Kanto

Minami Alps National Park

PIXTA

The Southern Alps consist of three mountain ranges: the Kaikoma and Houou Mountains, the Shiramine Mountains, and the Akaishi Mountains. It has more than ten 3,000-meter-high peaks, including Kitadake (3,193 m), the second highest peak in Japan, and is the source of the Oi River, Tenryu River and Fuji River. Located in the southernmost part of the Japanese Alps, it is a mountainous area with much rainfall in summer and little snowfall in winter. The area has many deep-cut V-shaped valleys due to river erosion caused by heavy rainfall, and the low snowfall means that the forest limit is high and forests cover the area up to the ridge line. This is the southernmost place in Japan where there are traces of glaciers, and glacial and periglacial landforms created around 20,000 years ago still exist in the alpine zone. The curls (cirque valleys) seen on Senjogatake and Arakawa Sanzan are one such example. The area is also home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, such as grouse, ptarmigan, butterfly, and alpine butterflies that were distributed during the glacial period and still live in the alpine zones. The area has also been the object of mountain worship since ancient times, and is important not only for its natural environment, but also for the inheritance of culture. (Source: Ministry of the Environment website https://www.env.go.jp/nature/nationalparks/list/)

Access

How to get there

Minami Alps National Park encompasses the Akaishi Mountains, also known as the Minami (Southern) Alps. The park sits on the borders of Shizuoka, Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures west of Tokyo. The mountains are a hiker’s dream, offering challenging trails that reward perseverance with beautiful views of Mount Fuji. Mount Kitadake, Japan’s second-tallest mountain after Mount Fuji, and Mount Senjogatake, famous for alpine plants, are popular among hikers. A car is necessary to reach some areas, but you may need to park it in designated lots and take a shuttle to reach some trails. Trailheads are often located on narrow or winding forest roads. In some cases, roads may be inaccessible due to landslides or fallen trees caused by typhoons. Check local conditions before setting out.

From Tokyo

Popular mountains such as Mount Kaikomagatake, Mount Kitadake and the three peaks of Mount Hoo Sanzan are accessible from the city of Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture. To reach Kofu, take a limited express train on the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station (1 hr 30 min). Hirogawara is the name of the trailhead area for Mount Kitadake. The Yamanashi Kotsu company provides a bus service to Hirogawara (2 hr) as well as other trails such as for Yashajin Pass. If you have a car and would like to access Hirogawara, you can park in the Ashiyasu Parking Area (40 minutes from Kofu-Showa Interchange on the Chuo Expressway or 30 minutes from Shirane Interchange on the Chubu-Odan Expressway) then take the bus bound for Hirogawara.

From Osaka

Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shizuoka Station (2 hr) and transfer to the Minobu Line limited express train bound for Kofu (2 hr).