Guide - Wild and Trek
Trekking in Japan in winter: what stays open, what shuts
One table of what shuts and what stays open in winter: Kamikochi, Tateyama Kurobe, Kohechi, Nakahechi, Jigokudani, Fuji, Tsurugi and the Alps huts.
Kamikochi, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and the Kohechi trail shut for winter, while Kumano Kodo’s Nakahechi route and Jigokudani stay open. The table gives each place’s winter status from official pages, using 2026 dates because 2027 dates for Kamikochi and Tateyama are not published.
Which treks are open in winter?
Nakahechi and Jigokudani are open, Kamikochi, the Tateyama route and Kohechi are shut, and Tsurugi needs a filed plan.
| Place | Winter status | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kamikochi | Closed from 16 November | The 2026 season ends 15 November. Most facilities stay closed until mid-April and no public transport runs beyond Kama Tunnel. Entry is allowed at your own risk with an entry notice. Nakanoyu and Sakamaki Onsen ryokan are open year-round by car, with closures possible |
| Tateyama route | Closed after 30 November | The Alpine Route runs 15 April to 30 November in 2026 and stays closed from December to mid-April. Snow-viewing trips start 1 November |
| Kohechi | Closed mid-December to mid-March | Snow on the passes. The route is over 65 km with four passes above 1,000 m, and the Hatenashi-toge southern pass stays open year-round |
| Nakahechi | Open | Freezing temperatures, possible snow from late December to February and earlier nightfall. Some inns close and buses are limited. The Ohechi route between Wabuka and Tako stations is closed until an estimated 30 April 2027 |
| Jigokudani | Open | Open in winter, with the monkeys in snow for about a third of the year. From December to April online ticket holders enter first. Monkeys are not guaranteed |
| Five Lakes | Guide season ended | The ministry's undated page gives the guide-required bear season as 10 May to 31 July. Winter opening of the boardwalk and ground path: not found |
| Fuji | Out of season | The 2026 season ended 10 September. From December to March the climbing site says a plan is needed above about the 8th station on Yoshida |
| Tsurugi | Plan required | Toyama's ordinance period runs 1 December to 15 May. File 20 days ahead and carry the receipt |
| Alps huts | Closing for 2026 | Yarigatake Sanso, Yarisawa Lodge and Dakesawa-goya close on 3 November, the other Yarigatake huts closed on 11 October. Winter hut status: not found |
| Daisetsuzan | Not found | The mountaineering season is late June to end of September (2021 brochure, last known). Only Hakuundake Refuge Hut and Kurodake-ishimuro have hutkeepers, in summer |
Winter status was also not found for the Nakasendo (baggage forwarding runs in summer, spring and autumn only), Yakushima’s Arakawa route, Shikoku Henro lodging, Zao Ropeway winter dates, the Okama viewpoint and the Echo Line. Official hiker emergency numbers and rescue charges were not found either.
Closed in winter Visit Kamikochi before 15 November, the Tateyama Kurobe route before 30 November and Kohechi outside mid-December to mid-March. The 2027 reopening dates are not published.
When do the closed routes reopen?
Kohechi’s closure runs to mid-March, and Kamikochi and the Tateyama Kurobe route reopen in mid-April. The Kamikochi winter period runs from 16 November to mid-April, per the Kamikochi Tourist Association, and the Alpine Route opened on 15 April in 2026. Neither has published 2027 dates. Fuji’s 2027 season is not announced either; see Climbing Fuji. Kumano Kodo lodging and booking are on Kumano Kodo booking.
Which winter climbing rules apply?
Tsurugi climbers in Toyama must file a plan 20 days ahead from 1 December to 15 May. File on Compass or Toyama’s e-application and carry the receipt. From 1 December to 15 April, in dangerous zones, you may be asked to cancel or change the plan, and solo climbers are asked to cancel. Toyama Police says a hiking app’s plan sharing does not replace the filing. The Murodo area needs a separate entry notification in April, May and November, per Toyama’s ski safety guidance.
Nagano requires a climbing plan on designated trails all year, not only in winter. You file by app, e-form, fax, mail or the trailhead postbox, and the ordinance lists no penalty. News reports (secondary) say Yamanashi is considering charging for off-season helicopter rescues on Fuji; nothing is confirmed.
Do bears matter in winter?
Bears hibernate from December to March, per the Ministry of the Environment, which notes attacks near dens in eastern Hokkaido in February. No ministry statement on winter bear risk for Honshu was found. See Bear safety.
Where do you check avalanche risk?
Use the prefecture and police pages below, because no official avalanche bulletin was found. The scope of JMA avalanche advisories is unconfirmed, and no Hokkaido bulletin was found.
Published guidance:
- Hokkaido Prefecture tells people to refrain from avalanche terrain and to check forecasts.
- Hokkaido Police publish a climbing safety page, and mountain accident councils cover Dohoku and Tokachi. The Dohoku council warns of avalanche and swollen streams in spring.
- Nagano’s press release of 28 April 2026 warned of avalanche and slips on spring snow.
A news report (secondary) citing Hokkaido police gives the foreign share of mountain accidents as 21 of 66 in 2022-23, 76 of 94 in 2024-25 and 69 of 86 in 2025-26 to mid-March. It cites avalanches on Mt Kami-Furano on 5 March 2026 and Mt Sandan on 10 March 2026. Ski-resort gate rules are on Backcountry in Japan.
Safety Refrain from entering avalanche terrain and check forecasts, as Hokkaido Prefecture advises. Winter climbing in Kamikochi is at your own risk and needs an entry notice, so start early, turn back when the forecast says so and carry mountain insurance that covers rescue.
Where next?
The Wild and Trek hub and the Wild and Trek guide cover the full year. Snow monkeys has the Jigokudani walk, hours and fees, and Wildlife in Japan lists the animal rules. Diving by region covers the water trips.
Quick answers
Which treks in Japan are open in winter?
Kumano Kodo's Nakahechi route and Jigokudani stay open. Kamikochi (from 16 November), the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (after 30 November) and the Kohechi trail (mid-December to mid-March) are shut, and Fuji's 2026 season ended on 10 September.
Is Kamikochi open in winter?
Mostly no. The 2026 season ends on 15 November, most facilities stay closed until mid-April and no public transport runs beyond Kama Tunnel. Entry is allowed at your own risk with an entry notice, and Nakanoyu and Sakamaki Onsen ryokan stay open year-round by car.
Can you walk the Kumano Kodo in winter?
Yes on the Nakahechi route, which is open year-round with freezing temperatures, possible snow from late December to February and earlier nightfall. The Kohechi trail is closed from mid-December to mid-March.
Where do you check avalanche risk in Japan?
Hokkaido Prefecture advises refraining from avalanche terrain and checking forecasts, and Hokkaido Police and regional accident councils publish safety pages. No official avalanche bulletin was found, and the scope of JMA avalanche advisories is unconfirmed.