Hida Mountains, Mountain range in Nagano Prefecture, Japan
The Hida range runs through central Japan across Nagano, Toyama, Niigata and Gifu prefectures, forming a Y-shaped chain with summits that rise above 3100 meters. The landscape features steep rock faces, narrow valleys and high ridgelines that stretch for long distances.
British archaeologist William Gowland coined the term Japanese Alps in the late 1800s while exploring the country and documenting its geography. Since then, the range has served as a center for mountaineering and nature exploration in Japan.
The name Hida comes from the old province where part of the range stands, and locals still refer to the area by this term when describing mountain trips. Hikers often visit the high valleys to walk along ridgelines and watch alpine plants, while hot springs at lower elevations offer a place to rest after a day on the trails.
Much of the range lies within Chubu Sangaku National Park, which offers access to hiking routes and hot springs often visited after long climbs. The best conditions are found from early summer through early autumn, when snow does not block the paths.
Three small glaciers sit on Tsurugi and Tate, marking the southernmost ice formations in East Asia outside Kamchatka. These ice fields form because of special weather conditions that keep temperatures low at this elevation and location throughout the year.
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