Summer Info
By 6:30 a.m. this morning, a long line of hikers had already formed outside the ticket office at Village Tsugaike (pictured), waiting for ticket sales to begin. (*If you have an advance discount lift ticket, you can skip this line and head straight to the gondola!) Another long queue formed at the gates for the first gondola at 7 a.m., and the connecting ropeway was packed, with extra departures added to accommodate the crowds.
[Village Tsugaike]
I met a family from Ishikawa Prefecture (pictured) who told me, “We always read your reports, but we never expected to run into you in summer! Today we brought our youngest child, who was born this year, out for the first time and stayed at Hakuba Marukin Ryokan. The place was very clean, and the staff were so kind. We really enjoyed it.” The boardwalk through the Mizubasho Marsh is almost completely flat, making it easy to explore even with a stroller.
[Mizubasho Marsh]
Boardwalk renovation work began at the Watasuge Marsh on 7/30 (Thu.). Work is starting on the Kusukawa river side of the eastern route (pictured, far right), before moving to the area around Kusukawa on the western route (pictured, left) and then to the boardwalk between Kusukawa and Ukishima Marsh. (※A temporary detour is planned while this section is under construction.) The project is expected to take around six weeks and should be completed before the autumn foliage season.
[Watasuge Marsh]
Clouds built quickly today, covering most of the sky before 9 a.m. (pictured). The watasuge cotton grass has now passed its peak in the marsh areas, while the delicate white flowers of iwashobu are becoming increasingly prominent. Oni-shiogama and yachi-torikabuto are now at their best in the Mizubasho Marsh, as are oyama-rindo along the forest boardwalks connecting the marshes. Plenty of fresh, glossy berries could also be seen on sankayo, oba-takeshima ran, and akamono.
[Watasuge Marsh to Ukishima Marsh]
[Tsugaike Nature Park Opening Information]
*Period … 6/6 (Sat.) to 10/25 (Sun.), 2026
*Hours … Tsugaike Ropeway: Open from 7:00 a.m.- on daily from 7/18 (Sat.) to 8/16 (Sun.) / 8:00 a.m.- on weekdays starting 8/17 (Mon.) / 7:30 a.m.- on weekends from 8/22 (Sat.) to 8/30 (Sun.)
*Fees … Tsugaike Ropeway Roundtrip + Entrance Fee / Adults JPY4,000, Elementary School Students JPY2,200, One preschooler free per paying adult → Advance Discount Tickets: Adults JPY3,500, Children JPY1,950! (Skip the ticket window! Go straight to the gondola gate.)
