Summer Info
Silver Week begins tomorrow, marking the first five-day holiday period in September since 2015. Sunshine also returned to the area for the first time in four days, giving the Tsugaike Nature Park a wonderfully fresh feeling as the fall colors continued to deepen. A staff member at the Visitor Center near the entrance (pictured, rear left) told me, “It got down to 6°C this morning. Hopefully the colors will continue developing beautifully as we head into early October.”
[Ukishima Marsh to Tenbo Marsh]
At the Watasuge Marsh, the maples were beginning to turn yellow while the nanakamado were transitioning to shades of red. I met a couple from Aichi Prefecture (pictured), who told me, “We love Tsugaike and come here often. This is our second visit this year after coming first in June. The sea of clouds is beautiful this morning, and the fall colors are looking great too!” The cool breeze was refreshing but had a definite chill to it, and a jacket felt just right.
[Watasuge Marsh]
Along the route from the Ginmeisui Spring to the Tenbo Marsh, I saw plenty more nanakamado already turning red. The clouds were slow to rise, so even around 11 a.m. the ridgeline of the Northern Alps remained clearly visible from the Tenbo Marsh. The Hakuba Daisekkei hiking route (the white area on the right side of the photo) has been closed since 9/16 (Wed.).
[Tenbo Marsh]
After leaving the busy Tenbo Marsh and heading toward the Yase-One Ridge, I was treated to a spectacular sea of clouds (pictured). Snowmelt came early in 2026, and the alpine flowers also began blooming ahead of schedule. The fall colors now appear to be developing slightly earlier than usual as well, and from the latter half of Silver Week onward (although the typhoon forecast for the first half is a concern), visitors should start seeing more and more beautiful autumn scenery.
[Yase-One]
[Tsugaike Nature Park – Opening Details]
*Period … June 6 – Oct 25, 2026
*Hours … Tsugaike Ropeway opens at 8:00 a.m.; 7:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays through September 23; 7:00 a.m. on September 26 and 27
*Fees … Tsugaike Ropeway round trip + park entrance / Adults ¥4,000, elementary school children ¥2,200, one preschool child free per accompanying adult → Adults ¥3,500, children ¥1,950 with early-discount tickets! (No need to exchange at the ticket counter—bring it directly to the gondola gate!)
