A Tour of the scenic spots around Mt. Yatsugatake

A Tour of the scenic spots around Mt. Yatsugatake - Example Tour of Chino

Chino is a city located in one corner of the Suwa basin, surrounded in high mountains, which extends from the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake. This place is home to a rural lifestyle for the locals, but it is also the gateway for climbing the mountain, while also boasting several famed resort areas such as Tateshina, Lake Shirakaba, and Kurumayama. This tour will take you around an area that represents a microcosm of Japan’s scenic beauty, and offers numerous different aspects for you to experience.

Highlights

Come enjoy the vastness of nature at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake.
Find your ideal accommodations from among over 100 different facilities.
Travel the Venusline to experience unique scenic views at each tourist destination.

itinerary

Day 1 - Lake Tateshina
- Tateshina Ootaki Falls
- Kita Yatsugatake Ropeway

Day 2 - Sky Terrace (Kurumayama Tenbo Terrace - observation deck)
- Venusline (scenic highway)
- Shirakaba Lake Nature Canoe Tour (Yatsugatake Adventure Tours)
- Togariishi Museum of Jomon Archaeology

Day 1

Commence your journey from JR Chino Station with the aim to arrive at the first stop, Tateshina Lake, by 10:00 AM. It takes about 30 minutes by car to get there from the station.
First visit the information center at the station (the Chino Tourist Information Center).
Here you can obtain maps and pamphlets on the area.
<How to travel>
This example tour introduces the many destinations scattered throughout the highland resort area that spreads out at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake. We recommend that you travel by rental car or taxi, as the destinations are far from the train station and are spread over a wide area.
[Car Rental]
There are several car rental companies close to Chino Station. Make a reservation in advance and bring a driver’s license valid in Japan so that you may enjoy the tour with the least effort.
[Taxi]
Using a taxi will be the most comfortable way to enjoy the tour.
Some taxi companies in the area offer chartered taxis, so consider that as an option depending on your budget.

Terms and conditions for renting cars in Japan:

There are several limitations to renting a car in Japan if you do not hold a Japanese driver’s license.
You must be 18 years of age or older. You must also be carrying a valid driver’s license and your passport.
A valid driver’s license is defined as one of the following.
[ (1) International Driver's License]
An international driver’s license is something that you must obtain in your own country, normally from your local automotive association, before coming to Japan. It may not be possible to have one issued to you by your embassy after arriving in Japan.
[(2) Your driver’s license from your home country and a Japanese translation thereof.] (As of December 1, 2021)
If you carry a driver’s license issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, Slovenia, or Monaco, you simply need to present that license, a Japanese translation thereof, and your passport at the service desk of the car rental company, and you do not need to obtain an international driver’s license. Official translations can be obtained at the embassy or consulate for your home country.

JR Chino Station

- 30 min. by car

Lake Tateshina

Tateshina Lake is a quiet lake located on the Tateshina plateau at an altitude of 1250 meters above sea level, and here you will find spectacular scenery throughout the four seasons.
And there is a boardwalk path around the lake that allows you to enjoy a leisurely walk to take it all in.
There is also an outdoor art museum and sculpture park with sculpture exhibits surrounded by the nature of the area.
Meanwhile, there is a large road station, a common type of tourist facility in Japan, located next door, featuring a large parking lot and facilities to help you relax, so you can use Tateshina Lake as your base from which to tour the other tourist spots in the area.

Lunch

For lunch, choose one of the many restaurants in the area around Tateshina Lake, including wide variety of options such as Japanese Soba or Yakiniku and even Indian food.

Tateshina Ootaki Falls

Passing through the primeval forest, you will encounter a beautiful, thundering waterfall with a height of 25 meters and width of 10 meters.
A vast amount of water flows through to land in a very wide and deep basin at the foot.
The trail to reach it passes through the same primeval forest, and the area is particularly notable for bright green mosses found there in abundance.
It only takes ten minutes on foot to reach the falls from the adjacent parking lot, but you will feel as though you have been transported to another, fantastical world the moment you step into the primeval forest.

Kita Yatsugatake Ropeway

This ropeway takes you from its base station at an altitude of 1,800 meters to the mountain peak at just under 2,400 meters in a ropeway car that carries 100 people.
The ropeway station at the top offers a panoramic view of the Northern and Central Alps, and there’s even a garden, called Tsuboniwa, created by the mountain’s vast nature, where you can take a walk.
Many climbers also come here, who use it as a base for accessing Mount Kita-Yokodake.
There is also a dynamic ski area here featuring a four kilometer downhill run from the mountain peak, so visitors enjoy the spot year round.

stay

There are more than 100 accommodations in Chino City.
One of the pleasures is choosing an inn that suits you, from inns, hotels, pensions, auberge, guest houses, and mountain lodges.

Sky Terrace (Kurumayama Tenbo Terrace - observation deck)

Kurumayama is the main peak of the Mount Kirigamine and one of the famed One Hundred Mountains of Japan. The observation terrace at the peak is a top scenic destination that affords a 360° panoramic view for your enjoyment.
Due to its location projecting from the south slope, you will feel as though you are floating in space as you look out towards Yatsugatake, Mount Fuji, and the Southern Alps.
Under the right conditions, this terrace in the sky will even give you a chance to observe a sea of clouds, so it is without doubt a "photogenic" place.
In order to reach the peak of Kurumayama, drive to the base of the mountain and then take a ride on the lift for approximately 15 minutes.

Venusline (scenic highway)

The Venusline has been loved by many as a scenic driving route through the surrounding highlands.
There is nothing more beautiful than the rolling ridgelines of these green highlands that fill your view as you drive, and there’s nothing to block your view.
Japanese azaleas in springtime and orange-yellow lilies in summer also add to any driver’s entertainment as they bloom with abandon throughout the Kurumayama highlands.
The area also features several trekking paths allowing you to see the beautiful alpine flora up close on your hike.

Lunch

For lunch, why not search around the Kurumayama and Shirakaba Lake areas for a restaurant that catches your fancy.
We recommend one of the privately owned restaurants or dining at the restaurant at the ski resort.

Shirakaba Lake Nature Canoe Tour (Yatsugatake Adventure Tours)

Here in the Shirakaba Lake area, adjacent to the Kurumayama highlands, you can get your fill of the beautiful views of the wide open sky and breathtaking mountains from the lake itself.
Take a tour around the lake’s headwaters and the Torii gate in the lake in a recreational kayak that ensures you have a safe and stable ride. You can bring anyone aged three or over along with you, and bringing your dog is another way to enjoy the tour that is popular with visitors.

Togariishi Museum of Jomon Archaeology

The Yatsugatake foothills are a place where the culture of the ancient Jomon people of Japan once flourished. Countless archeological sites and artifacts have been uncovered here, and of those, one has been designated as a national treasure for its highly advanced level of artistry.
Known as the Jomon Venus, it is said to have been produced in the middle Jomon period, between approximately 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. Another item on display at the Museum is the Masked Goddess figurine said to have been produced approximately 4,000 years ago near the start of the late Jomon period. The Museum features a collection of over 2,000 other artifacts, including other earthen vessels and stone tools made of obsidian, so you can enjoy taking a moment to slip back in time to experience the Jomon period directly.

JR Chino Station