楽天トラベル観光体験
Chubusangaku National Park: the breathtaking alpine landscape at the heart of Japan.
This dynamic region holds the Northern Japanese Alps — an extreme world of 3,000-meter peaks sometimes called the “Roof of Japan” — with not just stunning sights, but a rare biodiversity as well. These peaks, plateaus, and valleys shelter monkeys and serows, golden eagles and rock ptarmigans, among many others.
This world is no remote wilderness though. At the southern end of the park lie the cities of Matsumoto and Takayama: gateways to the sky. And as the place that saw the birth of alpinism in Japan, the mountainous terrain holds enough lodges and onsen resorts that high-altitude adventures need not be a hardship.
And the park bridges another, less tangible border as well. Such towering summits as Mt. Yarigatake were held as sacred long before anyone climbed them recreationally. Today the interplay of both approaches is part of local life, and part of the experience awaiting adventurous visitors.
To enjoy the park safely, please follow local rules and guidelines at all times
Unwind with a cycle ride through the Norikura Kogen highlands. In Takayama City, feel the history that lives on in the traces of Edo-period (1603–1867) townscape and the old provincial governor’s office, and get a glimpse of life among the Japanese Alps with Mt. Norikura and the Hotaka Mountains as a backdrop.
Stroll around the ancient city of Matsumoto, and visit the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle. In the evening, enjoy the city to the fullest at one (or more) of its many bars.
Leave Matsumoto for the highland valley of Kamikochi. Visit the historic Kamonji-goya Hut and Kamikochi Visitor Center, where you can take in some history. Then set off up Mt. Yarigatake until reaching Yarisawa Lodge, where a meal, a bath, and a well-deserved rest await.
Set out early and head for the peak of Mt. Yarigatake. On the way up you’ll see the cave of 19th-century Buddhist monk Banryu Shonin, and take in all the magnificent nature of the mountain. After enjoying the summit, stop at Yarigatake Sanso Hut just below to take dinner and meet the owner.
Enjoy a day on the mountain in whatever manner suits you. You can rise early and see sunrise from the peak, trek along the Higashikama Ridge, and take in 360-degree views from Yari-no-Hosaki (the summit of Mt. Yarigatake).
On your way down the mountain, take in the same gorgeous scenery and beautiful nature from a different perspective. After the descent, head to Hirayu Onsen for its hot-spring baths and "onsen manju" steamed buns.
Unwind with a cycle ride through the Norikura Kogen highlands. In Takayama City, feel the history that lives on in the traces of Edo-period (1603–1867) townscape and the old provincial governor’s office, and get a glimpse of life among the Japanese Alps with Mt. Norikura and the Hotaka Mountains as a backdrop.
