ON THE ‘ROOFTOP OF JAPAN,’ A STUNNING 20-METER-DEEP SNOW CORRIDOR REOPENS TO VISITORS

  • 29 Apr - 05 May, 2023
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Mag Files

A giant snow corridor near the otherworldly Mount Tateyama, one of Japan’s three sacred mountains, is reopening to travelers. Called Yuki no Otani (or Great Valley of Snow), this 500-meter-long (1,620-foot-long) pathway cuts through towering snow walls that rise up to 20 meters (66 feet) at the highest point of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Stretching across the Toyama and Nagano prefectures north of Tokyo, the 90-kilometer (56-mile) sightseeing route – dubbed the “Roof of Japan” – offers incredible views of the 3,015-meter (9,892-foot) Mount Tateyama and 2,478-meter (8,130-foot) Mount Akazawa-dake peaks, while providing access to everything from Japan’s highest altitude hot spring to the country’s highest waterfall. But the route’s biggest attraction is the snow walk, which takes around 20 minutes to traverse and will remain open until June 25. Other attractions in the area include a separate Panorama Road, which gives trekkers better views of Mount Tsurugi, part of the Tateyama range. This one is only open until May 7. Tourists can also visit the Snow Kamakura (Japanese igloo) and Snow Tunnel at Daikanbo Station, which also has an observation deck offering panoramic views of the Japanese Alps.

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