobe IC

Toyama Chiho Tetsudou Main Line Uozu Sta. Mt. Asahidake Unazuki Onsen Sta. Uozu IC Kurobe Kyokoku RailwaysKuronagi Sta. Kurobe Gorge Namerikawa Sta. 黒部渓谷 8 Iwasehama Sta. Namerikawa IC

Takaoka Kanetsuri Sta. Sta. Kamiichi Sta. Toyama Sta. Terada Sta. Inarimachi Sta. Oiwayunomiko Mt. Tateyama Keyakidaira Sta. 立山 JR Line To Hakuba Asohara To Osaka Mt. Oyama Hokuriku Expressway Toyama Chiho Tetsudou 雄山 Mt. Tsurugidake Tateyama Line Kurobedaira Daikanbo Kurobe Tateyama Museum Mikurigaike JR Takayama Line Iwakuraji Sta. みくりが 池 JR Oito Line Tateyama Sta. Ogisawa 立山駅 Midagahara 156 弥陀ヶ原 Mt. Akazawa Johana Sta. Arimine Rd Murodo 大町 Toga 利賀 アルペンライン 室堂 Shinano Omachi Sta. 304 Lake Kurobe

Arimine Dam Taira Lake Arimine Ainokura Gokayama Area Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Suganuma 五箇山 Kamitaira 上平 立山・黒部アルペンルート To Matsumoto

Access: Shinano-Omachi and Toyama are gateways to the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route To Shinano-Omachi: (Reserved-seat) Destination Type of transportation Time required Fare one-way Shinjuku Sta. (Tokyo) → Shinano-Omachi JR Limited Express “Super Azusa” “ Azusa” 3 hrs. 10 min. – 30 min. ¥ 7,440 Shinjuku Sta. → Matsumoto Limited Express “Super Azusa” “Azusa” 2 hrs. 30 min. – 3 hrs. 15 min. ¥ 6,710 Shinjuku BT → Matsumoto Express bus ★ 3 hrs. 10 min. ¥ 3,400 Matsumoto Sta. → Shinano-Omachi JR local train (Oito Line) 1hr. ¥ 650 Shinjuku BT → Shinano-Omachi Express bus ★ 3 hrs. 55 min. ¥ 4,100 Tokyo Sta. → Nagano JR Nagano “” 1 hr. 20 min. – 1 hr. 50 min. ¥ 7,970 Nagano BT → Shinano-Omachi Express bus 1 hr. 05 min. ¥ 1,800 Shin-Osaka Sta. → Nagoya JR Tokaido Shinkansen “Nozomi” “Hikari” 52 min. ¥ 6,180~ Nagoya Sta. → Matsumoto JR Limited Express “Wide View Shinano” 1 hr. 55 min. – 2 hrs. 10 min. ¥ 5,870 Hankyu-Umeda BT (Osaka) → Matsumoto Express bus ★★ 5 hrs. 30 min. ¥ 5,710 ★ Reservation required. Keio Bus Tel: (03)5376-2222 BT = Bus Terminal ★★ Reservation required. Hankyu Bus Tel: (06)6866-3147 PAGE 2 / 4 TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE and GOKAYAMA

To Toyama: (Reserved-seat) Destination Type of transportation Time required Fare one-way Tokyo Sta. → Echigoyuzawa Sta. JR Joetsu Shinkansen “Max ” Echigoyuzawa Sta. → Toyama Sta. JR Limited Express “” 3 hrs. 30 min. ¥11,300 (All passengers change trains at Echigoyuzawa Sta.) Haneda Airport (Tokyo) → Toyama Airport. Airplane (ANA) 1 hr. ¥22,070 Ikebukuro East BT → Toyama. Sta. Express bus 6 hrs. 25 min. ¥7,340 Osaka Sta. → Toyama Sta. JR Limited Express “Thunder Bird” 3 hrs. 20 min. ¥8,290 Osaka (Umeda) BT → Toyama Sta. Express bus 5 hrs. 30 min. ¥5,200 * Operated on Fridays during Mar. to June, and the following dates; – Mar. 19, Apr. 28, 30 and May 1 – 4.

Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route

Mt. Tateyama (3,015 m) 立山

Mt. Akazawa (2,678 m) To Nagaoka 赤沢岳 To Hakuba 長岡へ Daikanbo Sta. 白馬へ (大観峰) Murodo 室堂 Raiden 雷殿 Ogisawa Tengudaira Kurobedaira 扇沢 天狗平 黒部平 Terada Sta. Midagahara

北陸本線 弥陀ヶ原 寺田駅 Kurobeko 大糸線 JR Hokuriku Line JR Bijodaira Kurobe Dam JR Oito Line JR 黒部湖 Tateyama Sta. 美女平 黒部ダム Toyama Sta. 立山駅 Shinano-Omachi Sta. 富山駅 信濃大町駅(信濃大町)

To Matsumoto 松本へ

To Kyoto 京都へ Toyama- Tateyama Tateyama Chiho Tetsudou Tateyama Tateyama-Kogen Trolley Bus Ropeway Kanden Tateyama Line Cablecar Sightseeing Bus 立山トンネル 立山ロープ Kurobe Cablecar Trolley Bus Local Bus 富山地方鉄道立山線 立山ケーブルカー 立山高原バス トロリーバス ウェイ 黒部ケーブルカー 関電トロリーバス 路線バス ¥1,170 ¥700 ¥1,660 ¥2,100 ¥1,260 ¥840 Walk ¥1,500 ¥1,330 50 min. 7 min. 50 min. 10 min. 7 min. 5 min. 20 min. 16 min. 40 min.

* Through ticket is available at Toyama Sta. (¥10,560 for adult, one way)

Recommended Walking Route Nature guides of offer voluntary tours on Murododaira Hiking Route (A 1 to 2-hour hike) nature in the following areas. Located at the highest point of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Murodo offers a choice of numerous hiking routes. The Murododaira Surroundings area around Murodo boasts many noteworthy sights, among Duration: 0.5 – 2 hrs. (6 different courses) them Mikurigaike Pond and Jigokudani Valley. In particular, views Period: May – Oct. of the Tateyama Mountains reflectded in the clear waters of Starting Time: 9:00, 10:30, 13:30 and 15:00 (depends on the Mikurigaike are something that cannot be missed. course) Jigokudani is still an active hot spring and water vapor also Meeting Place: Tateyama Nature Preservation Center 3F spouts out, therefore it is very dangerous to walk off-course. The route around Mikurigaike takes about 1 hr. to hike, while Midagahara Surroundings the route around Jigokudani takes around 2 and 1/2 hrs. The Duration: 1 – 2 hrs. (3 different courses) routes are closed from December until March. Period: May – Oct. Starting Time: 9:45, 13:15, 15:15 (depends on the course) Midagahara Hiking Route (A 1 or 2-hour hike) Meeting Place: Midagahara Bus Stop Midagahara is an area of highlands and is 2,000 meters above sea level. Even the marsh is maintained as a promenade. A short Please note that these tours may be called off due to the weath- course will take about 1 hr., and the long course will take about er and other reasons. Please ask for the operating dates. 2 hrs. Tel. 076 (465) 5213 Various wild flowers of the highlands can be seen in Jul. and Aug. You can enjoy the fall foliage in Oct. TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE and GOKAYAMA PAGE 3 / 4

Temperature around Murodo (ºC) Late-Apr. Mid-May Mid-Jun. Mid-Jul. Mid-Aug. Mid-Sep. Mid-Oct. Early Nov. 4月下旬 5月中旬 6月中旬 7月中旬 8月中旬 9月中旬 10月中旬 11月上旬 Highest 10 10 13 15 16 12 8 5 最 高 Lowest -5 4 7 11 14 10 2 0 最 低

Murododaira Hiking Route（室堂平周辺散策コース）

Jigokudani 地獄谷 Raicho-so Mikurigaike Onsen 雷鳥荘 Rindoike りんどう池 みくりが池 温泉 Chinoike 血の池 Midorigaike Mikurigaike Mikurigaike みどりが池 To Tengudaira みくりが池 Midorigaike Playground 至天狗平 Playground みくりが池広場 みどりが池広場 Tateyama Murodo Sanso Lodge 立山室堂山荘 Tateyama Nature To Tengudaira Highway Bus Road Murodo Terminal Preservation Center Murodo Shed 至天狗平 高原バス道路 室堂ターミナル 室堂小屋 立山自然保護センター To Mt. Oyama To Mt. Murodo 至室堂山 至雄山

Midagahara Hiking Route（弥陀ヶ原周辺散策コース）

Ichinotani Road To Tengudaira To Murodo 至天狗平 一の谷道 Midagahara Promenade 至室堂 弥陀ヶ原遊歩道 Midagahara Hotel Bimatsuzaka Pass 美松坂道 弥陀ヶ原ホテル Rokko Gakuin Hut To Bijodaira 六甲学院ヒュ ッテ 至美女平 To Caldera Viewpoint Oiwake Toll Gate カルデラ展望台 Caldera Sabo 追分料金所 People’s Lodge Tateyama-so カルデラ砂 防 Highway Bus Road 国民宿舎立山荘 高速バス道路 Tateyama Caldera Matsuo Pass 立山カルデラ 松尾峠

Other Places of Interest: architectural style is called “Gassho-zukuri”. The two hamlets of Kurobe Gorge（黒部峡谷） Ainokura and Suganuma, where these houses are concentrated, This is the route of the tramcar going through Kurobe Gorge were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1995 from Unazuki Onsen to Keyakidaira. Along the line there are along with Shirakawago, another Gassho-zukuri house hamlet many places specializing in open-air baths (rotenburo) such as several kilometers away from Gokayama. Kuronagi and Kanetsuri. From the tramcar called Kurobe Kyokoku Railways you can enjoy the panorama of the Northern · Kamitaira Village（上平村） Japan Alps. Suganuma Gassho Shuraku（菅沼合掌集落） : A neighbor- hood of a group of 9 Gassho-zukuri houses. Access: 1 hr. 30 min. from Toyama Sta. to Unazuki Onsen by Gokayama Folklore Museum（五箇山民俗館） : A museum of Toyama Chiho Railways (once an hour). Fare: ¥1,790 (one- village daily life. This building is also a Gassho-zukuri house. way). Open: 9:00–16:00. Closed: Dec. 29–Jan. 3. Admission: ¥210 5-min. walk from Unazuki Onsen Sta. of Toyama Chiho The Iwase Residence（岩瀬家） : The largest Gassho-zukuri Railways to Unazuki Sta. of Kurobe Kyokoku Railways. house in Gokayama. Open: 8:00–17:00. Admission: ¥300. Kurobe Kyokoku Railways（黒部峡谷鉄道） : Operated only from May 1 thru Nov. 30. · Taira Village（平村） Fare (one-way): to Kanetsuri ¥1,190. Ainokura Gassho Shuraku（相倉合掌集落） : A group of 24 to Keyakidaira ¥1,660. Gassho-zukuri style houses. During summer vacation and the season of autumnal foliage it’s Ainokura Folklore Museum（相倉民俗館） : A museum of crowded and difficult to get tickets. Making reservations through sericulture, paper-making and tools of daily life in this area. This travel agencies is recommended. is one of the traditional Gassho-zukuri houses in Ainokura Gassho Shuraku. Open: 8:30–17:00. Open daily. Admission: Gokayama Area（五箇山） ¥200. Gokayama is a prefectural natural park including Kamitaira, Taira The Murakami Residence（村上家） : Important Cultural and Toga villages. In this area there are many houses preserved Property. Open: 8:30–17:00, 9:00–16:00 (December–March). in the classical Japanese country style dating from the 17th C. Its Closed: Wed. (Open when Wed. falls on a natinal holiday.) PAGE 4 / 4 TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE and GOKAYAMA

Admission: ¥300. four-square-meter mandala and exhibits and sells Buddhist paint- Gokayama Washi Ricepaper-making Center（五箇山和紙 ings, accessories imported from Nepal, and other items. 工芸館）: Gokayama is famous for its paper products. In this cen- Toga Performing Arts Park（利賀芸術公園） : World-known ter you can watch a short video of paper-making process and try theater spot with Japan’s first International Theatre Festival by yourself. Open: 8:30–17:00. Closed: Dec. 29–Jan. 3. “Toga Festival” (1982–1999), by Tadashi Suzuki and his company Admission: ¥200. Paper-making: ¥500 – ¥1,200 (per paper). SCOT. Celebrating the new millenium, a new program Toga Summer Arts Program started in 2000, a project of perfor- · Toga Village（利賀村） mance, competition, education and conference on performing Toga Meisou no Sato（利賀瞑想の郷） arts. For more information, call The Japan Performing Arts Having a theme of “healing and comfort,” this facility was built as Foundation at (0763) 68-2356 or (03) 3951-4843. a symbol of friendship with Tukche Village in Nepal. It features a

Accommodations: (Facilities marked with * are open Apr. through Nov.) Room rate Room rate Name of facilities Tel. Name of facilities Tel. (¥) (¥) Tateyama: Toyama: Senzanso (R) (076)482-1726 ¥ Toyoko Inn Jr. Toyama Ekimae (076)405-1045 ¥ Midagahara: Takaoka: People’s Lodge Tateyama-so (PE)* (076)442-3535 ¥¥ Daibutsu Ryokan (R) (0766)26-0760 ¥ Murodo: Kamitaira: Hotel Tateyama (H)* (076)465-3333 ¥¥¥ Akaokan (R) (0763)67-3321 ¥¥ Raicho Onsen Raicho-so (R)* (076)465-5777 ¥ Taira: Mikurigaike Onsen (R)* (076)465-4595 ¥¥ Gokasanso (PE) (0763)66-2316 ¥ Kurobe Dam: Kamitaira & Taira Area: Lodge Kuroyon (R)* (076)465-5776 ¥¥ Gokayama Gassho-zukuri Minshukus (0763)66-2468 ¥ Unazuki Onsen: [Tourist Association] Unazuki Entaijiso (R) (0765)62-1234 ¥¥¥ Toga: Unazuki Grand Hotel (H) (0765)62-1111 ¥¥¥ Starforest Toga (PE) (0763)68-8100 ¥ Unazuki New Otani Hotel (H) (0765)62-1041 ¥¥¥ Tenjinku-Onsen no Sato (R) (0763)68-8400 ¥¥ Kanetsuri Onsen: Kanetsuri Miyamaso (R) (0765)62-1248 ¥¥ (open May through Nov.)

Remarks: Standard rates are quoted. Rate per person. H = Hotel ¥¥¥ = more than 15,000 yen R = Ryokan ¥¥ = 8,001 yen – 15,000 yen PE = People’s Lodge ¥ = 8,000 yen or less

TOURIST INFORMATION

information (Visit Japan Information Network) Matsumoto Tourist Information Center: ( ) JR , 1-1-1, Fukashi, Matsumoto City, Ngano Pref Tourist Information Center TIC Tel. (0263)32-2814 TIC of Japan National Tourism Organization is your helping 9:00-17:45, Closed on Dec.29 - Jun.3 hand while in Japan. Its main services are providing travel Toyama Tourist Information Center: information and free literature on Japan such as tourist spots, JR , 1-227, Meirin-cho, Toyama City, Toyama Pref. transportation, and accomodation, etc, and suggesting tour Tel. (076)432-9751 itineraries. 8:30-20:00, Closed on Dec.29 - Jun.3 Ikiikikan (Toyama Tourism & Products Center): 1st Fl., Shin Tokyo Bldg., 3-3-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1-2-3, Shintomi-cho, Toyama City, Toyama Pref. 100-0005 Tel. 03-3201-3331 Tel. (076)444-7120 Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed: Jan. 1st) 10:00-20:00, Closed on the 3rd Tue.

All information, including transportation schedules, fares, prices and accommodation charges, which is contained in this leaflet is based on data as of August 2011, and is subject to change without notice. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all information, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, you should check with organizations concerned for updated and accurate information on your chosen destination. JNTO shall not be liable for any loss or damage of whatever nature that may arise as a result, directly or indirectly, from the use of any of the information or material contained in this leaflet. © 2011 Japan National Tourism Organization. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in Japan