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What winter destinations do you think of when it comes to seeing the most snow? You might think of places like Canada’s Icefields Parkway, Alaska’s Glacier Walk, Switzerland’s Jungfraujoch, or an Antarctic tour.
However, Japan also has a strong contender. That would be the Snow Wall (Yuki no Ootani) in Toyama Prefecture.
The Snow Wall refers to the massive snow corridor formed when the dedicated road leading to the Murodo Station, the mountain base in the Tateyama Mountain Range (part of the Hida Mountain Range), is cleared of snow.
The snow walls reach nearly 20 meters (approximately 787 inches) in height on average each year.
Every spring, there is a sightseeing program that allows visitors to walk along this snow corridor. If you plan to visit Japan in spring, it’s worth checking out.
What is the Snow Wall?
As mentioned, the Snow Wall is formed when snow-clearing machinery removes snow from a mountain road within a national park, and it was once an area that the general public could not access in winters.
However, when a TV program aired the snow-clearing process, the impressive snow walls drew attention, and tourists started expressing their desire to see them up close.
In response, the then-head of the Tateyama Toll Road Administration and related organizations, such as Tateyama Kurobe Kanko, pushed for creating a walking program. This was first realized on April 26, 1994.
Initially, the program was limited to just three days, and only one lane of the snow-clearing path was open for walking, with strict time limits for each visitor (20 minutes per person) due to the need to prioritize smooth traffic flow.
As a result, the number of visitors was initially small. However, word of mouth about the emotional experience of walking along the Snow Wall spread, and by the fourth year, the total number of visitors surpassed 10,000.
Since then, the opening period was extended, and the snow-clearing path was expanded to two lanes, allowing visitors to walk freely along one side. This, along with other changes, led to a significant increase in the number of tourists, and the Snow Wall remains a popular destination today.
Recent Visitor Numbers for the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Including the Snow Wall
- 2014: Approx. 929,000 visitors
- 2015: Approx. 900,000 visitors
- 2016: Approx. 900,000 visitors
- 2017: Approx. 1,000,000 visitors
- 2018: Approx. 900,000 visitors
- 2019: Approx. 900,000 visitors
- 2020: Approx. 480,000 visitors
- 2021: Approx. 480,000 visitors
- 2022: Approx. 480,000 visitors
- 2023: Approx. 710,000 visitors
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor numbers halved starting in 2020, but there is a trend of recovery. Most foreign visitors come from China, Taiwan, and South Korea, with Europe and North America still having fewer visitors.
In this sense, the Snow Wall is a hidden gem among Japan’s tourist destinations for travelers from Europe and North America.
It’s also close to the well-known snow resort in Hakuba, Niigata (one of the venues for the Nagano Olympics), making it easy to plan a trip that combines both destinations.
Climate Change and the Snow Wall Height
However, recent climate changes have been affecting the height of the snow walls, and it’s important to address this issue. A look at the media reports shows the following changes in snow wall heights in recent years:
- 2024: 14.0 meters (approx. 551 inches)
- 2023: 13.0 meters (approx. 511 inches)
- 2022: 18.0 meters (approx. 709 inches)
- 2021: 14.0 meters (approx. 551 inches)
- 2020: 15.0 meters (approx. 591 inches)
- 2018: 17.0 meters (approx. 669 inches)
In 2022, Toyama Prefecture saw heavy snowfall and snow walls taller than average. However, in recent years, the height of the walls has tended to be below 15 meters.
Some reports mention that in the past, snow walls exceeded 20 meters. With the lack of snow in 2025, there are concerns about the height of the snow walls this year.
Even with the issue, however, the snow walls are still impressive. That’s about four times the height of an NBA basketball hoop, four times the height of a city bus, or equivalent to the fourth floor of a typical American residential building.
Given the chance to walk through this snow corridor, it is definitely worth experiencing if you’re visiting Japan at the right time.
Practical Tips
Since the Snow Wall is located at an elevation of about 2,450 meters (8,038 feet), the temperature can still be low even in spring, and the weather can change suddenly. Therefore, it’s important to bring warm clothing, rain gear, and comfortable walking attire.
Those with infants or elderly people with health concerns should carefully consider the conditions. It’s also essential to bring sunscreen and sunglasses for sunny days. Due to the risk of altitude sickness, it’s important to stay hydrated, especially for those with health concerns.
There may be situations where the program is fully booked or canceled due to weather, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
While there are some logistical challenges, the overwhelming beauty and grandeur of the Snow Wall are unparalleled, making it a unique and memorable destination for travelers, especially for travel writers like me, who have seen many places worldwide.
How to Go
There are two main routes to reach the Snow Wall, as the Tateyama Mountain Range runs north-south through central northern Honshu, the Japanese main island. Approaching from the east side is via JR Omachi Station in Nagano Prefecture, and from the west side, it is via Tateyama Station in Toyama Prefecture.
Access from Toyama Prefecture:
- From JR Toyama Station to Tateyama Station:
- Transportation: Take the Toyama Chihō Railway Tateyama Line from JR Toyama Station to Tateyama Station (about 30 minutes).
- Fare: Around 700 yen (one way)
- From Tateyama Station to the Snow Wall:
- Cable Car: Take the Tateyama Cable Car to Bijodaira Station (about 7 minutes).
- Bus: From Bijodaira Station, take the Highland Bus to Murodo Station at an altitude of 2,450 meters (about 50 minutes).
Access from Nagano Prefecture:
- From JR Nagano Station to JR Omachi Station:
- Transportation: Take the Ōito Line to Omachi Station (about 1 hour 40 minutes).
- Fare: Around 1,000 yen (one way)
- From JR Omachi Station to the Kurobe Dam and Tateyama:
- Bus: From JR Omachi Station, take the Alpen Route Bus to the Kurobe Dam, and then transfer to other facilities like cable cars to reach Murodo Station, where the Snow Wall awaits you.
The total travel time from Toyama is about 1 hour 40 minutes one way, and from Nagano, it’s about 2.5 hours. If you’re coming from Hakuba, the Nagano side is more convenient.
The Snow Wall is usually open from mid-April to early June, and during this time, there is a direct bus service from JR Toyama Station to Murodo Station, making it a convenient option for those with limited mobility or health concerns.
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Author Bio: Masayoshi Sakamoto is a Japanese writer, translator, and editor living in Toyama, Japan. He is the editor-in-chief of a local magazine, Hokuroku, and was the chief editor of a popular digital business magazine based in Tokyo, bizSPA!.
Go World Travel Magazine is a digital magazine for world travelers. Our editorial content is produced by a dedicated team of travel journalists who know the regions they cover. We cover travel in more than 90 countries.
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