Visiting the Kurobe Gorge
Hello. I'm Ohagi, and I share information mainly about the nature and food culture of the Hokuriku region.
This time, I visited the Kurobe Gorge in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture, and I will introduce a trip through the gorge on the trolley train, where you can experience the magnificent nature of the Northern Alps and the clear streams of the Kurobe River up close.
The deep V-shaped valley of the gorge, the emerald green flow of the river, and the expressions of the mountains that change with the seasons—you can fully enjoy all of this in one hour and 20 minutes.
In this article, I will introduce the nature and topography of the Kurobe Gorge, the characteristics of the Kurobe River, and the charm of the trolley train.
Autumn in the Kurobe Gorge and Unazuki Onsen
Chapter 1: At the Entrance to the Long Story of the Kurobe Gorge
About a 20-minute drive from the Kurobe Interchange. After passing through the tunnel, you arrive at the Unazuki Onsen town, surrounded by mountains on all sides.
On your left, you can see the Kurobe River, which flows from Mt. Washiba in the Northern Alps, and the steep, deep V-shaped gorge of the Kurobe Gorge, created as the river rushes down a 3,000-meter elevation difference. Its length is a staggering 86 km. It was something that made me think more about the "time that has accumulated" than the numbers themselves.
When you look up at the mountains from around Unazuki, the colors and atmosphere change completely with every passing season.
On the day I visited in autumn, the distant mountains were faintly white, and the red, yellow, and orange of the autumn leaves overlapped with the emerald green of the Kurobe River, creating a clear atmosphere as if standing at the boundary of the seasons.
At a photo spot near Unazuki Onsen Station
Chapter 2: The "Work Road" Where the Trolley Train Runs
The trolley train travels along narrow rails that extend from Unazuki Station deep into the gorge.
A little different from its light appearance, this track was originally born as a "railway for work."
It began in the early 20th century.
It was triggered by the current Kansai Electric Power Company embarking on the development of hydroelectric power to take advantage of the abundant water volume of the Kurobe River.
It was a construction track built to transport materials for the power plant.
Especially during the 1950s and 1960s, when the construction of the Kurobe No. 4 Power Plant (Kuroyon Dam) was underway, tunnels and tracks were built one after another to transport materials, forming the current route of the trolley train.
The road across the Kurobe Gorge, born in this way, began carrying tourists in 1953, leading to the scenery of the Kurobe Gorge today.
It is 20.1 km from Unazuki Station to Keyakidaira Station.
The journey of about 1 hour and 20 minutes makes you feel the magnificence of the great nature and the years it took to create this gorge.
From the window of the trolley train in early summer
Emerald green Lake Unazuki and the crimson Komon Bridge
When you cross the bridge, the view opens up all at once, and in the tunnels that follow, the sound of the wind changes, and in the open cars, the sound of the river and the temperature of the air reach your skin directly.
You also shouldn't miss spots like the crimson Komon Bridge over Lake Unazuki and the Buddha stone with a red hood, which is said to have been a place where visitors once prayed for safety.
And the Kurobe Gorge shows various expressions depending on the season.
In early summer, a tunnel of lush green leaves continues, and you are healed by the flowers blooming along the way and the voices of bush warblers.
In autumn, you can see peaks with a light dusting of snow deep in the mountains, and the shades of autumn leaves overlap with the color of the Kurobe River, making me feel the momentum of the changing seasons.
The trolley operates from mid-April to the end of November.
Because it is closed by heavy snow in winter, it is a road that is only open from spring to autumn.
Autumn in the Kurobe Gorge and the trolley train
Chapter 3: Before Following the "Water Cycle" of the Kurobe River
What shaped this Kurobe valley was none other than the water of the Kurobe River.
Deep V-shaped valleys, transparent flows, and rich hot springs.
This "water road" that continues from the mountains to Toyama Bay also connects to human activities, such as the life and culture of Kurobe.
In the next article, I will walk a little more slowly, focusing on the water cycle of Unazuki Onsen and the Kurobe River, and human activities.
Shin-Yamabiko Bridge and the Kurobe Gorge in autumn
Reference
Kurobe Tour | Kurobe/Unazuki Onsen Tourism Bureau Official Website
https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/
Unazuki Onsen | Kurobe City Tourism Association
https://www.kurobe-unazuki.jp/kanko/spa/unazuki/
Toyama Prefecture Official Tourism Website "Toyama Tourism Navi" Kurobe Gorge
https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/51007