Find Mountains to Climb by Difficulty Level

Let’s visit the Japan Alps for the very first time.
We’ll introduce you to some of the highest peaks of the Japan Alps that will give you an authentic hiking experience and allow you to brag about it to your friends, but these peaks can be climbed even as a family with children or as a casual hiking club venturing into the Japan Alps for the first time.

After you have gained some experience in other areas or tried a few experiential routes, let’s venture out to the mountains of the Japan Alps for an authentic hiking experience with trusted friends or a reliable partner. The first time you stay in a mountain hut is a really fun experience. Sometimes, if you are walking for more than five hours in a day, you will not be able to return the same day but may stay overnight in a mountain hut. The technical skills to climb a rocky area are also necessary.

Once you master the beginner routes, let’s try taking on the challenge of Japan Alps routes that will allow you to relish the experience a little more. As a general rule, the hikes are at least two days and one night and require more than 10 hours of walking. There are more rocky areas, and the ability to make decisions based on your climbing skills and experience may be needed in some cases. These routes feature snowy gorges and rocky stretches, so carrying a helmet is recommended.

If you have climbed several of the peaks of the Japan Alps, then you should be ready to take some rougher routes. These are the routes that have been deemed difficult among the routes found on mountain climbing maps. They are challenging and require skills and physical strength.

The Hasegawa Peak at Dai Kiretto, Juji Pass at Kurobe Gorge’s lower corridor, and Tsugami Shindo are examples of routes that are certainly not easy, but the more hiking experience you acquire, the more you find the desire grows to try your hand at these routes, even once. We have listed those routes from among the routes geared toward expert hikers that have long stretches of steep slopes or complex routes that require climbing skills and experience.