Mountainous Nagano Prefecture is known as the Roof of Japan, and if that roof had a peak, it could very well be considered the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.

Along this spectacular sightseeing route, which crosses Mt. Tateyama to connect Nagano and Toyama prefectures, you can see the massive Kurobe Dam, the snow walls of Murodo, and plentiful alpine scenery.

Location and Access

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is situated between Nagano and Toyama Prefectures, and it can be accessed from either side. On the Nagano Side, it begins at Ogizawa, and on the Toyama side, it begins at Tateyama Station.

Most people take the route one-way, traveling from Nagano to Toyama or vice versa, but it is also possible to do a round-trip visit, reaching Murodo and doubling back the way you came.

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route posts timetables for each vehicle along the route. If they aren’t available on the English website, you can check timetables on the Japanese website here (machine-translated).

By Train and Bus

From Nagano

From Nagano Station, take the Ogizawa line bus from the Nagano Station east exit to Ogizawa (105 min.). The Alpine Route begins here and takes you all the way across to Dentetsu Toyama Station.

From Matsumoto

From Matsumoto Station, take the JR Oito line train to Shinano-Omachi Station (60 min.). From there, take the local bus to Ogizawa Station (40 min.)

By Car

The closest exit to the Alpine Route is the Azumino IC exit on the Nagano Expressway. From there, it's about an hour to Ogizawa.

If you plan to travel one-way along the route, you'll also need to have your vehicle forwarded to the other side of the route. There are two companies that offer this service: Tateyama Traffic and Sankeishya.

Fares

We’ve included fares along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route beginning from Nagano Station below. For those traveling between Nagoya and the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, the Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto area tourist pass may be cheaper. See the Alpine Route's official website for all fares.

One-way Fare
Nagano Station—Dentetsu Toyama Station: 16,660 yen (Children 8,340 yen)

Roundtrip Fare
Nagano Station—Kurobe Dam: 11,800 yen (Children 5,900 yen)
Nagano Station—Murodo (Snow Walls): 20,900 yen (Children 10,450 yen)
*Fares from April 15th, 2025

Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass

The Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass is a great option if you’re planning to visit the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route from Nagoya. It is valid for 5 days, so you can stop at sightseeing spots along the way, such as the post-towns of the Nakasendo Trail, Matsumoto Castle in Matsumoto City, the historical town of Takayama or the hot springs of Gero Onsen.

Price
Adults: ¥24,000 / Children: ¥12,000
*Children: 6 to 11 years of age

Validity Period
5 consecutive days

When to Visit

The Snow Walls of Murodo (mid-April to June)

Mikurigaike Pond in early August

Fall foliage beneath the Tateyama Ropeway in early October

Carpets of snow covering Murodo in late November

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is open from mid-April to late November annually. From the route’s opening to mid-June, you can see snow walls atop Murodo that reach up to 20 meters high. In summer from July to early September, you can see vibrant greenery contrasting against lingering snow and enjoy trekking around Murodo, Migadahara and Bijodaira. And Autumn offers incredible foliage from mid-September to late October. At the end of the season in mid- to late November, you can enjoy the fresh snow of early winter. 

Peak vs. Off-peak Season

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is very busy during prime snow-wall-viewing period from mid-April to early May, the Obon Holiday period in mid-August and weekends during the fall foliage viewing season between mid-September to mid-October.

Highlights of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Kurobe Dam

Fall foliage at Kurobe Dam in late October

Torrents of water are released from the dam from late June to mid-October

Close-up of Lake Kurobe

The Kurobe Dam is a massive achievement in engineering. As Japan's tallest dam at 186 meters in height, its sheer scale will blow you away. It is 492 meters long, made of over 1.5 million cubic meters of concrete, and each second, over 10 cubic meters of water pass through its generators. Each year, it generates one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough to power over 90,000 homes.

Between late June and mid-October, water is released from the spillway creating a gigantic rainbow for visitors to see.

The lake behind the dam can be toured via the Cruise Ship “Garube” (30 min. tours offered early June through mid-November). And the Dam Rest House serves the area’s iconic dish, Kurobe Dam Curry featuring a lake of delicious curry behind a dam of rice.

The Tateyama Ropeway

 

Fall foliage in early October

The terrace above the clouds at Daikanbo Station of the Tateyama Ropeway

One of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route's six forms of transportation, the Tateyama Ropeway spans the 1.7 km gap between Kurobedaira (1,828 m) and Daikanbo (2,316 m) stations in the middle of the alpine route. Due to the frequent avalanches in the valley during winter, there are no pylons supporting the ropeway. As a result, you can enjoy incredible, unobstructed scenery of the valley and surrounding mountains as you ride along the ropeway. The carpet of autumn colors in late September to mid-October is especially stunning.

At Daikanbo Station, there is an observation platform so you can take in the views to your heart’s content.

Murodo and the Snow Walls

The snow walls of Murodo in early May

Mikurigaike Pond in late May

The view of Murodo from the hiking trail to Mt. Oyama

The summit of Mt. Oyama

The highest point of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine route is Murodo at an elevation of 2,450 meters high, and it is best known for the towering snow walls that can be see here from mid-April into June. During summer, snow melts to reveal mirror-like Mikurigaike Pond, grasslands dotted with highland flowers and numerous trekking courses, including a 3.5-hour course to the summit of Oyama (3,003 m).

You can also spend the night at Mikurigaike Onsen lodge and take a dip in Japan’s highest altitude hot spring bath. Or, stay at the Hotel Tateyama and participate in one its stargazing or walking tours.

Nearby Sightseeing

The Hakuba Valley

The Hakuba Valley is a paradise for outdoor activities year-round at the base of the Northern Japanese Alps. Enjoy views of the mountains from terraces atop local ski resorts, go trekking through highland marshes or to picturesque alpine ponds, or spend some time cycling and mountain biking

Access
From Ogizawa Station, take the bus to Shinano-Omachi Station (35 min.), then take the JR Oito line to Hakuba Station (40 min.).

Matsumoto Castle and Matsumoto City

One of Japan’s five national treasure castles with over 400 years of history, Matsumoto Castle is a must-see site on a visit to Nagano. There is plenty of other things to do around Matsumoto City as well, from visiting the old castle town streets of Nakamachi and Nawate-dori to seeing the works of Yayoi Kusama at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art. Its central location also makes it a great hub for exploring other areas of Nagano, such as Kamikochi and the Nakasendo.

Access
From Ogizawa Station, take the bus to Omachi Station (35 min.), then take the JR Oito line to Matsumoto Station (65 min.).

Daio Wasabi Farm

Daio Wasabi Farm is one of Japan’s largest wasabi farms and offers stunning scenery of the Japanese Alps and surrounding countryside. You can stroll around the farm to see the vast wasabi fields, charming wooden waterwheels and the seasonal blossoms of cherry and plum trees.

While you’re here, you can also try a variety of wasabi-flavored snacks like wasabi soft serve ice cream and wasabi croquettes, or savor meals that highlight the delicate aroma and sweetness of fresh wasabi.

Access
From Ogizawa Station, take the bus to Shinano-Omachi Station (35 min.), then take the JR Oito line to Hotaka Station (31 min.). It is about 10 minutes by taxi or 15 minutes by bicycle from Hotaka Station.

Where to Stay

Omachi Onsenkyo is the closest place to stay to Ogizawa Station of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route at just under 30 minutes by bus. This hot spring area is nestled at the foot of the mountains and has many Japanese ryokan inns and hot spring hotels where you can leisurely relax before and/or after your visit to alpine route.

Nearby cities with direct access to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route also make a great place to stay before your alpine adventure. Nagano City is easily accessible from Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train, and buses run to the alpine route daily from Nagano Station. Similarly, Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture is along the same bullet train line and has access to alpine route via the Dentetsu-Toyama train line. Matsumoto City in central Nagano is a great hub for traveling around the prefecture and has access to the alpine route via the JR Oito train line.

If you’d like to sleep above the clouds, you could even stay at the Hotel Tateyama or Mikurigaike Onsen lodge atop Murodo (2,450 m), or the Midagahara Hotel in Midagahara (1,930 m).