FAQ

Reservation is only required for groups of more than 15 persons.

Same-day tickets are sold at the ticket counter in Ogisawa Station and Tateyama Station.

The following tickets are also available at Shinano Omachi Station: Shinano Omachi Station to Kurobe Dam (round trip), Shinano Omachi Station to Murodo (round trip), Shinano Omachi Station to Tateyama Station (one way).
* Please exchange for a ticket on your travel day at Ogisawa Station.

You can buy the ticket required for the route you are passing through as a single common ticket. You can also buy additional tickets at the various stations along the Alpine Route. The tickets are valid for 5 days.
Please refer to the fare table for the fares.

Credit cards are accepted when purchasing tickets at Shinano Omachi Station and in the Alpine Route.
* Credit cards are not accepted at the bus ticket counter in front of Shinano Omachi Station nor at Tateyama Station on Toyama Local Railway.

For the local bus from Shinano Omachi Station to Ogisawa Station, proceed 30 meters to the left after exiting Shinano Omachi Station, and you will find the ticket counter and the bus stop. This is also the bus bound for Omachi Onsenkyo. For visitors staying in Omachi Onsenkyo, please be aware that bus services finish in the early evening. (From early April to early November, the last bus leaves at 5:10 p.m. Please inquire during the winter season.)

Local buses to JR Shinano Omachi Station as well as expressway buses to JR Nagano Station and to JR Shinjuku station are available from Ogisawa Station.

Personal vehicles are prohibited from entering the area as the Alpine Route is designated as a national park. Please park your car at the car park of Ogisawa Station or Tateyama Station. Car Delivery Service (chargeable) is available for those who would like to pass through the Alpine Route.

When passing through the Alpine Route, you can use the Car Delivery Service and receive your car at the station at the other end of the route. The time required for delivery is about 5 hours.
Booking at:
Omachi Traffic – Phone: 0120-233-454
Nissei – Phone: 0120-421-944

A Including transfer and sightseeing times, it takes about 6 to 7 hours to pass through the Alpine Route from Ogisawa Station to Tateyama Station. For return trips such as those between Ogisawa Station and Kurobe Dam, about 5 to 6 hours is required. At peak periods, it may be better to set aside another 1-2 hours.

There are many hotels around Shinano Omachi Station and Omachi Onsenkyo as well as around Toyama Station and Tateyama Station. There are also hotels within the Alpine Route.
Please refer to the accommodation page.

In Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, which is at over 2,000 meters in elevation, the temperature is 15 degrees celcius lower than the valley. If you wish to experience the “Snow Corridor (Snow Wall) Walk” after the route is open in mid-April, dressing in warm clothes is essential as the temperature often drops below zero. In addition, as a part of mountain weather, the temperature rises rapidly on sunny days, and it might even become hot enough to break a sweat. Also, heaters are working in transportation vehicles, and so it is necessary to dress in layers. In order to walk on snow, shoes with non-slip soles such as mountain climbing shoes and boots are recommended.
No matter what time of year it is, mountain weather often changes suddenly. When the sun sets and strong winds blow, the wind chill drops dramatically. Please pack a windbreaker or rain gear. Items for UV protection such as sunglasses, a hat, and sun screen are also necessary.

You can walk along the Snow Corridor (Yuki No Otani) from the opening day in April until the middle of June. The entrance of the Snow Corridor is about 5 minutes’ walking distance from the Murodo Station Terminal, and a return trip from there takes about 35 minutes by walking.

Depending on the altitude, fall foliage can be seen from mid-September to early November. See here for details.

Water will be released from the Kurobe Dam between 26th June and 15th October. During this period, an immense amount of water discharged at more than 10 tons per second can be seen up close. However, please understand that it may be stopped without notice due to weather conditions or for other reasons.

Food outlets can be found at Ogisawa Station, Kurobe Dam, Kurobedaira, Murodo, Midagahara, and Tateyama Station.

A Pamphlets in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean and Thai are available free-of-charge at the Alpine Route various stations and tourist information centers.

Coin operated lockers are available at Ogisawa, Kurobe Dam, Murodo, Midagahara, and Tateyama stations. Those in the waiting room of Shinano Omachi Station are accessible from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and can hold belongings for up to three days.

There is no ATM within the Alpine Route. Please prepare sufficient cash as credit cards are not accepted at some facilities.
However, there are ATMs in the places like the supermarket and post office, which are both located within a three-minute walk from Shinano Omachi Station. Please ask at the station’s tourist information office for details.

Mobile phones can be used in most areas, but service may be unavailable at times depending on the location and weather.

Along the Alpine Route, free Wi-Fi access is available at Tateyama, Bijodaira, Murodo, Daikanbo, and Kurobedaira stations. Free Wi-Fi spots are also available around the JR Shinano Omachi Station. At “Marugoto Omachi” next to the station, computers are installed for use without charge. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Special meals may be arranged. Please let the restaurant staff know.

From mid-April thru early November. For durations and times, please refer to this page in our Japanese site.
* A one way trip from Nanakura to Takase Dam takes 15 minutes and costs around 2,200 yen per person.
* A single taxi can carry up to 4 people.
* Group visits should contact the taxi company in advance.
* If you want to return from Takase Dam and there is no taxi waiting, please call from the public phone in front of the management office.
The management office is located at the end of the crest on the Yumata side of the dam. There is also a free rest area (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
* The road is closed to traffic during heavy rainfall of a continuous 70 mm or 15 mm per hour.
■ Taxi Reservations & Contact Details
Alps Daichi Kotsu – Phone: 0261-22-2121
Shinshu Alpico Taxi – Phone: 0261-23-2323

Baths located close to trailheads or stations.
* Where marked with an asterisk (*), please contact the facility before visiting.

In front of Shinano Omachi Station

• Nanakuraso Ryokan – 2 minute walk from the station. 500 yen. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 0261-22-1564 *
• New Takenoya Ryokan – 2 minute walk from the station. 540 yen. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 0261-22-0552 *

In front of Shinano Tokiwa Station (after descending from Mt. Gakidake or Mt. Kuwanomine)

• Fureai Plaza Omachi – half a minute walk from the station. 300 yen. 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Closed on Thursdays. Phone: 0261-21-1121

Nanakura Hot Springs / Kuzu Hot Springs (Takase Dam or Nanakura Trailhead)

• Nanakura Sanso (lodge)
• Takasekan
• Kajika *
• Senninkaku *

Kagogawa Keiun Hot Springs / Omachi Onsenkyo (after descending to Ogisawa or Otanihara)

• Kuroyon Royal Hotel
• Wapparanoyu
• Yakushinoyu

The “Taira no watashi” is a ferry across Kurobe Lake that was introduced to connect hiking trails that were cut by the lake upon the completion of the dam. It is free and operates from: June 20 thru October 31.
Ferry Timetable

* Service from July 1 thru September 30

The Shimonoroka is a route between Kurobe Dam and Sennin Dam that was cut into the bedrock on the left bank during the dam’s development. Unlike normal mountain trails, it does not climb or descend greatly along its long distance (18 km between Kurobe Dam and Azohara). However it is a hazardous route along a canyon.
The route is only passable for about a month in a year on average years. The timing depends on the amount of remaining snow that changes from year to year and the timing of the trail preparation. Usually the route is passable from the end of September but some years it is passable only for a very limited time at the end of November and some years it is never passable.
The route has many dangerous sections, it is not a mountain path that can be used at any time. Please plan carefully and check the condition of the route before using it.
Most people using this route rest at the Asohara Hot Springs Hut. You can get information on the route from the hut’s website (Japanese).

When starting out from Kurobe Dam Station

Once you have gotten off the trolley bus, proceed further to the ongoing direction. The exit is to the left.

The staff at the tourist information office in Shinano Omachi Station will make arrangements for accomodations within Omachi City, such as in Omachi Onsenkyo. Also, the office is able to help you find accomodations in neighboring areas.

To Hakuba Village, take the northbound train on JR Oito line for approximately 40 minutes. Depending on the time, you may need to wait for a few hours. In summer time, buses are also operated from Ogisawa and Omachi Onsenkyo bound for Hakuba. In any case, please confirm your transportation options in advance.
To Matsumoto, take the southbound train on JR Oito line for approximately one hour. The train runs every 30 to 60 minutes. Bus service is not available.
To Kamikochi, take a train from Matsumoto Station to Shin-Shimashima Station on Kamikochi line of Matsumoto Electric Railway for 30 minutes. From there, transfer to a bus, which will take you to Kamikochi in approximately one hour. The bus runs roughly every 40 minutes. *This service is not available during the winter season, from mid-November to mid-April. Also, the number of bus services is reduced in November, so confirmation in advance is necessary.
To Takayama, take an express bus from the bus terminal in front of Matsumoto Station for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Six express buses operate each day.