Minami Alps National Park
A mountainous national park in the Japanese Alps.
Minami Alps National Park lies in the Akaishi Mountains of Japan’s Chūbu region, on Honshū island. It was designated a national park on June 1, 1964, and stretches 55 kilometers along the borders of Shizuoka, Yamanashi, and Nagano Prefectures, with a maximum width of 18 kilometers and a total area of 358 square kilometers. The park is dominated by rugged terrain, centered on the Akaishi Mountains, which include several peaks exceeding 3,000 meters: Senjō-ga-take, Kita-dake, Aino-dake, Shiomi-dake, Arakawa-take, Akaishi-dake, and Hijiri-dake. It also safeguards the headwaters of the Fuji, Ōi, and Tenryū Rivers. Vegetation features extensive forests of Japanese beech, Japanese stone pine, and hemlock spruce. The largest mammal is the kamoshika, while notable birds include the ptarmigan. Other large fauna include Asiatic black bear, wild boar, and Sika deer. The park has minimal public facilities, and access is limited to mountaineering.
Quick Facts
- Iucn Category
- II
- Location
- central Honshū, Japan
- Nearest City
- 35.46442679183983, 138.157109381337
- Established
- June 1, 1964
- Governing Body
- Ministry of the Environment
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Minami Alps National Park was established on June 1, 1964, centering on the Akaishi Mountains. The park protects the headwaters of the Fuji River, Ōi River and Tenryū River. Its terrain is very mountainous, with several peaks over 3000 meters in height, including Senjō-ga-take, Kita-dake, Aino-dake, Shiomi-dake, Arakawa-take, Akaishi-dake and Hijiri-dake.
Reader's Guide
Minami Alps National Park is significant as a protected area in the Akaishi Mountains, part of the Japanese Alps. Its establishment on June 1, 1964, preserved a rugged, high-altitude region spanning three prefectures. The park's mountainous character, with peaks exceeding 3000 meters, and its role in protecting the headwaters of major rivers like the Fuji, Ōi, and Tenryū, underscore its ecological importance. Flora includes Japanese beech, Japanese stone pine, and hemlock spruce; fauna includes kamoshika, Asiatic black bear, wild boar, Sika deer, and ptarmigan. The park has minimal public facilities, accessible only by mountaineering, which maintains its wilderness character. Its legacy lies in conserving a remote alpine environment within Japan's national park system.
Did You Know?
- The park extends 55 kilometers in length and up to 18 kilometers in width.
- The only approach to the park is by mountaineering.
More in National parks of Japan 1-24
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