REPORT

With both the snowmelt and flowers arriving early this year, I had wondered whether the 2026 fall colors might be ahead of schedule as well, so I headed up to Murodo (2,450 m) just before Silver Week to see for myself. The crowds were unusually large for a weekday, and on the Nagano side, extra departures were running even before the first scheduled departure on transportation beyond the Kurobe Cable Car. After taking a short break at Mikurigaike Pond (pictured), I continued toward Raichozawa.
[Mikurigaike Pond]

Once I passed Enmadai and began descending, the atmosphere changed dramatically. Jigokudani to the right of the photo was stark and desolate, with volcanic gases rising from the ground and bleached, dead haimatsu pine covering the landscape. To the left was Chinoike, or “Blood Pond” (pictured), completing the distinctly hellish scene. The dead haimatsu remain remarkably well preserved because the highly acidic environment prevents the microorganisms responsible for decomposition from surviving. Chinoike, meanwhile, gets its reddish color from high concentrations of iron oxide in the water and mud.
[Enmadai to Raichoso]

Beyond Raichoso, the smell of sulfur gradually faded and the landscape opened into a magnificent scene that felt almost heavenly (pictured). In Tateyama worship, which developed from a blending of ancient Japanese mountain beliefs and Buddhism, Tateyama came to represent both the “hell” described above and the “paradise” symbolized by the three Tateyama peaks and Mt. Jodo. It is regarded as a sacred place of symbolic death and rebirth. The descent from Murodo to Raichozawa Campground offers a striking opportunity to experience both sides of that spiritual landscape firsthand.
[Raichoso to Raichozawa Campground]

In any case, one of the sights I had especially hoped to see was spectacular: the fall colors of chinguruma spreading out at my feet. Here, on the descent just before Raichozawa Campground, orange and red chinguruma mingle with the yellow leaves of iwa-icho to create a beautiful carpet of autumn color. Tateyama’s treeline sits at around 2,300 meters, slightly lower than the typical 2,400 to 2,500 meters found elsewhere in the Northern Alps, giving the area its wonderfully open scenery. Against that expansive backdrop, I enjoyed the intricate fall colors of the tiny alpine plants at close range. (Continued in Raichozawa Pt. 2.)
[Raichoso to Raichozawa Campground]

　　
*The annual water discharge is scheduled to continue through 10/15 (Thu.), although it may be suspended due to weather or other operational conditions.

[Kurobe Dam]
*Place … Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture; Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture
*Opening Period … April 15, 2026 – November 30, 2026
*Fees … Kanden Tunnel Electric Bus (Ogizawa – Kurobe Dam) Round-trip adults JPY3,200, elementary school students JPY1,600
　
[Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route]
*Place … Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture; Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture
*Opening Period … April 15, 2026 – November 30, 2026
*Parking lot on the Ogizawa Station side … Passenger cars JPY1,000 / 12hours (*Free parking is also available)
*Transportation costs from Ogizawa to Tateyama Station … adults JPY10,940, elementary school students JPY5,480
　
*Request for the original data of our photographs　
　
reported by Snownavi