Backcountry Skiing in Tateyama

Tateyama is a famous spring backcountry skiing destination at the heart of the Japanese Alps and above the clouds. Discover it on this exciting trip!

This area includes two of the most iconic peaks in the North Japan Alps: Tateyama (3,015 m) and Tsurugi (2,999 m). The ski descent surrounded by peaks and the ridges of the Japanese Alps is just invaluable.

There are many backcountry ski routes in this area. I know it extremely well, so I can pick one that suit your needs for different skill sets, fitness levels and descent preferences!

I’m also very well connected to the mountain huts and mountain rescue there, so we’ll be able to obtain the most fresh firsthand info available.

You will arrive from Tokyo to Toyama station on Hokuriku shinkansen (bullet train). It would be better if you could arrive the day before so we can get up to Murodo (base) in the morning, but if not, you can take the first shinkansen and I will pick you up at 8:40 am. We will then drive to the mountain entrance and get on a bus to Murodo. We will do some backcountry skiing and stay at Murodo hut, which is more like a hotel than a hut.

For this trip, you must be able to or have the experience of skiing / snowboarding off piste. It is also better if you are capable of hiking up a couple of hours a day since there are no lifts here.

Because it takes time to get up there and down, I recommend to take a 2-day+ trip. The best time of the year is between the end of April and beginning of June, but make sure to avoid ‘Golden Week holidays’ (last week of Apr, first week of May) which is usually very crowded.

Reach out to me to explore this spring backcountry paradise in Japan. Send a request so we can start planning this together!

I also offer ski experiences in other Japanese regions, like this ski touring trip in Hakuba.