National Parks · Niigata, Nagano

Myoko-Togakushi Renzan National Park

妙高戸隠連山国立公園みょうこうとがくしれんざんこくりつこうえんMyōkō-Togakushi Renzan Kokuritsu Kōen

A tight ring of volcanoes and sacred crags between Echigo and Shinano

Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park, on the border of Niigata and Nagano, gathers a dense cluster of volcanic and non-volcanic peaks, from the double volcano Myōkō-san to the jagged Togakushi ridge. Part of Jōshin'etsu Kōgen National Park from 1956, it became Japan's 32nd national park in 2015 and is known for mountain worship, snow and Lake Nojiri.

Elevation: 2,462 mArea: 397.72 km²National park · 2015

Overview

The park lies where the northern end of the Japanese Alps meets the Sea of Japan coast, on the border of Niigata and Nagano. Within a radius of some 20 km stand the stratovolcanoes Myōkō-san, Kurohime-yama and Iizuna-yama, the active Yake-yama, and the non-volcanic peaks Hiuchi-yama, Amakazari-yama, Takatsuma-yama and the sawtooth ridge of Togakushi-yama. At their foot lie highland plains, ponds and Lake Nojiri.

From 1956 the area formed part of Jōshin'etsu Kōgen National Park. Because its landscape and culture differ markedly from the rest of that park, it was separated and designated on 27 March 2015 as Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park, Japan's 32nd.

The area is famous for its deep snow: winter monsoon winds from the Sea of Japan bury the Myōkō highlands under several metres of powder, supporting ski resorts such as Akakura and Ikenotaira. In summer and autumn the mountains, shrines and highland pastures draw hikers and pilgrims, and Togakushi's buckwheat noodles are celebrated throughout Japan.

Landscape and formation

Myōkō-san is a double volcano: a central cone rising within the remains of an older collapsed edifice, whose surrounding ring of peaks gives Myōkō its distinctive profile, often likened to a crown. Neighbouring Yake-yama is a young, active lava dome volcano, while Kurohime-yama and Iizuna-yama are older, eroded stratovolcanoes.

The non-volcanic peaks are built of older sedimentary and igneous rocks. Togakushi-yama is a ridge of conglomerate cut into pinnacles and narrow crests, including the famous 'ant's crossing' (Ari-no-towatari). Hiuchi-yama, the highest peak at 2,462 m, carries snow patches and alpine meadows. Lake Nojiri, on the Nagano side, was dammed by volcanic deposits and has preserved sediments recording tens of thousands of years of climate and life.

Highlights

Myōkō-san
妙高山Myōkō-san
A 2,454 m double volcano, called 'Echigo Fuji', rising above the Myōkō highlands and their hot springs.
Hiuchi-yama
火打山Hiuchi-yama
The park's highest peak (2,462 m), with ponds and alpine meadows at Kōya-ike and a small population of rock ptarmigan.
Togakushi-yama
戸隠山Togakushi-yama
A 1,904 m ridge of rock pinnacles behind Togakushi Shrine, with the exposed 'ant's crossing' section.
Lake Nojiri
野尻湖Nojiri-ko
A lake at the foot of Kurohime-yama, famous for Naumann's elephant fossils and an island shrine.
Imori-ike
いもり池Imori-ike
A small pond at Myōkō Kōgen reflecting Myōkō-san, with a visitor centre and short nature trail.
Kagami-ike
鏡池Kagami-ike
A mirror pond at Togakushi reflecting the Togakushi ridge, famous for autumn colours.
Amakazari-yama
雨飾山Amakazari-yama
A 1,963 m peak on the western edge of the park with a double summit and a hot spring at its foot.

Ecology

Heavy snow and a varied geology give the park a rich flora with species of both the Sea of Japan and Pacific sides. Beech forests cover the snowy slopes, subalpine fir and dwarf pine the higher ridges, and snowbed meadows bloom on Hiuchi-yama and Myōkō-san in summer. Several plants bear the park's names, including Togakushi-sō, a plant so distinctive that it was placed in its own genus.

The Hiuchi-yama area is the northern limit of the rock ptarmigan in Japan, a very small population that is closely monitored and protected. Asian black bears, serows and golden eagles live throughout the mountains.

Flora

Togakushi-sō
トガクシソウTogakushi-sō
A pale purple woodland plant first described from Togakushi and placed in the endemic genus Ranzania, named after the Edo-period naturalist Ono Ranzan.
Myōkō-torikabuto
ミョウコウトリカブトMyōkō-torikabuto
A monkshood named after Myōkō, flowering blue-purple in late summer.
Hakusan-kozakura
ハクサンコザクラHakusan-kozakura
Pink primroses that carpet the snowbeds around the ponds of Kōya-ike on Hiuchi-yama.
Beech forest
ブナ林buna-rin
Snow-tolerant beech forest on the Sea of Japan side of the mountains.

Fauna

Rock ptarmigan
ライチョウraichō
A Special Natural Monument; the Hiuchi-yama population is the northernmost and one of the smallest in Japan.
Asian black bear
ツキノワグマtsukinowaguma
Common in the forests of Togakushi and Myōkō.
Japanese serow
ニホンカモシカnihon-kamoshika
Often seen on steep slopes and in the Togakushi forests.
Golden eagle
イヌワシinuwashi
Hunts over the open ridges of the park.

Culture

Togakushi has been a centre of mountain worship since at least the Heian period, when it became one of the great Shugendō sites of eastern Japan. Today Togakushi Shrine consists of five sanctuaries spread along the foot of the mountain, the innermost, Okusha, reached by an avenue of towering cedars about 400 years old. Myōkō-san, too, was a sacred mountain: its older name, written 名香山, was later rendered with the characters of Myōkō-sen, the Buddhist name of the cosmic Mount Sumeru.

Togakushi is also linked with ninja legends, through the Togakure school of ninjutsu, and with soba noodles made from mountain buckwheat. The haiku poet Kobayashi Issa was born and died in Kashiwabara, at the foot of Kurohime-yama near Lake Nojiri.

Togakushi Shrine
戸隠神社Togakushi-jinja
Five sanctuaries (Okusha, Kuzuryū-sha, Chūsha, Hōkō-sha, Hinomiko-sha) linked by old pilgrim paths.
Okusha cedar avenue
奥社参道杉並木Okusha sandō sugi namiki
A 2 km approach through the Zuishin-mon gate lined with ancient cedars.
Nojiri-ko Naumann Elephant Museum
野尻湖ナウマンゾウ博物館Nojiri-ko Naumanzō Hakubutsukan
Museum on the Ice Age fossils and excavations of Lake Nojiri.
Issa's birthplace
一茶記念館Issa Kinenkan
Memorial museum to Kobayashi Issa in Kashiwabara, Shinano town.

History

Heian period
Togakushi develops as a major centre of mountain asceticism.
1763–1828
Life of the haiku poet Kobayashi Issa, born and buried in Kashiwabara below Kurohime-yama.
1948
A Naumann's elephant fossil is found at Lake Nojiri; organised excavations follow from 1962.
1956
The Myōkō and Togakushi mountains are added to Jōshin'etsu Kōgen National Park.
1974
A phreatic eruption of Yake-yama kills three campers.
2015
Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park is designated on 27 March as Japan's 32nd national park.

Through the seasons

Spring

Snow lingers into June on the high peaks; skunk cabbage blooms in the Togakushi forest botanical garden and at Imori-ike in May.

Summer

The hiking season on Myōkō-san, Hiuchi-yama and Togakushi-yama, with alpine meadows on Hiuchi-yama from July.

Autumn

Colours peak in October at Kagami-ike and on the Togakushi ridge; new-season soba is served in Togakushi.

Winter

Some of the deepest snow in Japan falls on the Myōkō highlands, drawing skiers to Akakura, Ikenotaira and Madarao.

Routes and trails

Myōkō-san from Tsubame Onsen
A long climb past hot-spring sources and the old crater floor to the central cone; about 9 hours return.
Hiuchi-yama from Sasagamine
Through beech and fir forest to the ponds of Kōya-ike and the summit; a long day or an overnight stay at the hut.
Togakushi Shrine pilgrimage
An easy walk linking the five sanctuaries on old paths, ending on the cedar avenue to Okusha.
Togakushi-yama ridge
A demanding route from Okusha over chains and the narrow 'ant's crossing'; for experienced climbers only.
Lake Nojiri shore
A road and paths around the lake, with boats to Biwa-jima island.

Practical notes

The Hokuriku Shinkansen stops at Nagano and Jōetsu-Myōkō; local railways serve Kurohime and Myōkō-Kōgen stations, and buses run from Nagano to Togakushi in about an hour.
Yake-yama and Myōkō-san are monitored volcanoes; check alert levels and closures before climbing.
The Togakushi-yama ridge has had many fatal falls; only experienced climbers should attempt the 'ant's crossing'.
Bears are frequently seen around Togakushi; carry a bell in the forests.

Frequently asked questions

What does 'renzan' mean?

Renzan means a chain or group of linked mountains. The name reflects the park's character: about a dozen peaks, volcanic and non-volcanic, packed into a small area around the Myōkō and Togakushi massifs.

Why is Togakushi a sacred place?

According to legend, the god Ame-no-Tajikarao hurled away the rock door of the cave in which the sun goddess Amaterasu had hidden, and it landed here as Togakushi-yama. Togakushi Shrine and its five sanctuaries have been a centre of mountain worship for over a thousand years.

Can visitors climb Myōkō-san?

Yes, Myōkō-san (2,454 m) is climbed from Tsubame Onsen or Sasagamine in a long day. It is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan, as are Hiuchi-yama, Amakazari-yama and Takatsuma-yama in the park.

What was found at Lake Nojiri?

Excavations on the lake bed since the 1960s have uncovered fossils of the Naumann's elephant and giant deer, together with stone tools of Palaeolithic hunters, making it one of Japan's key Ice Age sites.

Is Yake-yama active?

Yes. Yake-yama is an active volcano; a phreatic eruption in 1974 killed three campers. Its summit area is often closed, depending on the volcanic alert level.

Sources

1.妙高戸隠連山国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
2.国立公園の概要 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
3.Myoko-Togakushi renzan National Park (opens in a new tab) — Ministry of the Environment, Japan