“Picturesque, Inspiring. Over-whelming.”

“Trekking beside the riverbanks in Japan Alpine region, I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and awe-inspiring scene that stood before me. The grandeur and splendour of these majestic mountains reflected on crystal-clear lakes and rivers is truly awe-inspiring! To me, no words will ever be able to truly describe the serenity and natural beauty of this place. Having experienced the peace and tranquility of paradise, I just had to share this place with you .. my very own TLC members.”

David Lim – TLC Founder / Organizer

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Known to the locals as Japan’s most spectacular mountain scenery, this region is only open from late April until Oct and shuts down during winter. The scenic trekking trails on the lower region is roughly 15 km along a plateau beside crystal-clear waters on the Azusa River Valley, about 1500 meters above sea level.

It is surrounded by breath-taking snow-capped mountains, including the Nishihotakadake (2909 m), Okuhotakadake (3190 m), Maehotakadake (3090 m) peaks and the active volcano Yakedake (2455 m) all offering spectacular views and challenges to mountain hikers.

As part of the Chubu Sangaku National Park, this region has only been moderately developed with a few lodges and bridges preserving it’s natural beauty. All private transport are banned here, and access to this alpine trail is quite a daunting challenge as it only possible by local public bus (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2015.html) (need to change 3 different buses) or by approved taxi (very costly). The serenity and beauty that awaits you however far outweighs the effort taken to get there.

Takayama – Ancient Old World Charm

Located in the heart of the Japanese Alps, Takayama features four distinct seasons with a wide range of temperature between summer and winter, somewhat resembling parts of Northern Japan and Hokkaidō.

Takayama is best known for its inhabitants’ expertise in carpentry. It is believed carpenters from Takayama worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and on many of the temples in Kyoto and Nara. The town and its culture, as they exist today, took shape at the end of the 16th century, when the Kanamori clan built Takayama Castle. About a hundred years later the city came under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_shogunate). However, the high altitude and separation from other areas of Japan kept the area fairly isolated, allowing Takayama to develop and preserve its own charm and culture over a 300-year period. A hike or cycling around the village exploring its charms will bring you back to the Samurai era.

Shirakawa-go is a mountain village located at the highest peak on Mount Haku in the Ryōhaku Mountains, where it borders Ishikawa prefecture.

The Shirakawa-go (白川郷, Shirakawagō) and neighboring Gokayama (五箇山) regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Gassho-zukuri means “constructed like hands in prayer”, as the farmhouses’ steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.

Alpine Scenic Route

Experience hiking along 20 Metre high snow-wall and stunning vistas and unique landscapes as you travel over, above, and even under the majestic Mt. Tateyama.

Stop off to enjoy a stroll through flower filled meadows or steaming volcanic valleys. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine (pronounced “Alpen”) Route is known as the “Roof of Japan”. The route passes through the dynamic scenery of Mt. Tateyama in the Japan Alps.

Kurobe Dam

It is traversed using a variety of vehicles eg. Ropeway, Cable-car, Trolley Bus etc. with an elevation change of 2400 meters from Toyama Prefecture to Nagano Prefecture. Tateyama is home to many rare species of plant. It takes many years for these plants to grow and bloom.

“On-sen” -Japanese Hot Springs

Hot springs have a very long history in Japan, and they are an intimate part of Japanese culture. There are over 3,000 “onsen” – or hot springs – in Japan, many which can be found at the ryokans listed at Japanese Guest Houses. Onsen are created from water heated naturally underground, and the water varies both in degrees and in mineral composition. The water is piped into the ryokans or other establishments and then regulated at various temperatures. At many ryokans, there will be large indoor onsen for both men and women.

They may often have several pools with wall-length windows where you can look out over a garden, river, or another natural setting. The interior may be lined with natural rocks and decorated with various kinds of tropical plants. There are also outdoor onsen called “rotenburo.” At some ryokans they can be found nearby, and they are often open all night. The outdoor onsen can be more rustic than the indoor onsen, and often they do not have any changing rooms.

Mt. Takao – Hiking as featured in Japan Hour

Mount Takao, located within the municipality of Hachioji City in the southeastern part of the Kanto mountainous region, is about 50 km from the center of Tokyo.

Because of this convenient location, visitors can enjoy its natural beauty and the many other attractions all in a day’s trip. In recognition of its magnificent beauty, the 2007 edition of Michelin’s Voyager Pratique Japon, the famous French travel guidebook, awarded Mt. Takao and Mt. Fuji the maximum 3 stars.

Visitors can climb Mt. Takao by taking a cable car or lift to a point 400 m up – halfway up the mountain. Alternatively, they can also hike to the top along one of three scenic forested trails, each of which takes about two hours up and two hours down. And that’s what we’ll be doing!

TERRIFIC TOKYO!

Tokyo, Japan’s bustling capital, mixes the ultra modern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers and anime shops to cherry trees and temples. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is known for its towering gate and surrounding forests.

The Imperial Palace sits amid sprawling public gardens. The city is famed for its vibrant food scene, and its Shibuya and Harajuku districts are the heart of its trendy teen fashion scene. Here … anything goes and as adventurers, we’re ready to check it out! 🙂

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The Japan Northern Alps is a region of awesome beauty, charm, history and great food! With award-winning Unesco World Heritage sites, this vast area is still largely unexplored by tourists, especially it’s spectacular alpine scenery.

After spending months of research, getting recommendations from the locals and flying there to explore and recce this region myself, I invite you to join me in this awesome experience – trekking through snow-capped mountains, hiking along beautiful streams and rivers, staying in a capsule hotel, soaking in a mineral rich onsen, walking through 20 metre snow-walls, trying out Japanese delicacies etc and more.

This special self-designed adventure that brings you to explore the Northern Alp’s history and beauty spiced with different experiences is not your usual tour package offered by normal tour agencies. We will be on an adventure taking various modes of transport eg. the bullet train, cable car, trolley bus, ropeway, tram etc to access some of the remote parts of the Northern Alps inaccessible to private vehicles. We will also be staying in different types of accommodation eg. at a capsule hotel, ryokan, spa hotels, samurai villages etc subject to availability.

A certain level of basic fitness eg. ability to hike at least 15 km; having a spirit of adventure to explore new places and willingness to look after and care for each other as a Team is a must.

If you think you fit the above description, please register your interest by RSVPing and making the deposit transfer asap. A pre-trip briefing on how and what you need to prepare for this once in a lifetime adventure will be conducted once the group is formed.

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Event Details:

**8 Days Japan Northern Alps Adventure**

Cost : $1795 (*Special Group Price)

Initial Deposit: $295 to reserve your slot.
(Next $500 to be transferred within 3 days after the Trip Briefing)

Date: 22/05 (Sat) – 29/05 (Sat). Only 5 Days Leave required.

Preferred Group Size : 16 Fun-loving Adventurers (TLC members only). Please ask your friends to join as TLC members and RSVP if they wish to join.

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REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT:

To confirm your slot, please transfer $295 to:

TLC ADVENTURE TOURS PTE LTD –

1) Via PayNow – UEN: 201615037Z

2) TLC DBS Current Account: 070-90238-1-9

3) Once you’ve transferred, whatsapp David (Hp. 9745 1777) your proof of payment. (IMPT: INDICATE YOUR MEETUP AND EVENT NAME)

Flight tickets are now going at a promotion price of $570+ on the above dates.

There will be a Q & A session/ Pre-Trip Briefing for all confirmed pax once all the slots are taken.

To reserve the limited slots, please RSVP now, provide us your mobile number and wait for my email or WhatsApp on the Trip Briefing.

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Disclaimer, Indemnity and Terms of Participation:

PLEASE READ THIS LINK FOR T&Cs BEFORE YOU RSVP: https://www.tlcadventuretours.com/tlcadventuretours-disclaimer

*By my participation on this trip, I agree to & accept TLC’s terms and conditions.*

We reserve the right without prejudice to return payment and not permit participation – without the obligation to explain or give any reason.

This Trip is organized by TLC Adventure Tours Pte Ltd (TA License: 02896)