The Japanese Alps 日本アルプス

  • Published on : 08/04/2020
  • by : La rédaction / J.R.
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The Japanese Alps: the mountain in the heart of Japan

In the Chûbu region, between Kansai and Kanto, stand the Japanese Alps: a large and majestic mountain range whose various mountains exceed 3000 meters in altitude. Splendid panoramas, sporting hikes, thrilling skiing, hot springs or even centuries-old villages ... The Japanese Alps are home to their share of activities and well-kept secrets.

The name "Japanese Alps" was given by an English archaeologist, William Gowland , who explored this mountain range at the end of the 19th century and saw there a geological resemblance to the European Alps. The name was then popularized in the 20th century by a British missionary, Walter Weston , who also explored these mountains and documented Gowland's work.

Japan's only three active glaciers are also found in the Japanese Alps.

 

Alpes japonaises

Le massif des Alpes japonaises

Pixabay

À la découverte des Alpes japonaises et de ses trésors

Cernée par les sommets des Alpes nippones, la station de Matsumoto n'est pas que l'incontournable point de départ des activités de montagne. On y visite l'un des châteaux les plus hauts perchés du pays, le Matsumoto-jô, surnommé "château du corbeau" en raison de sa sombre toiture. À quelques minutes à pied, l'école-musée de Kaichi est comme une salle de classe restée figée en 1876, à l'époque où le régime de l'ère Meiji (1868-1912) entendait changer le peuple par l'éducation ; tandis que le quartier de Naka-machi ("la ville intérieure") a conservé ses kura, ces anciens entrepôts typiques de la fin du XIXème siècle.

Et pour que la moutarde vous monte au nez, la petite ville de Hotaka (du nom d'un célèbre sommet) est la capitale du wasabi, ce raifort coloré en vert qui agrémente tant de plats nippons, et plusieurs fermes spécialisées sont ouvertes à la visite (notamment Dai-ô).

Carte des randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises
Randonnées dans les Alpes Japonaises

Many ski areas are spread elsewhere in the Japanese Alps, especially around Nagano : we recommend the popular Hakuba and Shiga Kôgen . From Toyama, the Tateyama Sanroku station will allow you to enjoy the snow.

You can extend your stay in the surroundings by joining the beautiful Kanazawa via "little Kyoto" , Takayama , and the famous village of Shirakawa-gô , in Hakusan national park : traditional houses with thatched roofs classified as World Heritage of Unesco.

Alpes japonaises

Maguse Onsen

Wikimedia Commons

Lift for skiers at the Shiga Kôgen area

Wikipedia

Takayama

Takayama

photozou

Gassho-zukuri type houses, in the village of Shirakawago

Gassho-zukuri houses in the village of Shirakawago, near Takayama

wikimedia

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