REPORT

On this visit I was impressed right away with the kobaiikeso (Veratrum stamineum), which were growing nicely, and the bright yellow flowers of miyama kinpoge (meadow buttercups, pictured)! I could also feel myself getting more and more excited as I toured the Mizubasho Marsh and saw the fantastic views of the Hakuba Sanzan peaks in the background. The temperature was 20.5 degrees Celsius, which is high for the Tsugaike Nature Park in the morning at this time of the year, but thanks to the occasional cool breeze, I didn’t feel hot at all.
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Mizubasho Marsh]

Watasuge (cotton grass, pictured) continued to impress in the Watasuge and Ukishima marsh areas, while nikkokisuge day lillies are now at around 30 to 40% of peak. In other news, the Tsugaike Ropeway will begin early morning operation on 7/13 (Sat.), with the gondola starting at 6:30 a.m. and ropeway service beginning at 7:00 a.m. (*The annual summer “MIKKETA! Guide Program” will also start on the same day.)
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Ukishima Marsh]

Along the route connecting the marshes, the delicate blossoms of maizuruso (False lily of the valley, pictured) left a lasting impression. In addition, gozen tachibana (Creeping dogwood), tsumatori-so (Arctic starflower), and nanakamado (Japanese rowan) were also at their best. Kinugasaso (Paris Japonica) and shirane-aoi (Japanese wood poppy) were reaching the end of their season, and the sankayo skeleton flowers that had finished flowering earlier on were already bearing fruit.
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Watasuge Marsh to Ukishima Marsh]

Just before 10:00 a.m., clouds began to hug the ridgeline of the Northern Alps. I spoke with the Visitor Center’s Inomata-san (pictured, center), who told me, “The numerous crevasses on the Hakuba Daisekkei climbing route are so large that they can be seen from here, and each one is quite deep, so it will probably take time to reopen the route.” Currently, because of the aforementioned conditions, the Hakuba Daisekkei route is closed.
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Tenbo Marsh]

*With the Hakuba Daiseikkei closed to hikers, the standard course time to Mt. Shirouma is approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes using the route from the Tsugaike Visitor Center via Hakuba Oike, and approximately 10 hours using the route from Sarukura-so via Hakuba Yari Onsen.

[Tsugaike Nature Park 2024 Opening Information]
＊Period … 2024/6/1 (Sat.) – 10/27 (Sun.), 11/2 (Sat.) – 11/4 (Mon.)
＊Hours … Tsugaike Ropeway (8 am –) *Early morning operation starts from 7/13
＊Fees … Tsugaike Ropeway Roundtrip + Entrance Fee / Adults JPY3,700, Elementary School Students JPY2,100, Preschoolers Free → Advance Discount Tickets: Adults JPY3,300, Children JPY1,850! (No need to exchange at the ticket window! You can proceed straight to the gondola.)
(*One preschooler free with each paid adult. The second preschooler will be charged at the normal children’s rate.)

[Hakuba Tsugaike WOW! Opening Information]
*Period … 2024/6/18 (Sat) – 10/27 (Sun) *Closed on weekdays from 6/10 – 7/12 and 9/2 – 10/25.
Opening hours … 10 am – 4 pm (last admission at 3 pm)
Charges … Tobidas (1 time) JPY1,000 Fumidas (1 time) JPY800 Kabedas (1 time) JPY500 Amidas (60 min) JPY1,600 for adults, JPY1,000 for primary schools students Kogidas (1 time) JPY2,000 Pochadas (90 min) JPY2,800 for adults, JPY2,500 for primary schools students Tent sauna ( (90 min) JPY1,200 Baggy Cruise (1 time) Adults JPY2,000, 4 years to primary schools students JPY1,500 Trampolines (5 min) JPY500

*This season’s Tsugaike Report will be updated once or twice a week.
*To Visitors Requesting Original Data of Our Photographs

reported by Snownavi