Mount Tate
Mount Tate, commonly referred to as simply Tateyama, is a mountain located in the southeastern area of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the tallest mountains in the Hida Mountains at and, along with Mount Fuji and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains". Tateyama is a term for the mountain consisting of three peaks: Ōnanjiyama, Oyama, and Fuji-no-Oritateyama, which run along a ridge. Tateyama is the tallest mountain in the Tateyama Mountain Range.
It was first climbed by Saeki no Ariyori during Japan's Asuka period. The area was designated the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park on December 4, 1934.
Name
The kanji for the mountain, which is called Tateyama in Japanese, mean "standing 立 or outstanding 顕" and "mountain", respectively. The pronunciation of tate is two syllables similar to tah-tei rather than gate. The Toyama Prefectural Government uses the name Mount Tateyama as an official translation of the Japanese mountain.Geology
The mountain is composed primarily of granite and gneiss. However, located along the ridge and plateau about west of the summit is a small andesite-dacite stratovolcano. This volcano has an elevation of, and has had minor historical eruptions, the latest in 1839.Geography
Location
Tateyama is located in southeastern Toyama Prefecture. At the base of the mountain is the town of Tateyama, which is accessible by train from the prefecture's capital city, Toyama. Public transportation will take climbers and tourists as far as the Murodo Plateau Station at an elevation of, from where individuals may climb to the peak on foot. These are the only glaciers identified in Japan so far.Nearby mountains
| Image | Mountain | Elevation | Distance and direction from the Top | Note |
| Mt. Tsurugi 剱岳 | North | 100 Japanese Mountains | ||
| Mt. Bessan 別山 | North | |||
| Mt. Tate 立山 | 100 Famous Japanese Mountains the tallest mountain in Toyama Prefecture | |||
| Mt. Ryūō 龍王岳 | Southwest | |||
| Mt. Harinoki 針ノ木岳 | Southeast | 200 Japanese Mountains | ||
| Mt. Akaushi 赤牛岳 | South | 200 Japanese Mountains | ||
| Mt. Yakushi 薬師岳 | Southwest | 100 Japanese Mountains |
Rivers
The mountain is the source of the following rivers, each of which flows to the Sea of Japan.- Hayatsuki River
- Tsurugisawa, tributaries of the Kurobe River
Mountain sights
On Murodo Plateau the contains Murodō Station is a shopping area and onsen bath. The onsen on Tateyama is famously known for its use of sulfur spring water for the bath, leaving a noticeable aroma that can be detected even while ascending the mountain. Visitors can also find several hiking and walking paths that take them through the beautiful valleys, and take a look at Devil's Valley. With many volcanic areas in Japan by the same name, visitors are no longer able to walk within the sulfur valley due to gas-related safety concerns. Murodo is a great place to hike from mid-July to mid-November. The summer months are dappled with greenery and some leftover snow from winter, while from mid-September, visitors can enjoy bright autumn colors along the entire route.
There are charter services from Taipei, Inchon and Thailand during the high season to reach Murodo.
From Murodo, visitors can also reach Kurobe Dam, which stands at 186 meters, making it the tallest dam in Japan. From Murodō Station, visitors should take the Tateyama Tunnel Trolleybus, followed by the Tateyama Ropeway, and finally the Kurobe Cable Car. From the last stop, a 15-minute walk will take visitors to the dam.
Midagahara is a flat walking area filled with flowing plains interrupted by blue ponds. Near the bus stop that returns visitors to Bijodaira back down the mountain is a slightly hidden walking path. Midagahara is accessible from Tateyama Station via the Tateyama Cable Car followed by Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route bus that goes in the direction of Murodō Station.
On clear days, climbers can see Shōmyō Falls across the valley while traveling along the main road from Tateyama Station to the Murodo Plateau. For a closer look, visitors can take a bus from Tateyama Station to the Shōmyō Falls stop. From there, visitors can walk to the falls up a steady slope. There is a large bridge as well as two viewing platforms to get views of the Falls.