REPORT

It was a crisp, clear autumn morning. As soon as I entered the Tsugaike Nature Park, where the autumn colors are increasing day by day, the beautifully colored mountainside rising to the right immediately caught my eye (pictured). The yellow dakekanba, red nanakamado, and green kumazasa combined to create a striking alpine landscape, reminding me once again just how exceptional the fall colors are here.
[Mizubasho Marsh]

With the foliage now near its best, visitors are arriving earlier even on weekdays. The mild autumn weather made for a wide range of clothing amongst visitors, with everything from T-shirts to long-sleeve shirts and jackets. With the Northern Alps and brilliant fall colors in view, I continued deeper into the park along the smooth, easy-to-walk boardwalk through the Watasuge Marsh.
[Watasuge Marsh]

The small rest area between the Kusugawa River and Ukishima Marsh is one of the lesser-known fall foliage viewpoints. Conifers, bamboo grass, and other vegetation that once blocked part of the view have been cleared by the autumn season, opening up a much broader panorama than before (pictured). Looking down over the Watasuge Marsh, the scene had the feel of a beautifully composed miniature autumn landscape.
[Kusugawa to Ukishima Marsh]

Seeing the autumn-colored grasses at my feet, small alpine ponds, mountainsides glowing in shades of red and gold, and Mt. Hakuba (Shirouma) and Mt. Korenge rising into a clear blue sky created a spectacular fall scene that never gets old. A comparison with a photo taken from almost the same angle on 10/3 (Fri.) last year also shows just how much earlier the colors are developing this season. By the time I continued on to the Tenbo Marsh, the observation deck was so crowded that there was nowhere left to sit.
[Ukishima Marsh]

　　
*The “Tsugaike Nature Park Autumn Foliage Week” will be held from 10/3 (Sat.) through 10/9 (Fri.).
　
　　
[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!)

*Request for the original data of our photographs

reported by Snownavi