Mt. Naeba-san / Akiyama-go苗場山・秋山郷

The east side of Mt. Naeba-san is a popular ski area. Villages adorn the Nakatsu-gawa River Canyon.

The massive 2145-meter-high Mt. Naeba-san is located at the border of Niigata and Nagano prefectures near the midsection of Honshu. The top of the mountain has a four-square-kilometer wetland plateau known for its gregarious alpine plants. The eastern outskirts of Mt. Naeba-san have been developed into extensive ski resorts, including Naeba, Kagura-mitsumata and Mikuni, all of which are extremely popular, especially among families and young people. In the surrounding area, there are authentic Japanese-style spas such as the Kaikake-onsen Hot Spring, whose history dates back some 700 years, and the Akayu-onsen Hot Spring, where oil lamps are still used instead of electricity.

The western outskirts of Mt. Naeba-san has an old hideout area called Akiyama-go. It is said that Akiyama-go was a haven for soldiers who had lost battles against Genji, the Kamakura Shogunate, which was established in 12th century. Akiyama-go is also known as an area with heavy snowfall. The twelve villages of Akiyama-go are scattered over the Nakatsu-gawa River valley on the slope of the mountain, with trees that shelter them from snow. This layered and cultivated land is one of the remaining unexplored regions of Japan. Also, at the Akiyama-go Folklore Museum you can see tools and daily necessities used in the 19th and 20th centuries.