It’s a full day for a leisurely hike to Mount Tateyama. For a mountain over 3000 metres, it is incredibly accessible – the Alpine Route brought us up to 2450m in Murodo, with some good quality accommodation; and then it is just a 2-hour ascend to the summit.
Note that “Tateyama” actually refers to the mountain range, which consists of 3 peaks. The Oyama (雄山) at 3003m is the more well-known peak, with a shrine on top. A lot of people only hike up to this point, but you can go further to the Onanjiyama (大汝山) at 3015m, the highest peak, and Fujinooritate (富士ノ折立) at 2999m. As part of the Northern Alps, you can extend the route even further to make a multi-day hike, but that’s really for the advanced!
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- Grand breakfast to start the day.
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- Heading out on a clear morning. Little colour dots in the distance are tents on the camping ground.
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- Looking back at the mountain lodge.
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- Hell Valley in the morning
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- Starting a steeper climb. It’s a popular route, so it can become a queue.
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- Reaching the first peak, Oyama (雄山)
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- Shrine on top of the peak. Priest on duty as well!
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- Just below that is the rest area and the shrine’s office and shop. They sell cup noodles too!
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- A map inside showing the routes in the area..
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- Towards the highest peak Onanjiyama (大汝山)
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- Another break enjoying the view of Kurobe Lake. The patch of snow on the bottom right is actually part of the Gozenzawa (御前沢) glacier, few of the remaining ones in Japan.
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- Zoom in to Kurobe Dam – we were down there yesterday!
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- Clouds gathering in the afternoon.
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- Heading down
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- Beautiful sunset wrapping up a beatiful day on the mountains.
