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Sushi, anime, J-pop, Nintendo, samurai, Pokémon, ultra-advanced technology, cherry blossoms… Yeah, Japan surely has engraved a multi-layered international image for itself. But there’s something that most people don’t think about when they hear the word ‘Japan.’ Snow. And not just regular snow… But insane, humongous amounts of snow that actually make one Japanese city the world capital of snow. And if you go for a drive through Tateyama Kurobe, a mountain route that is rather unique… You would easily understand why.
More info: japan-guide
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Remember the great icy wall from Game of Thrones?
Image credits: https://www.hbo.com/
Turns out, reality can be as fascinating as fiction. Welcome to the majestic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, just a few hours from Tokyo
Image credits: Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route
It’s a part of the ‘Roof of Japan’, a mountain road across the Toyama and Nagano prefectures
Image credits: Wonder World
Located North of Tokyo, on the so-called ‘Roof of Japan’, a 55- miles-long (90 km) route, the Snow Wall is easily the main tourist attraction.
The season when the otherworldly mountain passage is open lasts only a few months
Image credits: Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route
This place to see is open for a very limited time only. In 2019, the snow corridor is open to pedestrians from April 15 to June 22.
Once here, tourists can indulge in an hour’s walk through the icy passages
Image credits: Wonder World
Even though accessible for few months only, the Snow Wall Walk is a huge tourism attraction with approximately 5000 daily visitors
At its highest point the snow wall reaches as high as 55 ft (17 meters)
Image credits: Wonder World
To put it into perspective, 55 ft (17 meters) of snowfall is taller than an average three-story building.
And it’s only accessible by specialized tourists’ buses
Image credits: Wonder World
An average round-trip ticket price for an adult costs around $40.
In order to prepare this road for visitors, the Japanese use special snowplow trucks that are created precisely for this location.
Image credits: Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route
Image credits: Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route
Image credits: Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route
Image credits: Wonder World
Image credits: Wonder World
But surprisingly, that’s not the only snowy attraction that can be found in Japan
Image credits: AOMORI JAPAN
In the north of Japan there’s Aomori City, home to 300,000 people.
Blizzards and ice storms turn the nature surrounding Aomori into a unique viewing
Image credits: Low Pressure Lover
Icy Siberian winds sweep into Japan by bringing massive amounts of snow that pile up in unusual formations, proving that nature is a one-of-a-kind artist
Even though annual snow-cleaning costs around $30 million, the frozen wonderland that the snow creates here makes it more than worth it
Image credits: Low Pressure Lover
People compared this to their own snow-related experiences
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What do you think ?
Withnail 5 years ago (edited)
Night gathers, and now my watch begins... but can I just say; dayum, that's a lot of snow!
CrazyCatLady 5 years ago (edited)
In Belgium 'only' code red with 5 cm of snow, well done neighbours. In The Netherlands everything grinds to a halt with only 1cm of snow these days, no trains code red all over the place. I'm thinking of the brutal snowstorm 40 years ago in February, literally snowmontains everywhere, but still having to go to school (drowning in snow). Arriving at school and being send home straight away because the teacher was stuck in her house.
RaroaRaroa 5 years ago
I assume that's why it's only open for a couple of months. They probably close it as soon as the weather starts to warm, then open it again when the melt is over.
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Withnail 5 years ago (edited)
Night gathers, and now my watch begins... but can I just say; dayum, that's a lot of snow!
CrazyCatLady 5 years ago (edited)
In Belgium 'only' code red with 5 cm of snow, well done neighbours. In The Netherlands everything grinds to a halt with only 1cm of snow these days, no trains code red all over the place. I'm thinking of the brutal snowstorm 40 years ago in February, literally snowmontains everywhere, but still having to go to school (drowning in snow). Arriving at school and being send home straight away because the teacher was stuck in her house.
RaroaRaroa 5 years ago
I assume that's why it's only open for a couple of months. They probably close it as soon as the weather starts to warm, then open it again when the melt is over.
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