Lifestyle

Street in Japan swallowed by 65 feet of snow as crews carve way through to reopen road

Published on Dec 22, 2025 at 1:10 AM (UTC+4)
by Grace Donohoe

Last updated on Dec 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

A famous street in Japan is engulfed in snow, with drifts measuring up to 65 feet, and a serious amount of work is required to make it safe.

Thanks to the spectacular surroundings, the area has earned recognition from tourists all over the world.

Known as the Snow Corridor Walk in Tateyama, the trail has been treacherous for a long time and is located deep in the Northern Alps.

However, due to the conditions, the road is only open for a small window of time annually.

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This street in Japan is engulfed in 65 feet of snow

Japan’s climate is diverse, and for motorists, at times it can be unpredictable, with one road in particular earning a fair bit of attention.

The Tateyama Snow Corridor on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route receives up to a huge 65ft of snowfall each year, with crews working to clear the area to ensure optimum safety.

The result? Huge snow walls that are reportedly visible until late June, for visitors to marvel at.

Street in Japan swallowed by 65 feet of snow as crews carve way through to reopen road
Visit Toyama

Snow plough workers carve the snow using assistance from a GPS, creating a valley, and with the sun reflecting off the snow, it creates a spectacular scene.

Remarkably, it is free to visit, but travel is where the cost starts, and tickets are available online for the special alpine route.

However, the road is only open for around seven months, with the website for the Alpine route stating that in 2026, it will be in operation from April 15 to November 30, some 6,500ft in the air.

Street in Japan swallowed by 65 feet of snow as crews carve way through to reopen road
Visit Toyama

Now’s the time to visit

Now, despite only being open for a short amount of time, the snow road has become the highlight of many tourists’ trips to the country.

The alpine route that the snow corridor is visible on will reportedly celebrate its 55th anniversary next year, so this holiday season, there’s no time like the present to visit and see the snow road for yourself.

Just make sure you wrap up warm and stay safe, and visit during the times it is open – or you could witness workers clearing the road for yourself, instead of the snow walls.

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Grace started her career writing about the weird and wonderful for the international press. She's covered everything from lifestyle to sports and hard news and now finds herself pursuing her main interest - cars. She's loved cars from a young age and has a keen interest in luxury travel too.