Utsukushigahara, Volcanic highland in Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Utsukushigahara is a volcanic tableland in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, rising to about 2034 meters (6673 feet). The landscape consists of wide grasslands and rocky formations of andesite that define the summit area.
The area served as grazing land for livestock during the Heian period before gaining religious importance later. During the Edo period it became a sacred site for followers of the Ontake movement who made pilgrimages here.
The name Utsukushigahara first appears in the Edo-period text Shinfu Tōki, but it spread after mountaineer Rihtarō Kogure published a climbing account in the Japan Alpine Club journal Sangaku in 1921. Near Ōga-hana stand rows of stone statues, all facing toward Mount Ontake, the object of Ontake sect worship. The Utsukushigahara Highland Museum opened in 1981 with the Venus Line.
Three free parking areas are available, but vehicles cannot pass between the Venus Line and the Utsukushigahara Skyline road system. Visitors should check weather conditions because fog and wind can form quickly across the grasslands.
The television broadcasting station on the site stands higher than any other transmission facility in Japan. The location was chosen for its clear sightlines and central position in the mountains.
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