Summer Info
Today I headed up on the Happo Alpen Line, which began operating at 6:30 a.m. The sky looked heavy and overcast while I was riding the Alpen Quad, and a few light raindrops began hitting my cheeks, making me a little uneasy about the weather. Still, I put my trust in the forecast calling for clear skies, and started climbing. A faint patch of blue sky appeared around the No. 2 Cairn, and by the Happo Cairn I had emerged above the clouds.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Happo Cairn to No. 3 Cairn]
A man descending the trail spotted me and called out, “Good morning. I just saw the Hakuba Sanzan peaks reflected in the Happo Pond. The mist is starting to move in, but if you hurry, you might still catch it!” Encouraged by his words, I quickened my pace toward the pond, and the effort paid off as I was able to see the ridgeline through a break in the clouds (pictured).
[Happo-One Nature Trail・No. 3 Cairn]
The contrasting white and green of oyama-soba flowers stood out across the area (second photo). Fresh-looking miyama-uikyo (pictured) could also be seen among the rocky ground. Umebachi-so and iwashobu had begun flowering in earnest throughout the Happo-One Nature Trail, while numerous oyama-rindo buds were visible around the No. 2 Cairn.
[Happo-One Nature Trail / Happo Cairn to No. 3 Cairn]
As you can see, the main viewing deck around the Happo Pond (pictured) was packed. With the Obon holiday underway, a steady stream of hikers and climbers came and went, capturing the spectacular scenery on phones and cameras as they did. The area around Happo Pond was later enveloped in mist, but the crowds continued to grow.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Happo Pond]
＊From 7/11 (Sat.) to 8/30 (Sun.), the Kurobishi 3 Pair Lift will begin operating at 4:30 a.m. for sunrise viewing on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, 8/10 (Mon.), and 8/12 (Wed.) to 8/13 (Thu.).
[Happo-One Nature Trail Opening Information]
*Period … 2026/5/30 (Sat.) & 5/31 (Sun.), 6/6 (Sat.) – 11/3 (Tue.)
*Hours … Happo Alpen Line: Aug 8–16 and Aug 22, 23 from 6:30 a.m.; weekdays Aug 3–7 and Aug 17–21 from 7:00 a.m. Kurobishi Line: Aug 8–16 and Aug 22, 23 from 6:45 a.m.; weekdays July 21 – Aug 7 and Aug 17–21 from 7:15 a.m.
*Fees … Happo Alpen Line round trip / Adults ¥3,500 · Elementary school children ¥2,300 →Adults ¥3,200, children ¥2,000 with early-discount tickets! (No need to exchange at the ticket counter—bring it directly to the gondola gate!)
