Chubu-Sangaku

Chubu-Sangaku National Park protects the Northern Japan Alps, a spectacular mountain range covering 174,323 hectares across Nagano, Gifu, Toyama, and Niigata prefectures. Established in 1934, the park encompasses some of Japan's highest and most dramatic peaks, including Mount Hotaka (3,190 meters), Mount Yari (3,180 meters), and Mount Tateyama (3,015 meters). These towering mountains feature year-round snowfields, hanging valleys carved by ancient glaciers, precipitous ridgelines, and alpine ecosystems found nowhere else in Japan. The park has been a center of Japanese alpinism since the late 19th century, when British missionary Walter Weston helped popularize mountaineering in the Japan Alps. Crystal-clear rivers originating from snowmelt feed renowned gorges like Kamikochi and Kurobe, creating landscapes of sublime natural beauty. The combination of accessible valleys and challenging alpine terrain attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually, making it one of Japan's most beloved national parks.