Epic AUTUMN Day in JAPAN 🍁🚠🏔️ Tateyama Kurobe ALPINE ROUTE Across the Japanese Alps!
Today you’re in for an adventure because we’re travelling the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route across the Japanese Alps! I can’t think of a better way to experience autumn in Japan, because the fall foliage was simply magical!
Nicknamed the ‘Roof of Japan’, this journey can be done starting in Toyama or Nagano and it involves a 2,400-metre elevation change across the Japanese Alps using multiple modes of transportation. This includes trains, buses, ropeways, cable cars and even your own two feet.
This was an epic journey where we got to experience different landscapes and seasons all in one day, and we’re going to show you exactly how you too can do this same trip!
🏔️ Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route 🏔️
00:45 – Tickets at Dentetsu Toyama Station
02:50 – Baggage Forwarding Service
03:17 – Toyama Chico Railroad
05:22 – Tateyama Cable Car
06:39 – Tateyama Highland Bus
12:00 – Tateyama Tunnel Trolley Bus
13:02 – Tateyama Ropeway
16:21 – Kurobe Cable Car
17:09 – Kurobe Dam Crossing on Foot
18:59 – Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus
20:19 – Bus to Shinano and Nagano
🚠 Alpine Route Modes of Transportation 🚠
Toyama Chico Railroad – 65 minutes
First up, we rode the Toyama Chico Railroad, which is a 65-minute journey. We departed from Dentetsu-Toyama Station and travelled to Tateyama Station. This first leg of the journey was all about getting out of the city.
Tateyama Cable Car – 7 minutes
Next, we rode the Tateyama Cable Car from Tateyama Station to Bijodaira. This was a 7-minute ride. The cable car climbs 502 meters and covers a distance of 1.3 kilometres.
Tateyama Highland Bus – 50 minutes
The Tateyama Highland Bus was our next mode of transportation on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. We took the express bus, which was a 50-minute journey from Bijodaira to Mudoro. The Tateyama Highland Bus covers a distance of 23 kilometres and you experience an almost 1500-meter altitude change. We went from green landscapes to fall foliage to a snowy landscape. It was quite the journey and yes, it was a very windy road.
Tateyama Tunnel Trolley Bus – 10 minutes
Then, we got on the Tateyama Tunnel Trolley Bus which runs from Murodo to Daikanbo. This is a 10-minute bus ride through a narrow tunnel that crosses Mount Tateyama. This green bus is powered by electricity, so it doesn’t produce any exhaust fumes. We travelled 3.7 kilometres with an elevation gain of 134 metres.
Tateyama Ropeway – 7 minutes
The Tateyama Ropeway covers a distance of 1,700 metres without the use of a single pylon along the way (those are the columns you typically see when you’re riding a cable car, chair lift or gondola.) This is the only such cable car in Japan, which makes it pretty unique. The journey takes you from Daikanbo to Kurobedaira, it’s a 7-minute trip and the elevation change is 488 metres.
Kurobe Cable Car – 5 minutes
Then it was time to ride the Kurobe Cable Car from Kurobedaira to Kurobeko. What’s unique about this mode of transportation is that it’s the only underground cable car in Japan, meaning it is unaffected by the heavy snowfall in this region. This was the shortest journey so far. We travelled 0.8 kilometres, had an elevation change of 373 metres, and the ride only took 5 minutes.
Cross Kurobe Dam on foot – 15 minutes
The Kurobe Dam is an 186-metre arched dam and the tallest dam in all of Japan. It was built between 1956 and 1963. We noticed there was an option to go on a sightseeing boat ride on Kurobe Lake, however, we skipped it because we still had a bit of a journey ahead of us and we wanted to make it to Nagano City before dark.
Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus – 16 minutes
This brings us to our next mode of transportation: riding the Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus from Kurobe Dam to Ogizawa Station. This was a 16-minute journey where we travelled 6.1 kilometres with an elevation change of 37 metres.
Local Bus to Shinano – 40 minutes
Once we arrived at Shinano, we picked up the luggage we had forwarded. There is a direct bus to Nagano that avoids Shinano, but it’s not an option if you need to pick up your luggage first.
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36 Comments
This area is known as one of heavy snow fall in Japan. In spring, when they remove snow
on the road before reopen , 20 meters snow walls both side of road.
The visitors can walk on the snow wall road.
If the only hurdle to getting online tickets is Japanese input on a form simply ask the hotel staff to translate your names to katakana and have them send it to you via email so you can cut and paste. My first name is Thomas which is トーマス in katakana. It's totally doable.
Gorgeous! And I feel ya both, I used to be like the energizer bunny on trips, now I drift off when I'm seated and take any and all napping opportunities 😀
What a fun journey 😊
Scenery was gorgeous, worth all the transfers!
Thank you for this beautiful video you are the best couple!!
beautiful video! may i ask what were the dates of your visit?
Me and my wife are planning to visit this Alpine Route this coming May of 2024…you video is big help…
2:36 Did you notice that not only the “time” but also “Canada” in red letter, are written in the paper😂😂😂?
It's an ingenious package when you can squeeze out 2 sauces at once.
Wow!! What a fun filled day you guys had. The scenery looked amazing and all those modes of transportation. Another great video from you guys. We just got back from Bansko and among other things we took a gondola to the ski area which was over 2,000 meters. If you guys want to come to Bulgaria we'd be happy to show you the sites here.
What a stunning mountain view!!
Sam and Audrey watching your video Japanese Alp from our hotel in Yokahama Japan Our first week here Loving it so far
Looks like a wonderful adventure.
素晴らしいタイミングで行けて良かったですね❤
だけどどの季節に行ってもここは裏切らないところですよ😊
立山連峰のハイキングもおすすめです🥾
Hi, can I ask which month you went there? I’m planning to go in autumn too. Thank you!
I love your channel so so much! Thank you for always sharing your travels with us who live vicariously through you!!
Just how long have you been holding your videos….. 6-7 months?
All you can see it beautiful adventures
What a journey! Thank you for the new video, guys!
Wonderful mountain views! I am impressed!😍⛰⛰❤
Thank you for making this video. It’s very helpful. I am plan to fly to Toyama in this mid October and take Alpine Route trip. When and where do you buy the bus tickets? But online or at the bus stop after you finish all the rides? Thanks.
What time do you arrive at Omachi bus station? I plan to take train from there to Matsumoto, then day trip to Kamikochi.
This is one of your most interesting and visually pleasing Japan videos!
Love the vid, but the music is really annoying. Could you maybe do one in two with the actual sounds and music, so everyone gets a part they like?
When was this specifically? 🥺 Im going in mid-October
Avisame cuando pongan videos de Córdoba y en Español
Picturesque video! What month did you do this alpine route? Thanks
Hello! thank you for your informative video! i am going there in April to buy the day tickets, would like to find out a bit more about the tickets!
1. do you happen to know how many day tickets do they sell each day
2. was there already a queue upon opening time 0730h during your visit?
3. After you got the tickets @2:20 with immediate payment, you mentioned did you pay on the spot for the entire ride but also mentioned that 'after paying for all of this' you needed to figure out the luggage. May i know if you paid in full at the dentetsu toyama window or you still have to pay elsewhere along the route?
Enjoy you video's……….Thank You!!!
Hallo Samuel and Audrey! We're going here in November so I've been watching videos to help me prep. Did I get it right that you paid for the entire route up front in Toyama Station? And there was no need to pay anymore each time you changed transportation? Thanks!
素晴らしい景色でした！
室堂で1時間ほど散策すると最高です、雪で歩きづらかったから残念、春夏シーズンにまた来て下さい😊
Thanks!
Brilliant, thanks
Hi , please let me know did you guys book all the tickets onspot or pre booked anything?
So gorgeous sceneries! Enjoyed the beauty! So relaxing views! And colors!