Open to the public from mid-April to late-November, the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route traverses the North Alps and opens-up one of Japan’s most iconic landscapes including the fabled ‘Snow Walls of Tateyama’ and hiking trails leading to the summit of Mount Tate – one of Japan’s three most sacred mountains. On the western-side of the mountains, the Alpine Route descends toward Toyama – an area blessed with mountains, coastline and the abundant seafood of Toyama Bay. A convenient stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line running from Tokyo, Toyama is waiting to be discovered.