The route I would take through across the Japanese Alps was unsure at best before starting this traverse, but I managed to stick to my original plan (if you could call it that) fairly closely. Having now completed the traverse, I am sharing my day-by-day itinerary, statistics, and maps to help those of you who may want to attempt something similar in the future.
At the end of this post you will find an overview map of the entire route. There are two places where the route is broken, one in the middle of Day 8, when we took a boat across Kurobe Lake, and again at the end of Day 8 when we took the cable car/bus to reach Murodu (Tateyama) from Kurobe Dam (if you don’t know what these names and places are, don’t worry about it).
The route in its entirety is 422.6 mi / 680.11 km long. It begins at the Sea of Japan along the eastern edge of Toyama Bay (富山湾) in Niigata Prefecture (新潟県) and traces the Kita Alps (北アルプス), the Chuo Alps (中アルプス), and the Minami Alps (南アルプス) – also known as the Northern Alps, Central Alps, and Southern Alps – before road walking from Shizuoka City to Fuji City and then climbing to the summit of Mount Fuji (富士山) from Suruga Bay (駿河湾).
Day 1: Sea of Japan to Trail Camp
- Distance: 1.3 mi / 2.09 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,906 ft / 581 m
- Max Elevation: 1,346 ft / 410 m
- Min Elevation: 0 ft / 0 m
- Map
Day 2: Trail Camp to Inugatake
- Distance: 7.7 mi / 12.39 km
- Elevation Gain: 5,735 ft / 1,748 m
- Max Elevation: 5,059 ft / 1,542 m
- Min Elevation: 1,127 ft / 344 m
- Map
Day 3: Inugatake to Asahigoya
This was the third straight day of rain and so we waited for it to clear since we had shelter, the rain never ended and we ended up taking a zero day.
Day 4: Inugatake to Asahigoya
- Distance: 8.9 mi / 14.32 km
- Elevation Gain: 4,275 ft / 1,303 m
- Max Elevation: 7,879 ft / 2,402 m
- Min Elevation: 4,842 ft / 1,476 m
- Map
Day 5: Asahigoya to Tengusanso
- Distance: 11.8 mi / 18.99 km
- Elevation Gain: 6,753 ft / 2,058 m
- Max Elevation: 9,556 ft / 2,913 m
- Min Elevation: 6,490 ft / 1,978 m
- Map
Day 6: Tengusanso to Kirettogoya
- Distance: 9.4 mi / 15.13 km
- Elevation Gain: 4,648 ft / 1,417 m
- Max Elevation: 9,162 ft / 2,793 m
- Min Elevation: 7,405 ft / 2,257 m
- Map
Day 7: Kirettogoya to Harinokigoya
- Distance: 11.7 mi / 18.83 km
- Elevation Gain: 6,455 ft / 1,967 m
- Max Elevation: 9,373 ft / 2,857 m
- Min Elevation: 7,664 ft / 2,336 m
- Map
Day 8: Harinokigoya to Tateyama (Murodu)
- Distance: 13.5 mi / 21.73 km
- Elevation Gain: 6,900 ft / 2,103 m
- Max Elevation: 8,242 ft / 2,512 m
- Min Elevation: 2,859 ft / 871 m
- Map
Day 9: Tateyama Station to Toyama Station
Took the bus from Murodu Station down to the Tateyama Station where we then took the train into Toyama.
Day 10: Toyama Station to Tateyama Station
Took the train from Toyama Station to Tateyama Station and then took the bus back up to Murodu Station.
Day 11: Tateyama (Murodu) to Yakushitoge
- Distance: 15.9 mi / 25.59 km
- Elevation Gain: 8,519 ft / 2,597 m
- Max Elevation: 9,678 ft / 2,950 m
- Min Elevation: 6,943 ft / 2,116 m
- Map
Day 12: Yakushitoge to Sesshohyutte
- Distance: 17.4 mi / 28 km
- Elevation Gain: 8,640 ft / 2,633 m
- Max Elevation: 10,127 ft / 3,087 m
- Min Elevation: 7,615 ft / 2,321 m
- Map
Day 13: Sesshohyutte to Okuhodake
- Distance: 5.3 mi / 8.53 km
- Elevation Gain: 3,508 ft / 1,069 m
- Max Elevation: 10,134 ft / 3,089 m
- Min Elevation: 8,871 ft / 2,704 m
- Map
Day 14: Okuhodake to Shinhotaka Ropeway
- Distance: 4.9 mi / 7.89 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,141 ft / 348 m
- Max Elevation: 10,344 ft / 3,153 m
- Min Elevation: 7,000 ft / 2,134 m
- Map
Day 15: Shinhotaka Ropeway to Okuhida Onsen
- Distance: 14.6 mi / 23.5 km
- Elevation Gain: 3,425 ft / 1,044 m
- Max Elevation: 7,881 ft / 2,402 m
- Min Elevation: 4,138 ft / 1,261 m
- Map
Day 16: Okuhida Onsen to Aimikkusushizenmura Minami-Norikura Auto Camping Ground
- Distance: 16.7 mi / 26.88 km
- Elevation Gain: 6,981 ft / 2,128 m
- Max Elevation: 9,807 ft / 2,989 m
- Min Elevation: 4,308 ft / 1,313 m
- Map
Day 17: Aimikkusushizenmura Minami-Norikura Auto Camping Ground to Mount Ontake East Trailhead
- Distance: 26.5 mi / 42.65 km
- Elevation Gain: 7,734 ft / 2,357 m
- Max Elevation: 9,649 ft / 2,941 m
- Min Elevation: 3,455 ft / 1,053 m
- Map
Day 18: Mount Ontake East Trailhead to Kiso-Fukushima Station
- Distance: 12.1 mi / 19.47 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,003 ft / 396 m
- Max Elevation: 3,910 ft / 1,192 m
- Min Elevation: 2,431 ft / 741 m
- Map
Day 19: Zero Day in Nagoya
Took the train into Nagoya from Kiso-Fukushima Station yesterday afternoon. Taking today off. Taking the train back to Kiso-Fukushima Station tomorrow.
Day 20: Kiso-Fukushima Station to キャンピングフィールド木曽古道
- Distance: 3.7 mi / 5.95 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,192 ft / 363 m
- Max Elevation: 3,464 ft / 1,056 m
- Min Elevation: 2,495 ft / 760 m
- Map
Day 21: キャンピングフィールド木曽古道 to Utsugidakehinangoya
- Distance: 15.6 mi / 25.11 km
- Elevation Gain: 10,872 ft / 3,314 m
- Max Elevation: 9,580 ft / 2,920 m
- Min Elevation: 3,238 ft / 987 m
- Map
Day 22: Utsugidakehinangoya to Route 49/210 Junction
- Distance: 17.1 mi / 27.52 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,486 ft / 453 m
- Max Elevation: 8,301 ft / 2,530 m
- Min Elevation: 1,848 ft / 563 m
- Map
Day 23: Route 49/210 Junction to Kitazawakoegoya
- Distance: 22.7 mi / 36.53 km
- Elevation Gain: 7,000 ft / 2,134 m
- Max Elevation: 6,821 feet / 2,079 m
- Min Elevation: 2,666 ft / 813 m
- Map
Day 24: Kitazawakoegoya to Yabusawagoya
- Distance: 7.4 mi / 11.91 km
- Elevation Gain: 5,337 ft / 1,627 m
- Max Elevation: 9,590 ft / 2,923 m
- Min Elevation: 6,591 ft / 2,009 m
- Map
Day 25: Zero Day at Yabusawagoya
A typhoon was passing through today so we took a zero day at Yabusawagoya.
Day 26: Yabusawagoya to Kitadakegoya
- Distance: 10.6 mi / 17.06
- Elevation Gain: 5,423 ft / 1,653 m
- Max Elevation: 10,413 ft / 3,174 m
- Min Elevation: 7,466 ft / 2,276 m
- Map
Day 27: Kitadakegoya to Takayamaurahinangoya
- Distance: 22.6 mi / 36.37 km
- Elevation Gain: 8,123 ft / 2,476 m
- Max Elevation: 10,413 ft / 3,174 m
- Min Elevation: 7,792 ft / 2,375 m
- Map
Day 28: Takayamaurahinangoya to Hijiridairagoya
- Distance: 16.5 mi / 26.55 km
- Elevation Gain: 9,207 ft / 2,806 m
- Max Elevation: 10,247 ft / 3,123 m
- Min Elevation: 7,376 ft / 2,248 m
- Map
Day 29: Hijiridairagoya to Igawa Dam
- Distance: 28.8 mi / 46.35 km
- Elevation Gain: 6,084 ft / 1,854 m
- Max Elevation: 9,122 ft / 2,780 m
- Min Elevation: 2,086 ft / 636 m
- Map
Day 30: Igawa Dam to Shizuoka
- Distance: 36.7 mi / 59.06 km
- Elevation Gain: 2,972 ft / 906 m
- Max Elevation: 3,959 ft / 1,207 m
- Min Elevation: 62 ft / 19 m
- Map
Day 31: Walk east through Shizuoka
- Distance: 7.1 mi / 11.43 km
- Elevation Gain: 228 ft / 69 m
- Max Elevation: 124 ft / 38 m
- Min Elevation: 23 ft / 7 m
- Map
Day 32: Shizuoka to Fuji City
- Distance: 22.1 mi / 35.57 km
- Elevation Gain: 325 ft / 99 m
- Max Elevation: 63 ft / 19 m
- Min Elevation: 0 ft / 0 m
- Map
Day 33: Fuji City to Fuji 9th Station
- Distance: 28.7 mi / 46.19 km
- Elevation Gain: 12,386 ft / 3,775 m
- Max Elevation: 12,126 ft / 3,696 m
- Min Elevation: 0 ft / 0 m
- Map
Day 34: Fuji 9th Station to Fuji 5th Station
- Distance: 5.2 mi / 8.37 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,468 ft / 447 m
- Max Elevation: 12,388 ft / 3,776 m
- Min Elevation: 7,677 ft / 2,340 ft
- Map
Below is a map and GPS track of the entire Japan Alps Traverse.
If you have any questions about the route, please leave me a comment below or get in touch.