Summer Info
Fall color has reached its peak across the alpine meadows at elevations of around 1,700 to 2,000 meters. With the five-day Silver Week holiday, peak foliage season, and another three-day weekend in October still to come, the autumn season is entering its busiest stretch. After a long spell of unsettled weather, setting out along the Happo-One Nature Trail today under clear blue skies immediately lifted my spirits.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Boardwalk Course]
With the sun beating down on my back, I worked up a good sweat on the way to the No. 2 Cairn. I met a couple from Nagano’s Matsukawa Village (pictured, foreground), who told me, “We always read your reports. It finally cleared up! When we opened the front door this morning, the skies to the north looked promising, so we decided to come to Happo. We’re heading up to Mt. Karamatsu and back today.”
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Boardwalk Course]
Looking toward the Northern Alps from around the No. 3 Cairn (pictured), I noticed that the fall colors on the south-facing slopes were a little further along than those on the north side. Along the trail, iwa-icho leaves had turned yellow, oyamasoba had taken on reddish-brown tones, and the leaves of yamaurushi and red-berried nanakamado were beginning to turn red.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・No. 3 Cairn]
On the way back, the sea of clouds below the trail between the No. 3 Cairn and Happo Cairn (pictured) was especially memorable. I had seen a sea of clouds on each of my previous two visits as well, making this three in a row. Around 10 a.m., clouds began rising and blocked the sun, and the temperature quickly dropped. After the warmth earlier in the morning, it suddenly felt quite chilly.
[Happo-One Nature Trail・Happo Cairn to No. 3 Cairn]
＊The final “Night Gondola & Stargazing Event” of the summer will be held from 9/19 (Sat.) through 9/22 (Tue., public holiday).
＊As of 9/5 (Sat.), the Kurobishi 3 Pair Lift is operating from 5 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
＊According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, September sunshine hours were just 38% of average in eastern Japan and 50% in western Japan, the lowest levels recorded since statistics began in 1961.
[Happo-One Nature Trail Opening Information]
*Period … 2026/5/30 (Sat.) & 5/31 (Sun.), 6/6 (Sat.) – 11/3 (Tue.)
*Hours … Happo Alpen Line: 8:00 a.m., Sep 12–12, and Sep 26–27 from 6:30 a.m., Sep 23 from 7:00 a.m., Kurobishi Line: 8:15 a.m., Sep 12–12, and Sep 26–27 from 6:45 a.m., Sep 23 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!)
