Every year, thousands of travelers come to explore the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a spectacular mountain route known for its breathtaking natural scenery—from massive snow walls to panoramic views of the Japanese Alps.
However, when planning the trip, many people find it confusing to determine the best route. Should you start from Toyama or Nagano?
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route 2026 Opening Schedule
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is usually only accessible during a certain period each year, as the mountain route is closed due to heavy snow during winter.
For 2026, this tourist route opened on April 15 and will operate until November 30, 2026.
After that, the entire route will be closed for the winter season and will reopen in mid-April the following year.
This opening period allows visitors to enjoy different natural scenery in each season.
Two Main Entry Points: Toyama or Nagano?
When planning a trip to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, one of the things that often confuses travelers is choosing the starting point.
In general, this mountain route can be accessed from two main sides: Toyama Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture.
So, should you start from Toyama or Nagano? Here is an explanation of each access point.
Access via Toyama Prefecture
This route from Toyama is often chosen by travelers coming from Tokyo because it is easily accessible by Shinkansen.
The main starting point on the Toyama side is Tateyama Station, which serves as the gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
- Getting to Toyama Station
From Tokyo, you can take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Toyama Station, with a travel time of around 2–2.5 hours. This journey is covered by the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which has recently expanded its route coverage.
- Toyama Station → Tateyama Station
From Toyama Station, continue the journey using the Toyama Chihō Railway to Tateyama Station. This takes about 1 hour.
- Tateyama Station → Bijodaira (Cable Car)
From Tateyama Station, you will take the Tateyama Cable Car to Bijodaira, a mountainous area surrounded by forests.
- Bijodaira → Murodo (Highland Bus)
Next, continue by Tateyama Highland Bus to Murodo, the highest point on the Alpine Route; famous for the Snow Wall (Yuki no Otani) during spring.
- Murodo → Daikanbo (Trolley Bus)
From Murodo, the journey continues by trolley bus through a mountain tunnel to Daikanbo.
- Daikanbo → Kurobedaira (Ropeway)
At Daikanbo, visitors take the Tateyama Ropeway, a cable car offering stunning views of the Japanese Alps from above.
- Kurobedaira → Kurobe Dam
From Kurobedaira, continue to the famous Kurobe Dam, one of the highlights of the Alpine Route.
This route from Toyama allows travelers to experience gradual changes in mountain landscapes before reaching the peak area at Murodo and continuing toward the Nagano side.
Access via Nagano Prefecture
If you start from the Nagano side, the main gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is Ogizawa Station.
This route is equally popular for travelers coming from Tokyo or eastern Japan.
- Tokyo → Nagano
The journey usually starts from Tokyo Station using the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano Station. This is also covered by the Hokuriku Arch Pass.
Travel time is around 1 hour 30–40 minutes, with trains such as Kagayaki, Hakutaka, or Asama.
- Nagano Station → Ogizawa
From Nagano Station, continue by Alpico Bus to Ogizawa Station, the entrance to the Alpine Route from the Nagano side. Travel time is around 1 hour 40 minutes.
Alpico Bus generally operates during the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route season.
- Ogizawa → Kurobe Dam (Trolley Bus)
From Ogizawa, the Alpine Route journey begins by taking the Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus to Kurobe Dam through a mountain tunnel. Travel time is around 16 minutes.
- Kurobe Dam → Kurobedaira (Cable Car)
After walking across the dam, continue by Kurobe Cable Car to Kurobedaira via a steep mountain route. Travel time is about 5 minutes.
- Kurobedaira → Daikanbo (Ropeway)
From Kurobedaira, take the Tateyama Ropeway to Daikanbo. This ropeway is famous for having no support towers in between, offering spectacular mountain views. Travel time is about 7 minutes.
- Daikanbo → Murodo (Trolley Bus)
Next, take the Tateyama Tunnel Electric Bus to Murodo, the highest point on the Alpine Route and a famous spot to see the Snow Wall. Travel time is about 10 minutes.
- Murodo → Tateyama / Toyama
From Murodo, you can continue descending toward the Toyama side using various transportation options until reaching Tateyama Station, or return via the same route.
