Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route in Toyama Prefecture stretches 90 kilometers from Tateyama to Kurobe. The route utilizes trains, cable cars, ropeways, and tunnels, allowing travelers to explore the Tateyama Mountains in a variety of different ways. The route is perhaps most famous, though, for its walls of snow, some of which reach up to 20 meters in height. The snow is cleared from this part of the route to create silvery-white ravines through which travelers can pass by bus. The ropeway and cable cars will allow visitors to relax and appreciate the sprawling, natural scenery around them. Anyone planning a visit should be careful of the timing, though, as the route is only open for a little over half of the year (approximately April to November; dates change slightly each year).