June 17, 2025
TOKYO – Even in late April, the Tateyama mountain range, a section of the Northern Japanese Alps in Toyama Prefecture, offers a world of snow, making it one of the most popular places for snow mountaineering and skiing in springtime.
Tateyama consists of a number of mountain peaks, and the area also includes marshlands and the Murodo-daira plateau, which was formed as a result of volcanic eruptions. Mt. Tsurugi (2,999 meters) lies a little further north of the area, and with its intimidating rocky surface it is one of the toughest, yet most popular, mountains to climb in Japan. The whole area attracts close to 1 million visitors a year from Japan and abroad.
One of the popular trails starts at 2,450 meters above sea level in Murodo, with hikes along ridges leading to several peaks in the Tateyama mountain range, including its highest peak, Mt. Onanji, at 3,015 meters.
Hiking this trail takes an average of eight to 10 hours depending on the course, although the trek is not particularly dangerous except in a few spots. However, caution is required, especially during the snowy season, as it is easy to slip and fall, and fatal accidents sometimes occur.
Before dawn, the surface of the snow was firm and stable because of the low temperatures during the night, making it easy to walk on. After hiking up a relatively gentle slope toward a col, from which a view of the mountain alpine ridges in Nagano Prefecture opens to the east, we started climbing the steep, rocky slope toward the first peak, Mt. Oyama (3,003 meters).
The wind was strong, and would quickly sap your body heat without an outer shell. Since the Tateyama mountain range is considered a sacred place, a small shrine stands at the top of Mt. Oyama.
After working through some nerve-racking spots, we finally reached Mt. Onanji, where hikers rest on the gently sloped summit.
When sunlight shines on the snow on the mountains, there is a striking contrast with the parts that are not snow-covered. The summit provides a 360-degree view of several other peaks and ridges, and the hilly Murodo area below. Even Mt. Fuji can be seen when the weather is good.
On the way down, one particularly stressful stretch involved descending a steep, snowy surface and taking steps carefully while wearing crampons and using one hand to thrust an ice ax into the snow for stability.
After 11 hours of hiking, and while suffering from a light case of altitude sickness, a bath at a hot spring at a mountain lodge was a moment of bliss.
Prepare accordingly
Hiking in snowy mountains in spring is an exciting outdoor activity, but hikers need to recognize the risks involved. Sufficient preparation is essential.
In spring, with higher temperatures than winter and precarious weather patterns, the state of the snow can differ greatly during the day, and there is always the risk of sudden weather changes to winter-like conditions.
With higher temperatures, snow takes on a consistency like sorbet, which makes for unstable footing. Some slopes become icy, freezing in cooler temperatures after snow melts during the warm spring days. The conditions increase the risk of slipping and falling.
Avalanches are another potential risk. If you are out in the Tateyama mountains, it is mandatory to carry an avalanche beacon, as there is a high risk of avalanches occurring in the area.
To enjoy a safe hike on snow-covered mountains in spring, it is essential that you have the proper clothing and equipment, such as ice axes and crampons with at least 10 points.
Major tourist spot
The Tateyama area is open from mid-April through November.
In spring, snow is plowed on the road that leads to the Murodo bus terminal. This road, with snow towering like walls on both sides, is the highlight of the area’s tourist attractions and is called “Yuki-no-Otani.” The accumulation of snow can exceed 16 meters in height.
A number of hotels and mountain lodges are available to stay at, and there are hot springs for bathing and relaxing. Camping in a designated area is also enjoyable.
There are two ways to get to the area, one from Toyama Prefecture and the other from Nagano Prefecture. Both routes are part of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route.
Tateyama: One of Japan’s 3 most sacred mountains
Tateyama is considered one of the three major sacred mountains in Japan, along with Mt. Fuji, which straddles Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, and Mt. Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture.
According to legend, around the eighth century, the son of a local lord was chasing his father’s pet white hawk in the mountains when he encountered a bear. He struggled with the bear and succeeding in wounding it, but the animal ran further into the mountains. The boy chased after it and pursued it into a cave. There, he found a golden, but wounded, Buddha, indicating that the bear was an incarnation of Buddha.
Believing that he had experienced a divine revelation, he became a monk and the area became a place of worship, which is the present-day Tateyama mountains.
The cave, called Tamadono no Iwaya, is within walking distance from the Murodo bus terminal.
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Mountain Accidents Hit Record High during Golden Week Holidays
The Yomiuri Shimbun
18:13 JST, June 16, 2025
A record number of mountain accidents, involving a record number of people, were reported during this year’s Golden Week period from April 26 to May 6, according to the National Police Agency.
There were 203 accidents in total, 23 more than during Golden Week last year, and 236 people were involved in them, an increase of 44. These represented the highest numbers of any year since 1994, when the earliest year for which the record is available.
About 50% of the people involved in these alpine accidents were aged 60 or older. There were 21 deaths, 9 more than last year. Two people went missing, and 106 people were injured. Of the 203 accidents, the largest number occurred in Nagano Prefecture, with 28.