Utsukushigahara Highlands

Utsukushigahara is a plateau located in the northwestern part of Yatsugatake Chushin Kogen National Park and stretches across Matsumoto City, Ueda City, and Nagawa Town, Ogasawara County, Nagano Prefecture. It has been selected as one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan.

Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau is located in the northernmost part of the Yatsugatake Chushin Highlands National Park and is the widest plateau in Japan, with the summit area at 2000 m above sea level and covering an area of 600 ha.

In summer, the area offers tranquil and spectacular grassland scenery. Cows grazing leisurely and pretty flowers swaying in the wind make for a truly picturesque scene.

The area is known as a treasure trove of trees, insects, and birds, and many butterflies and wild birds delight the eyes of visitors.

The area is also famous as one of the “100 most famous mountains for flowers” because of the colorful flowers and grasses that bloom in spring, summer, and fall, and the approximately 200 species of alpine plants that can be seen here. Subalpine plants such as Nikko kisuge and willow orchids bloom here.

Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau attracts many visitors because of its overwhelming location, offering a 360-degree panorama of the Northern Alps, Mt. Fuji. It has been called “the observatory of the Alps.

As the name suggests, it is a beautiful plateau that one would want to visit again and again.

The highest peak in Utsukushi-ga-hara is O-ga-zu (2,034 meters above sea level), and there are walking and trekking trails where visitors can enjoy the idyllic grasslands and steep terrain. There is also an auto-camping site in the vicinity, which is especially recommended for those who enjoy stay-and-go trips.

The Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau Long Trail is a 45-kilometer trail that connects Kanayama-cho in the Shiga district to Ugobushiji Temple, and was developed to promote the health of local residents.

In the center of the plateau rises the “Tower of Beauty,” a symbolic tower that protects climbers during foggy weather, and at the eastern end is the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, which exhibits outdoor sculptures on a vast site of approximately 130,000 square kilometers.

Enjoy the contact with nature in this excitingly beautiful plateau.

Topography

Utsukushi-ga-hara is a lava plateau about 2,000 meters above sea level, centering on the main peak, O-ga-zu (2,034 meters above sea level).

Utsukushigahara is a volcano that erupted near the western margin of the Fossa Magna during the Quaternary period, and its highest peak is Oogajo (2,034 meters above sea level). Other peaks include Oogahana (2,008 meters), Chausu (2,006 meters), Ushibushiyama (1,990 meters), Shikabushiyama (1,977 meters), and Buishibo (1,973 meters).

Once thought to be a shield volcano, it is now interpreted as an eroded andesitic volcano.

The area near the summit is a flat plateau, which is used as Utsukushi-ga-hara Ranch for cattle grazing. Utsukushi-ga-hara Pasture has about 300 head of cattle grazing from May to October. Especially from the top of Chausuyama, a grassland spreads out, offering a spectacular view toward Kurumayama and Mount Tateshina.

History of Development

The name “Utsukushi-ga-hara” is said to have first appeared in the “Shinpu-toki” (The History of the Nobu Region), but it became firmly established in 1921 when Ritaro Kogure published a record of mountain climbing in the “Kozan” (Mountain), the newsletter of the Japan Alpine Club.

The area around the summit has long been used as pastureland, and in the Edo period (1603-1867), it became a place of mountain worship for the Ontake faith because of its view of Mt. All the statues of deities on the summit face the direction of Ontake, and are the object of worship of the Ontake faith.

Historical transition of Utsukushi-ga-hara:

1909: Utsukushigahara Ranch was opened and began to be used as a full-scale ranch.
1930: Yamamoto Hut opened at the summit, attracting many climbers.
1954: A symbol called “Bishino-to” (tower of beauty) was built as a signpost and shelter to prevent people from being lost.
1957: A forest road to the summit was opened, a bus service was provided to the summit area, and NHK and SBC antennas were built at Ohgatou.
1981: The Venus Line opened to traffic and the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum opened, making the area a tourist destination that can be easily visited by car.

Sightseeing

The following sightseeing spots can be enjoyed in Utsukushi-ga-hara.

Highland Walking: There is a walking trail from the Utsukushi-ga-hara Nature Conservation Center to Oogashira, Shiogareba, and the Highland Museum of Art. It takes about two hours to walk around the area on unpaved roads.
Especially from June to September, visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery of various flowers blooming along the path, such as azaleas in early summer and pine needles in late summer.

Utsukushino Tower: This tower stands at the center of the Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau and was built in 1954 as an evacuation tower that rang a bell to warn climbers of its location when fog was forecast before the promenade was built.
The current tower was rebuilt in 1984 and has become a symbol of Utsukushi-ga-hara.
The inside of the 6-meter-high tower, made of iron flat stone from Utsukushi-ga-hara, is used as an evacuation site. Also inscribed on the tower is Kihachi Ozaki’s poem “Utsukushi-ga-hara Lava Plateau,” which appeared in his poetry collection “Kogen Shisho.
An opening ceremony is held in front of the tower every year on April 25.

Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau Art Museum:
Utsukushi-ga-hara Onsen:

Mountain Climbing

There are several major mountains in the Utsukushi-ga-hara area.

Oogashira: This is the highest peak in Utsukushi-ga-hara and rises 2,034 meters above sea level. Located on the west side of the plateau, the summit offers a 360-degree panoramic view.
The Oogashira Hotel is located here, as well as a number of radio towers.

Oogabana: This ridge protrudes from the tip of the ridge on the west side of Oogatou and is 2,008 meters above sea level. It is located about 20 minutes away from Oogatou, and a stone Buddha can be seen there.
The Matsumoto side of the mountain is a sheer cliff, and its shape can be seen from the city of Matsumoto. From the summit, one can enjoy a view of the Matsumoto Plain and the spectacular Northern Alps.

Ushibushiyama: Located on the east side of Utsukushi-ga-hara, this mountain rises 1,990 meters above sea level. Located on the east side of the plateau, it commands a panoramic view of the entire plateau. It is about 10 minutes away from the Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau Art Museum and about 10 minutes away from the Yamamoto Hut Furusato Museum on the south side of the plateau.

Utsukushigahara Highlands Temperature

vary with the seasons, but tend to be cooler (colder) due to the high altitude.

During the summer season (July through August), it is relatively cool even during the daytime, with daytime temperatures generally around 20°C (68°F). At night, temperatures drop and can be as low as 10°C (50°F).
Spring (March to June) and fall (September to November) days are often relatively warm and pleasant, but temperatures are low in the low teens. Nighttime temperatures are cooler.
During the winter season (December to February), temperatures can drop below freezing even during the daytime. Especially near the summit (Ougatou), temperatures often drop below freezing even during the daytime. At night, it gets even colder, with temperatures ranging from -10°C to -30°C.

Visitors to the Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau should be aware of the temperature and weather conditions. Wearing long sleeves is also recommended, even in summer.

There are several huts and hotels nearby to enjoy these mountains.