Shoumyo Falls Course[Advanced]

Shoumyo Falls Course

1. 

   Start from Green Park Yoshimine

   Tateyama Yoshimine Onsen, the gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

   You can enjoy natural hot springs straightly coming from the source.

2. 

   Parking lot is available If you are driving till the starting point.

3. 

   Turn right at the Green Park Yoshimine parking lot to start the Shomyo Falls Hill Climbing Course.

4. 

   Turn left at the first traffic light intersection, "Miyaji." a short distance from the starting point.

5. 

   Find Route#6, which is wide and has a gentle incline, making it very easy to ride on.
   Now keep going straight until our destination, Rest House Shomyo.

6. 

   After about 2km, you will find the local convenience store "Tateyama Thunderbird" on your right.
   From this point, the road narrows and the gradient gradually get steeper.

7. 

   Ups and downs, but the road continues to climb gently curving upwards.

8. 

   After this sign to Arimine and the gas station, the slope becomes much steeper.
   This is where the real challenge of the Shomyo Falls Hill Climb begins. Let's get pumped up!

9. 

   9km from the starting point, you will find the Tateyama Museum on your left. This is the last vending machine for hydration on the course.

10. 

    Because snowfall in this area reaches up to 2m during the winter, vending machines are not installed on the open roads.

11. 

    Once you pass the Tateyama Museum, you will see a sign for Shomyo Falls, your goal. Another 12km to go.

12. 

    If you look back, you can see the huge arch of the Tateyama Ohashi Bridge that connects Hongu in Toyama City to Ashikuraji in Tateyama Town.

13. 

    You will see Tateyama Station ahead, the last stop of the Toyama Chiho Railway Tateyama Line.

14. 

    Ups and downs near the snow shelter where you can rest your feet.

15. 

    After the snow shelter, there is T intersection leading to Tateyama Station, but keep going straight to Shomyo Falls direction.

16. 

    Finally approaching to goal, Shomyo Falls.

17. 

    Another 4km to the Tateyama Toll Road (Katsuradai), the junction of the Tateyama Alpine Route. 7km is to Shomyo Falls.
    The altitude is increasing and there is a river flowing right next to us so it should be cool, but might sweat like a waterfall because of this hill climbing.

18. 

    From here onwards is the Tateyama National Park area and the magnificent view gradually start.

19. 

    The slope becomes a little gentler only for a short distance.

20. 

    Please note the open hours from Katsuradai Gate to the Shomyodaira Parking Lot and Shomyo Promenade.
    (April to June, September to November) 7:00am to 6:00pm
    (July-August) 6:00am-7:00pm
    The road is closed during the winter.
    (Mid-November to late April)
    
    On the right is the entrance to the Tateyama Toll Road, where private vehicles are not permitted.
    Keep going straight to the goal, Shomyo Falls.

21. 

    After the gate, there is a rock wall ahead named "Akujo Wall," about 500 meters high, a tallest monolith in Japan.
    This wall was formed by volcanic eruption of Tateyama mountains approx 100,000 years ago. It's difficult to express its scale in a picture but it will be a breathtaking scenery towards the finish line.

22. 

    After the bend, you can find Shomyo Falls. The finish line is almost there.

23. 

    The final climb after the snow shelter is really tough. Once you get through this steep slope, you'll reach to the finish line.
    Climbing up without putting your feet on the ground? It's quite difficult to climb up straight, so if you're going up in a zigzag pattern, you need to be careful of cars behind you.

24. 

    Arrived at Rest House Shomyo

    Rest House Shomyo is a restaurant near Shomyo Falls and popular among tourists.

    It is spacious and you can purchase souvenirs at the shop.
    The restaurant also offers sweet such as soft ice cream, making it the perfect place to take a break.