What is the Great Northern Japanese Alps?
The "Great Northern Japanese Alps" is a self-challenge event where participants aim to conquer all the famous peaks and 3000-meter mountains in the main area of the Northern Japanese Alps on their own.
The Northern Alps (Hida Mountains) are home to a series of Japan's representative 3000-meter-class mountains. Upon reaching the ridgeline, you are greeted with breathtaking, otherworldly views. Together with the Central Alps (Kiso Mountains) and Southern Alps (Akaishi Mountains), they are known as the Japanese Alps. Among them, the Northern Alps boast a main ridgeline that spans over 200 kilometers, embodying the grandeur, beauty, and harshness that represent Japan's mountainous landscapes.
Currently, hosting large-scale events in national parks and special protected areas in Japan is challenging, limiting the opportunities for grand challenges in the beautiful mountainous landscapes represented by the Northern Alps. Therefore, we conceived an event where each participant can undertake the challenge at their own pace and responsibility, ensuring that "anyone who wants to, can definitely take on the challenge."
You can challenge yourself to see how quickly you can return or take your time to fully enjoy the mountains at your own pace. The style is entirely up to each participant.
Take on the grand course that might be difficult to tackle alone, supported by fellow event participants and supporters, and fully enjoy the grandeur, severity, and beauty of the Northern Alps.
GREAT NORTHERN JAPANESE ALPS 2024 Entry List
Completed Challenges
DNF
Event Period
Eligibility
- Those who have traversed ridgelines above 2500m for more than two consecutive days.
- Those who have the skills and physical strength to safely complete the course of this event.
- Those who have mountain insurance (including coverage for search and rescue costs).
Participation Fee
10,000 yen (tax included)
The participation fee covers the participation prize, IBUKI device rental fee, and operational costs.
Participants are responsible for their own transportation, accommodation, food and beverage, equipment costs, and insurance fees.
Rules
- Start from a location accessible by public transportation (hereafter referred to as the trailhead), and conquer all the hundred famous peaks and 3000-meter mountains in the main area of the Northern Alps (north of Mt. Yake), as well as the 200 Famous Mountains, 300 Famous Mountains, and event-specified peaks along their ridgeline routes (collectively referred to as checkpoints). Complete the challenge by covering all these checkpoints on foot and descending to a trailhead.
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The checkpoints are as follows: a total of 30 points.
- Hundred Famous Mountains (in the order determined by Kyuya Fukada), 14 peaks: Mt. Shirouma (45), Mt. Goryu (46), Mt. Kashimayari (47), Mt. Tsurugi (48), Mt. Tateyama (Oonanjiyama) (49), Mt. Yakushi (50), Mt. Kurobegoro (51), Mt. Suisho (52), Mt. Washiba (53), Mt. Yari (54), Mt. Okuhotaka (55), Mt. Jounendake (56), Mt. Kasagatake (57), Mt. Yakedake (up to the North Peak junction as of 2024) (58)
- 3000-meter Peaks (in order of elevation, ☆ indicates overlap with Hundred Famous Mountains), 9 peaks (excluding 6 Hundred Famous Mountains): Mt. Okuhotaka☆ (3190m), Mt. Yari☆ (3180m), Mt. Karasawa (3110m), Mt. Kitahotaka (3106m), Mt. Obami (3101m), Mt. Maehotaka (3090m), Mt. Nakadake (3084m), Mt. Minamidake (3033m), Mt. Tateyama (Oonanjiyama)☆ (3015m)
- 200 Famous Mountains, 300 Famous Mountains, and event-designated mountains along the ridgeline routes (in model course order), 10 peaks: Mt. Sugoroku (event-designated), Mt. Mitsumatarenge (300 Famous Mountains), Mt. Karamatsu (300 Famous Mountains), Mt. Jii (300 Famous Mountains), Mt. Harinoki (200 Famous Mountains), Mt. Renge (300 Famous Mountains), Mt. Eboshi (200 Famous Mountains), Mt. Noguchi-Goro (300 Famous Mountains), Mt. Otenshou (200 Famous Mountains), Mt. Chou (event-designated)
- Participants are free to decide their start time within the event period, but must finish within the event period.
- The start and end points, as well as the course direction and route, are at the discretion of the participants as long as they meet the above conditions.
- Participants must take photos at each checkpoint, including themselves and a signboard or other feature representing the point, and submit these (by uploading to social media or a cloud service and providing a link).
- They must carry an IBUKI GPS device and share their log on the official event page.
- The submitted photos and logs will be used to verify the passage through checkpoints, and the completion time will be certified. The completion time and ranking will be published on the official website.
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Participants must choose one of the following styles and declare their category. The category can be changed during the event if necessary (e.g., if forced to use a hut):
- Hut Stay & Resupply Category: Participants rest (30 minutes or more) and stay in huts, and resupply food.
- Hut Resupply Category: Participants resupply food and drinks in huts without resting.
- No Resupply Category: Participants do not rest or resupply food in huts, only replenishing water.
- Receiving food or lodging support on the course from others will be treated the same as huts. Thus, receiving food support will place the participant in the "Hut Resupply" category, and lodging support in the "Hut Stay & Resupply" category.
- If the "Mountain Hut Resupply Allowed" category is selected, items that can be purchased at a mountain hut, in addition to food and drinks, may also be resupplied from the mountain hut or support. This includes actions such as charging a mobile battery, obtaining additional OD cans, or adding a T-shirt. However, in such cases, all previously carried gear must be brought back down to the trailhead.
- In all categories, participants are allowed to use shops and resupply at locations accessible by public transport (e.g., Kamikochi, Shin-Hotaka Onsen). Water replenishment is allowed at any location, including paid services in huts.
- Participants must carry all equipment themselves, excluding food and drink resupplied during the journey. Equipment exchange is allowed at locations accessible by public transport.
- Participants are allowed to leave the course and resume the challenge from the point they left after a period of time. In other words, as long as it is within the event period, participants can take on the challenge in several segments, returning home in between if necessary. In this case, participants may use vehicles for transportation outside the course of checkpoints, but the entire course must be completed on foot. Additionally, if the challenge is taken on in multiple segments, the completion time will be calculated as the elapsed time from the initial start time to the final finish time.
- Participants must understand that the event area is one of Japan’s harshest mountain zones, prioritize safety, and act with ample reserve. They must especially avoid risky behavior in dangerous rock ridge areas during inclement weather.
- Participants must take responsibility for their own preparations and measures necessary for a regular mountain traverse. This includes selecting equipment, planning routes, devising food plans, booking mountain huts, submitting a mountain climbing plan, and obtaining mountain insurance.
- The event is an individual challenge, and although the organizer will monitor participants and notify in emergencies, no compensation will be provided for accidents. Participants join with this understanding.
Model Course
As a reference, we present a model course that passes through all checkpoints.
As stated in the rules, as long as you pass through all the checkpoints, you do not have to follow this specific course.
This course passes through the "Japan's Three Great Kirrettes": "Dai-Kiretto," "Hachimine-Kiretto," and "Kaerazu-no-Ken," which are extremely dangerous.
In case of bad weather or fatigue, avoid these difficult sections and consider staying in safe places or taking detours.
https://ibuki.run/ev/8963798851962738563/map
Distance: 215.3km
Total Elevation Gain: 20,522mD+
Trail Rate: 95.9%
Standard Course Time: 161 hours 56 minutes
Information
Organizer: Great Northern Japanese Alps Executive Committee
Cooperation：
Contact：info@great-northern-japanese-alps.com