(Spring Only) 1-Day Snow Walls of Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Tour
Overview
Available languages
10 hours
Mobile ticket
With two pickup points in both Nagano City, this tour takes you to the 'Roof of Japan' and the fabled Snow Walls of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Situated in the dramatic alpine landscape of the Chubu Sangaku National Park, this is one of Japan’s most iconic and unique sights, accessible only in spring and early summer and via a series of different mountain transports. Led by an English-speaking guide, you will be accompanied on every leg of your journey to the 'Roof of Japan' and back down again – the perfect way to experience one of Japan’s more remote and stunning landscapes.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please wear suitable shoes for walking through snow and cold conditions (with the possibility of temperatures below 0°C).
Please bring sunglasses as the snow in combination with sunlight can produce intense glare. We also recommend wearing snowboots or good quality walking boots, if you wish to walk on the snowfields.
This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travellers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
This tour does not include lunch. Food can be purchased at different mountain stations with different restaurants to choose from at the summit.
In case of extreme weather conditions, routes to the snow corridor might close. In such a case, the tour will be cancelled with full refund.
The itinerary is based on the traffic conditions being optimal. We will adjust the schedule according to traffic conditions and pace of the group on the day of the tour.
Infants (aged 0-5) are free of charge. As a result, we cannot guarantee that a seat on the tour transport will be available for infants and they may be required to sit in the lap of an adult.
Given the popularity of the Alpine Route and the need to wait for transports on busy days, we cannot guarantee the end time of the tour however it should be no later than 19:00. We ask that all guests cooperate with the instructions of the guide, including meetup times for transports, to avoid any chance of delay.
All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Starting and ending in Nagano City, this tour takes you to the “Roof of Japan” and the fabled Snow Walls of the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. Situated in the dramatic alpine landscape of the Chubu Sangaku National Park, this is one of Japan’s most iconic and unique sights, accessible only in spring and early summer and via a series of different mountain transports. Led by an English-speaking guide, you will be accompanied on every leg of your journey to the Roof of Japan and back down again - the perfect way to experience one of Japan`s more remote and stunning landscapes.
What‘s Included
Tateyama Kurrobe Alpine Route return ticket to / from Ogizawa
Transportation to / from all listed destinations
English-speaking guide
Lunch & other snacks or drinks
Shinkansen/ 'Bullet Train' tickets to & from Nagano
Accommodation
Options
From Nagano Station
From Nagano Station 08:45
Reviews
88 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
An interesting tour even with foggy weather conditions.
ron m,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Interesting tour, pity that the weather was not so good, especially the fog at the snow walls was spooling the view. The tour guides did a great job, were informative and friendly even when some tour participants were not very cooperative about keeping time schedules.
Snow Valley
Anonymous,May 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour guide was much better. It was a great tour! We took a bus from Nagano Station, then took the electric bus, cable car, ropeway, and electric bus to Murodo, where we enjoyed the scenery and souvenir shops along the way!
Fun journey to the snow walls with awesome guides
blueandgray18,May 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was quite a long journey up (in duration & the many modes of transportation required) to the peak but thankful for Endo+Hara+Dillon who helped to ensure we safely got up in a timely manner. Also appreciate having the timetable set out for us & an adorable mascot to follow. Crowd size was reasonable & we all had opportunities to interact with the guides, who all gave good tips & recommendations. The place itself was crowded but we still had a wonderful experience.
Don't Fool With Mother Nature.
y0b0s,Apr 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00No negatives about the guides as they were professional and friendly. This tour TOTALLY depends on cooperating weather to be worthwhile. That FACT is regardless of who's giving the tour, Unfortunately, on April 27th it was rainy on the way there and near total whiteout conditions when we arrived in Murodo. It is a chore to get there and come back to Nagano with almost every stop station having steep stairs to climb and descend (not explained at all in the tour details) making it difficult for seniors like wife and I, both in our 70s in generally good health. Except for the glimps of the snow wall, everything else was basically waste of time and effort made worse by the aweful fact that every stop was packed with tourists, including group tours from 2 countries that consist of people who are challenged in terms of manners and courtesy. This probably ranks as one of the worst tours we've ever been on anywhere and we've travelled around the world. Full day wasted!
Tateyama Snow Mountain Alpine Route and Kurobe Dam
MaheshTolani,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00On a busy Sunday crowded weekend rush, our tour group managed to get us inside the entrance on an earlier bus, which gave us 30 minutes more time to see the place. Our guide Kieran gave us good suggestions and sufficient time to see each viewing spot. He provided information about good restaurants and also took us to one to try out a local delicacy. We had sufficient time in the end and managed to go to another viewing point of Kurobe Dam.
Alpine Adventure with Great Service
T3567UBemilyv,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a great day on the Tateyama Alpine Route. It’s a very inconvenient location to get to by public transportation, so Snow Monkey Tours was definitely the way to go. There was plenty of free time at each location. SiJung, Hana, and Yama, our guides, did a great job taking care of us! They were awesome. Very personable and skilled with multiple languages. Even though it was a large group, they kept track of everything and steered us through the complicated day expertly. As a solo traveler, I had fun and was able to make some friends. The weather the day I went was great, but, word to the wise, don’t underestimate the cold like me! Even in late April, it was below freezing at the very top. And don’t hesitate; if your heart’s set on an alpine adventure, this is definitely the way to go about it! ❄️😁
Very good experience, very crowded
Mobile48357802208,Apr 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very hectic and long waiting times but the experience is worth and Endo-san is a very good tour, always happy even though we didn’t got the luckiest day. The instructions were clear on were to meet and over all the fee we paid was worth all the headaches going alone would have created. I would recommend people to take a late Shinkansen since delays may happen. The atmosphere of the group was great the problem was the amount of Chinese tours were on this small transportation methods.
Beautiful!
Travel41492815762,Apr 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Sijung and Kieron were great guides and were very helpful in getting us up and down the mountains with minimal fuss. They were also very friendly and shared more about Nagano. Highly recommend getting a guide if you are heading up as the various transports can be challenging to navigate!
Tateyama-Kurobe Tour
Robert M,Apr 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our tour guides, Taka and Jake were great at keeping our group organized, entertained and gave clear instructions on where to meet and at what time which I'm sure is challenging with the number of other tour groups there. Would highly recommend Snow Monkey tours if you're planning on going to Tateyama.
Overcrowded and overpriced
Sunshine39984929842,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00I had high expectations for the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, but honestly, the experience was underwhelming and felt like a logistical headache from start to finish. For the price you pay, I expected something much smoother. The Reality of the "Snow Wall" The famous snow wall was the biggest letdown. Crowds: It was absolutely packed. You spend more time dodging tour groups, than actually enjoying the view. Weather Dependency: We hit a day with rain. Because of the weather, visibility was poor, and you couldn't actually appreciate the scale of the walls. It felt more like standing in a wet, gray canyon than a "winter wonderland." Logistics and Dining The organization for individual travelers is lacking. The Lunch Struggle: There was zero advice on where or when to eat. By the time we reached the main stations, the restaurants were overflowing with massive wait times. Recommendation: If you go, bring your own food. Don't count on finding a seat or a quick meal at Murodo unless you want to spend an hour of your sightseeing time standing in a cafeteria line. Final Verdict Between the expensive transportation tickets and the constant "stop-and-go" of the various cable cars and buses, it felt like a lot of work for very little reward. If the weather isn't 100% perfect, the experience drops significantly in value. Overall, it's overrated and not worth the high price tag
From ¥38,500
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Operated by Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)