After visiting Yubiso in the summer of 2024, I planned to see the autumn foliage at Ichinokurasawa on Mt. Tanigawa last year. It turned out to be surprisingly difficult.
The autumn foliage status at Tenjin Pass, to be reached via the Mt. Tanigawa Ropeway, is easy to check thanks to the live camera installed by the Ropeway operator. On the other hand, Ichinokurasawa at lower elevation is somewhat unclear as there is no live camera available. Moreover, Mt. Tanigawa apparently gets super crowded during the peak autumn foliage season. I wished to go on a weekday when it could be less crowded. Unfortunately, being a company employee, I had to consider work schedules when taking time off.
The view of Mt. Tanigawa from Ichinokurasawa-deai, the entrance of Ichinokurasawa, is backlit during the day. On the other hand, if it gets cloudy with low-hanging clouds, the view of the mountain’s rock walls is obscured. The ideal condition would be a day with clouds high up. Life is not that easy, the autumn foliage season ended while checking the weather forecast almost every day.
I am not the person who gives up easily when it comes to travel, so I considered the winter scenery at Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel as an alternative. It is in a heavy snowfall area. Once winter sets in, the tunnel’s opening gets covered by the snow, making poor visibility. The ideal time might be until early January. Considering the crowds, this is also a place I would like to visit on a weekday.
From mid-December, I started checking the weather forecast near Kiyotsu Gorge. Clear days on the Sea of Japan side were rare, but by chance, a high-pressure system was passing over Honshu Island on a Friday. On the previous day, it would snow until noon, followed by cloudy skies with no temperature rise. Moreover, the Japan Meteorological Agency’s long-term weather information suggested temperatures would rise about 2 degrees above average till the year’s end, making this day likely be the last chance to go within the year.
My work schedule for that day was completely open, making perfect timing to take a day off. The problem was that it was not an operating day of the direct bus from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, which runs only in winter. I decided to solve this with money. It seemed to be just before the ski season, so fewer people would be around, which was not bad.
Even going to such lengths to visit Kiyotsu Gorge, there was still a possibility that the snow cover would be too thin to be satisfied in terms of photography. Since it would be such a clear day, I hoped to take mountain photos. Upon checking, I found it was the last day of tourist operations at the Tanigawa Ropeway to see Mt. Tanigawa. After this day, it would apparently switch to operating solely as a ski resort. There was a Joetsu Line train departing from Echigo-Yuzawa to Minakami at just the right time. Crossing the Joetsu border on a local train with a beer sounded rather charming. I made all the necessary arrangements on my way home the day before the trip.
I took an early morning Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa. Tokyo was cloudy despite the sunny forecast, causing concerns. However, clear sky appeared after the train passing Omiya. I got off the Shinkansen at Echigo-Yuzawa and took a taxi to Kiyotsu Gorge.
While mountain slopes were covered a little by snow, there was no snow in the rocky areas nor on the trees. It was just too early for a snowy landscape. This was not a matter of photographic dissatisfaction but rather photographically an unexpected situation. Looking back when I visited the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel in spring, it was too early so that lingering snow slightly obstructed the view from the tunnel. I am impatient yet stubbornly persistent. I guess I just cannot judge the right timing.
Still, I had the Tanigawa Ropeway as a backup, so I accepted my luck for the day. After gazing snow-covered Mt. Hakkai (Hakkai-san in Japanese) at the distant, I headed to a local “hegi soba” restaurant. It was the time for soba with a glass of “Hakkai-san” sake in hand. Hakkai-san is beautiful to look at and delicious to drink.
I bought local Echigo Beer at Echigo-Yuzawa Station and boarded the Joetsu Line. There was a little snow here and there, but it was not the kind of snowy scenery that evokes a sense of charm. The train came out of the long tunnel, it was not the snow country; after the train returned the long tunnel, it still was not the snow country either. Even Yasunari Kawabata would find lacking in literary merit.
I got off the local train at Minakami Station and headed for the Tanigawa Ropeway. Whether it was the ropeway’s power or nature’s law, nothing beats altitude. From the clear skies of Tenjin Pass, I could see snow-capped Mt. Tanigawa. In the end, I suppose I am just a guy who can only be satisfied by the Mt. Tanigawa.
Life does not conveniently work out. Even worse, I cannot judge the right timing besides I am stubborn about giving up. As such, a backup plan is absolutely essential in my life.
COLO’s Traveler Guide: Joetsu
Times listed are based on the timetable at the time of visit.
Ueno 0742 (Tanigawa 471) > Echigo-Yuzawa 0858
・Kiyotsu Gorge
・Kojimaya (Hegi Soba)
Echigo-Yuzawa 1216 (Joetsu Line) > Minakami 1256
Minakami 1320 (Bus) > Tanigawadake Ropeway 1340
Tanigawadake Ropeway 1612 (Bus) > Jomo Kogen 1702
Jomo Kogen 1613 (Tanigawa 412) > Ueno 1715