The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is beautiful, whether it’s rainy, snowy, or cloudy. Once-in-a-lifetime encounters.
On October 1, 2024, I was blessed with perfect weather on my trip along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. I realized how easy it is to move around when the weather is comfortable enough that I only needed a long-sleeve shirt all day. But after posting photos of the Tateyama mountain range under beautiful blue skies on Note and writing about it, I started to wonder—do I really love Murodo on sunny days that look like they belong in a tourism brochure?
Sure, clear, mild days make it easier to get around, and it’s more comfortable physically. Plus, it’s easier to take photos, and you can snap tons of pictures that will get lots of “likes” when posted on social media. But Murodo is beautiful even on rainy and snowy days. After visiting Murodo 10 times, I’ve experienced days when a sudden whiteout turned everything in front of me into a pure, blank canvas. Truly, nothing to see—just pure white. Of course, there are signs before a whiteout occurs, so you can quickly take shelter in a safe place. The beauty of the mountains gradually emerging from that whiteout, the monochrome world resembling an ink painting, and the quiet anticipation while waiting for the view to reappear—that may be the time I love most.
That kind of beauty is impossible to capture in a photograph. Only those who are there in that moment can understand it. In the mountains, you always feel the presence of death close by. Perhaps it’s the beauty of life that exists right on that edge. It overlaps with something inside me, and maybe it’s something that can’t really be shared with anyone else.
Of course, if you’re going to visit Tateyama Kurobe, it’s nice to have good weather. But in reality, there are only a few perfectly sunny days in a year. There are rainy days, snowy days, cloudy days, and days with gray skies. There are even days when you literally can’t see anything at all. One of my toughest experiences was the time I stayed at Mikurigaike Onsen on a day of heavy rain. Carrying quite a bit of luggage, I walked from Murodo Station. Even though I had proper rain gear, I still ended up pretty soaked. I’m sure for seasoned hikers, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but for me, it was quite challenging.
Still, even on days like that, there is beauty in the moment. If you visit Tateyama on a day with bad weather, embrace it fully. That’s your unique moment, your encounter with the scenery of that day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
この記事が気に入ったらサポートをしてみませんか？