Farewell to Hotel Tateyama: One Last Summer Stay Before It Closed

Hello, fellow travel lovers！

The main highlight of this trip was Hotel Tateyama, located in Murodo at an altitude of 2,450 meters.

Hotel Tateyama ended its overnight accommodation service on August 31, 2026, and I was lucky enough to stay there just before the final closing.

From Toyama Station, we headed up to Murodo, spent the afternoon hiking, looked for stars at night, and walked to Mikurigaike Pond early the next morning.

We made the most of our final stay at Hotel Tateyama.

 

From Toyama Station to Murodo

We left Toyama Station at 8:00 a.m.

Since it was the weekend, we took a limited express train to Tateyama Station.

At one scenic viewpoint along the way, the train even slowed down so passengers could enjoy the view.

We arrived at Tateyama Station at 9:20 a.m.

Our cable car was booked for 9:40, so we had a little time to check out the souvenir shop.

We would buy everything on the way back, of course.　But scouting comes first!

From here, we transferred to the Tateyama Cable Car.

The car was packed, but the ride only takes about seven minutes.

Up we went, climbing the steep slope.

There was apparently a famous rock formation called “Zaimoku-ishi” along the way.

But before I could figure out which one it was…

we had already passed it.

At 9:47, we arrived at Bijodaira Station.

After leaving the station, we went straight onto the highland bus.

Almost no waiting time at all.

Taking the Highland Bus to Murodo

From the bus window, we could see Shomyo Falls and huge cedar trees.

Private vehicles are not allowed on this road, so there are no traffic lights and no traffic jams.

Every now and then, we passed another sightseeing bus.　It felt almost like being on a guided tour.

 

At 10:50 a.m., we finally arrived in Murodo!

We dropped off our luggage at Hotel Tateyama and headed out for a hike.

 

First Stop: Tateyama Tamadono Spring Water

Before setting off, we filled our water bottles at Tateyama Tamadono Spring.

Cold and delicious!

A perfect natural refill station before the hike.

 

Heading to Mikurigaike Pond

We walked toward Mikurigaike Pond and Jigokudani.

There were plenty of alpine flowers along the way.

Even though it was August, there was still snow on the mountains.　But it was not especially cold, and while we were walking, short sleeves were just fine.

Then we reached Mikurigaike Pond.

The sky was cloudy, but it was still beautiful.

A Break for White Shrimp Ramen

We stopped at Mikurigaike Onsen for an early lunch.

I chose white shrimp ramen.

White shrimp in the mountains.

Now that is very Toyama.

Toward Jigokudani… or So We Thought

Because of volcanic gas, the Jigokudani area was closed that day.

Still, we thought,　“Maybe if we keep going, we can loop around and get back to Mikurigaike?”

So off we went.

On our right was Chinoike, or “Blood Pond.”

Jigokudani. Blood Pond.

The names were getting more dramatic by the minute.

Depending on the wind direction, the volcanic gas was strong enough to make us cough.

Definitely not an everyday experience.

Eventually, we arrived at Raichoso.

There were colorful tents nearby, and the whole area looked beautiful.

So… could we keep going from here and get back to Mikurigaike?

Nope.

We ended up turning around and walking back the same way.

Luckily, it was not nearly as hard as we had expected, and we made it safely back to Enmadai.

We took a short break on a bench there.

A Stop at the Tateyama Nature Conservation Center

We enjoyed the scenery on the way back,

and then stopped by the Tateyama Nature Conservation Center near the hotel.

There were lots of displays about ptarmigans, including some rare photographs.

For some reason, I had always assumed that ptarmigans could not fly.

But there was photographic proof that they definitely can.

 

Checking In at Hotel Tateyama

After finishing our hike, we headed back to the hotel.

This time, we had a room for three.

This time, we had a room for three.

Three beds, plenty of space, and after a long walk, those beds looked absolutely wonderful.

Joining the Hotel’s Guided Walk

At 4:00 p.m., we joined a guided walk organized by the hotel.

A hotel staff member guided us around Murodo and toward Mikurigaike Pond.

This time, we joined the tour as far as Mikurigaike.

Even though we had already walked through the area earlier, hearing the explanations made it feel completely different.

After that, it was bath time.

Seafood at 2,450 Meters

Dinner was served in the hotel restaurant.

Even though we were high in the mountains, there was plenty of fresh seafood.

Everything was delicious.

We also tried a local sake tasting set.

At first, we were confidently discussing the differences in flavor.

A few sips later… we had no idea which was which anymore.

Relaxing on the Fifth Floor

After dinner, we went up to the fifth-floor lounge.

We had the whole place to ourselves.

It was quiet and peaceful, with a lovely old-fashioned hotel atmosphere.

The nearby bar was also open.

But after the sake tasting, I was already more than satisfied.

The sad part was knowing there would be no “next time.”

Stargazing… Defeated by Sake

After dinner, it was time for the hotel’s stargazing program.

First came a presentation about the hotel’s history and the night sky.

But then…

full stomach, sake, dark room.

Yes. I was gently pulled into sleep.

Afterward, we went up to the rooftop to look for stars.

Unfortunately, the sky was cloudy.

We did not get a sky full of stars, but we could still see the lights of Toyama in the distance.

We were told that around 2:00 a.m., when the half moon disappeared behind the mountains, we might have a better chance.

“Okay, let’s try again at two!”

So we all set our alarms and went to bed.

2:00 a.m. — One More Try!

And at 2:00 a.m…

we actually woke up.

Half asleep, the three of us headed back up to the rooftop.

Maybe this time…

Cloudy.

Okay then.　Back to bed.

5:00 a.m. — Surely the Sunrise?

Next target: sunrise at Mikurigaike Pond.

At 5:00 a.m., we got up again.

Very sleepy.

But we had come all this way, so we had to go.

We walked to Mikurigaike Pond and waited for the sunrise.

The sky slowly grew brighter…

and then… Cloudy again.

Stargazing: cloudy.

2:00 a.m.: cloudy.

Sunrise: cloudy.

Still, early morning in Murodo was wonderfully quiet.

The birds slowly began to sing, and the sounds changed as the morning went on.

We could not see it, but at one point we heard a strange call and wondered,

“Could that be a ptarmigan?”

It sounded a little like a frog.

Or maybe an “ugh…” sound.

 

Morning Bath, Breakfast, and Goodbye

After our early morning walk, we returned to the hotel and warmed up in the bath.

Then came breakfast.　After waking up so early, we were absolutely starving.

Before we knew it, it was time to check out.

We never got to see the stars or the sunrise we had hoped for.

But standing outside at 2:00 a.m., looking up at the sky, and walking to Mikurigaike Pond at 5:00 in the morning were experiences we could only have had by staying at Hotel Tateyama.

I am so glad we were able to stay there during its final summer.

最後の夏に泊まることができて、本当によかった。

As for the stars and sunrise…we will have to try again somewhere else someday.

Murodo and Hotel Tateyama gave us a trip we will never forget.

忘れられない旅になりました。

 

The journey continues... Wishing you all a wonderful trip!
＊＊TabiJun＊＊