Activities
Tanigawadake
Rufus StarbuckMount Tanigawa towers above Minakami town and is much loved by climbers and hikers. The ropeway runs year round and gives great views down the valley.
The Tanigawadake Cable Car, which first went into operation in Gunma Prefecture in 1960, goes up to the Tenjindaira ski area in Minakumi on Tanigawadake Mountain.
Tanigawadake Mountain is 1,319 meters high and is the highest mountain in the Tanigawa Mountain Range, and the cable car runs for a total length of up to 2.3 kilometers. Even if the ski resort itself is only open for winter sports in winter, the cable car is in operation all year round and not only transports skiers, but also hikers and tourists who want to enjoy the view of the extensive landscape.
In winter, however, people can experience the natural powder snow of the ski resort again, which makes the use of snow machines unnecessary.
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A 25-minute bus ride from Minakami Station on JR Joetsu Line.
Mount Tanigawa towers above Minakami town and is much loved by climbers and hikers. The ropeway runs year round and gives great views down the valley.
Ryokan Tanigawa is a Japanese-style ryokan situated near the southern foot of Mt Tanigawa and is accompanied by a colossal view of the mountain’s summit. Being only 2.5
I Love Backpackers hostel in Minakami is cheap and cheerful accommodation run by I Love Outdoors. Minakami Station is close by and the burgers of I Love Nature Cafe are right next door.
Fujiwara Ski Resort is reasonably priced and easily accessible from Tokyo for a weekend trip. The ski slopes are on the hotel grounds, you can use private hot spring baths with a view onto the snowy landscape, and delicious kaiseki dinners are provided.
A new cafe just outside Minakami that specializes in baumkutchen but with a great range of cakes and coffees.
A meat lover's paradise at this Minakami butchery/restaurant serving up home-crafted meats to eat in or takeaway with you
Ashimaen is a restaurant much loved by the locals in Minakami, and its nondescript exterior (and interior) may not be as appealing as other places to the locals driving past
Nishi Kuro, at the foot of Tanagawadake, offers sanctuary from the heat with its cool clear water and deep caverns.
Over 480 steps under Mount Tanigawa is one of the platforms of Doai Station. Flights of stairs disappearing underground....
Rising early on the second-to-last day of 2013 to crisp still air and clear blue skies, I realized it was a perfect day for snowshoeing. The previous week's snowfall had blanketed the entire Yubiso valley with at least a meter of soft white snow. Although still early in the season, some sections of the trail were buried under snow drifts as deep as 2 or 3 meters. Without the aid of snowshoes, movement in this winter landscape would be nearly impossible. However, the proper equipment allows for unending opportunities for exploration. We chose to follow the Yubiso River as it snaked its way up the valley, and were able to get superb views of Tanigawadake.