Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is one of Japan's great mountain journeys. Between Ogizawa on the Nagano side and Tateyama station on the Toyama side, it strings together seven different forms of transport, a trolley bus through a tunnel beneath the mountains, a cable car, a ropeway that glides across a valley, a bus across a high plateau and a funicular, to carry you over the Northern Alps without a single hike. The route climbs to around 2,450 metres at Murodo, close to the rim of Mount Tateyama, and passes Kurobe Dam, Japan's tallest dam, with a long stairway to a viewing platform. The views change at every stage.

On the Nagano side the first leg is the trolley bus through the Kanden tunnel, followed by the walk across the top of Kurobe Dam, where in summer the discharge from the dam creates a thundering spray. Then come the cable car and ropeway up to Kurobeidaira and Daikanbo, with long views over the Alps, and the high plateau at Murodo, where hot springs, volcanic craters and boardwalks make for an easy half-hour walk in the thin air.

In spring the road at Murodo is cleared through deep snow to create the Snow Wall, a canyon of white up to 20 metres tall, the most famous sight of the whole route. Autumn brings red and gold leaves across the slopes, and late October can be the most spectacular time of all.

The route is strictly seasonal. It generally opens in mid-April and closes at the end of November, with snow removal making the first weeks only possible in some years, so check the operating dates and the day's weather before booking. Allow a full day, because the crossing takes around six hours of travel plus stops, and the schedule is tight.

Tickets are for a one-way trip, so you finish on the Toyama side and need a return plan, which is why many people take an organised tour from Nagano or Matsumoto that arranges a bus back. Booking ahead is important in autumn and during the Snow Wall period, because transport sections sell out.

Dress in layers. It can be 20 degrees colder at Murodo than in the valley, and weather can close sections at short notice. Altitude is moderate but can cause a headache or breathlessness for some travellers. The sections run on timetables with limited capacity, so queues are normal on busy days.

A guided day tour from Nagano handles the logistics and returns you to the city in the evening, and it is the least stressful way to see one of the finest mountain crossings in Japan. In winter the route is closed completely, so plan other Alps activities instead, such as snow monkeys and skiing.

A few extra points will help your planning. Seats on some sections are limited, and tickets can sell out on the busiest days, so book as early as you can and have a flexible fallback. The air at Murodo is thin and cold, with strong sun, so bring sunglasses and sunscreen as well as layers.

Food stalls and restaurants operate along the route, but they are busy and can be pricey, so pack a snack. Photography is wonderful at nearly every stage, but keep your phone or camera charged, because cold drains batteries. Notices at each station will tell you of any wind or snow closures, so keep an eye on them as you travel.