REPORT

I punched through the clouds during the gondola ride up, and was later treated to a spectacular view of the sea of clouds from the ropeway (pictured). It seemed to me that 80 to 90% of the visitors on the first and second departures of the ropeway, at 8.30 and 8.40 a.m. respectively, headed in the direction of Mt. Hakuba Norikura. This first photo shows the first descending car of the ropeway, but both the first and second cars heading up were full.
[Tsugaike Ropeway]

Even though the Obon holiday period is over, families taking advantage of summer vacation were still present throughout the park. I spoke with a family from Shizuoka Prefecture (pictured), who told me, “We’ve been in Hakuba since the day before yesterday. Yesterday we climbed to the top of Mt. Hakuba Norikura in the fog, but we saw that there were beautiful views of the three major Hakuba peaks this morning on the live camera. Today we’re headed to the Tenbo Marsh observation deck!”
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Ukishima Marsh to Ginmeisui Spring]

Oyama rindo (pasture gentian, pictured), obasenkyu (kneeling angelica), o-itadori (giant knotweed), iwashobu (triantha Japonica) and yachi-torikabuto (monk’s hood) are now at their peaking within the Tsugaike Nature Park, and I felt that the number of oyama rindo in bloom this year is particularly impressive. Throughout the various marshlands, iwa-icho (deer cabbage) has started to turn yellow and berries were forming in abundance on oba takeshima-ran, akamono, kuromame-no-ki, nogo ichigo, and okame-no-ki.
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Watasuge Marsh to Ukishima Marsh]

By the time I reached the Tenbo Marsh (from the Ukishima Marsh via the Yase-one ridge) at 11:00 a.m., the major peaks were completely hidden by clouds. The clouds that had been low on the horizon slowly climbed higher and began to block the sun for extended periods of time after 9:30, keeping the temperature comfortable and preventing it from rising rapidly. In addition, the cool southerly breeze seemed to suggest the arrival of autumn.
[Tsugaike Nature Park・Ginmeisui Spring to Mousen Pond]

　
[Tsugaike Nature Park 2024 Opening Information]
＊Period … 2024/6/1 (Sat.) – 10/27 (Sun.), 11/2 (Sat.) – 11/4 (Mon.)
＊Hours … Tsugaike Ropeway is open from 6:30 a.m. until 8/18, from 7:00 a.m. on 8/24, 8/25, and 8/31, and from 8:00 a.m. on 8/19 – 8/23 and 8/26 – 8/30.
＊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