Gorges · Toyama

Kurobe Gorge

黒部峡谷くろべきょうこくKurobe Kyōkoku

The deepest gorge of the Northern Alps

Kurobe Gorge (Kurobe Kyōkoku) is the deepest V-shaped gorge in Japan, carved by the Kurobe River between the Tateyama and Ushiro-Tateyama ranges of the Northern Alps in Toyama Prefecture. Its lower section is reached by the narrow-gauge Kurobe Gorge Railway from Unazuki Onsen.

National park · 1934Special place of scenic beauty · 1964Special natural monument · 1964

National park: Chubu Sangaku National Park

Overview

The Kurobe River rises near Washiba-dake in the Northern Alps and flows north for about 85 kilometres to the Sea of Japan. For much of its course it runs in a deep, narrow gorge between the Tateyama–Tsurugi range to the west and the Ushiro-Tateyama range to the east, with walls rising more than 1,500 metres from river to ridge.

The gorge was one of the last blank spaces on the map of Japan, known only to hunters and mountain guides until the early 20th century. Its steep fall and abundant snowmelt then made it a centre of hydropower. The railway built from 1923 to carry materials for the dams was opened to tourists in 1953, and the Kurobe Dam, completed in 1963 at the head of the lower gorge, is the tallest dam in Japan.

Today the Kurobe Gorge Railway runs from Unazuki Onsen to Keyakidaira, the gateway to riverside hot springs and trails. The upper gorge, including the Shimo-no-Rōka section, remains wild country for experienced hikers only.

Landscape and formation

The Northern Alps are rising rapidly, and the Kurobe River has cut down through granite and other hard rocks to keep pace, creating a V-shaped cross-section with few flat areas. Heavy winter snowfall – among the heaviest in the world for mountains of this height – feeds avalanches that scour the walls and leave snow bridges in side valleys well into summer. Sheer granite faces such as Okukaneyama rise hundreds of metres straight from the river.

Highlights

Kurobe Gorge Railway
黒部峡谷鉄道Kurobe Kyōkoku Tetsudō
Narrow-gauge line of about 20 km from Unazuki to Keyakidaira, with open carriages, bridges and tunnels.
Sarutobi Gorge
猿飛峡Sarutobi-kyō
Narrowest point of the gorge above Keyakidaira, where monkeys were said to leap across.
Okukaneyama
奥鐘山Okukaneyama
Enormous granite wall rising from the river near Keyakidaira, part of the special designation.
Kanetsuri Onsen
鐘釣温泉Kanetsuri Onsen
Hot spring on the riverbank where visitors dig pools in the warm gravel.
Kurobe Dam
黒部ダムKurobe Damu
Arch dam 186 m high at the head of the lower gorge, on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.

Ecology

Forest of beech, Japanese horse chestnut and wingnut lines the lower gorge, giving way to conifers above. Japanese macaques, serows and Asiatic black bears live on the walls and in side valleys.

Flora

Beech and mixed broadleaf forest
Clings to the steep walls and turns the gorge red and yellow in late October.

Fauna

Japanese serow
カモシカkamoshika
Goat-antelope often seen on cliffs from the railway.
Japanese macaque
Troops move along the gorge; a monkey bridge was built for them near the railway.

Culture

The gorge is a landmark of Japanese engineering history. The construction of the dams and tunnels, including the heat-plagued Kurobe No. 3 project of the 1930s and the Kurobe Dam of the 1950s–60s, cost many lives and inspired novels and films such as 'Kōnetsu Zuidō' (High-Heat Tunnel) and 'Kurobe no Taiyō' (The Sands of Kurobe).

Kurobe no Taiyō
黒部の太陽Kurobe no Taiyō
1968 film on the building of the Kurobe Dam, based on Kimoto Shōji's book.
Kōnetsu Zuidō
高熱隧道Kōnetsu Zuidō
Yoshimura Akira's 1967 novel about driving tunnels through rock above 160 °C in the 1930s.

History

1923
Construction of the railway into the gorge begins, for hydroelectric development.
1934
The gorge becomes part of Chubu-Sangaku National Park.
1953
The Kurobe Gorge Railway begins carrying passengers.
1963
The Kurobe Dam is completed.
1964
The gorge, with Sarutobi and Okukaneyama, is designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument.
1971
The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route opens fully to the public.

Through the seasons

Spring

The railway opens in spring once snow and avalanche debris are cleared; fresh green in May.

Summer

Warm and busy; riverside hot springs and short walks from Keyakidaira.

Autumn

Autumn colour from late October to mid-November, the gorge's most popular season.

Winter

The railway is closed; the gorge lies under deep snow and avalanches.

Routes and trails

Kurobe Gorge Railway
About 80 minutes each way from Unazuki to Keyakidaira through bridges and tunnels.
Keyakidaira riverside walks
Short trails to Sarutobi Gorge and the Babadaira hot spring areas.
Shimo-no-Rōka
Demanding multi-day trail along the upper gorge from the Kurobe Dam, open only in autumn after the snow bridges melt; for experienced hikers.

Practical notes

Unazuki Onsen is reached from Kurobe-Unazukionsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen via the Toyama Chihō Railway.
The railway runs only from spring to late autumn, and sections may be closed after storms or earthquakes; check the operator's information.
Rockfall and bear warnings apply on trails; stay on marked paths.

Frequently asked questions

How do you visit Kurobe Gorge?

By the Kurobe Gorge Railway from Unazuki Onsen to Keyakidaira, which runs from spring to late autumn.

When is the best time to visit Kurobe Gorge?

Late October to mid-November for autumn colour; spring and summer offer fresh green and fewer crowds.

Is Kurobe Gorge connected to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route?

Geographically yes – the Kurobe Dam lies at the head of the lower gorge – but the tourist railway and the Alpine Route are separate routes.

Why is Kurobe Gorge so deep?

The Northern Alps are being uplifted quickly, and the Kurobe River cuts down through hard rock at a similar rate, forming a deep V-shaped valley.