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Radio towers on Ougatake create a surreal contrast with the pastoral landscape of Utsukushigahara. (\u00a9Sankei\/Noriyuki Ishige)<\/p>\nAt the heart of Nagano Prefecture lies Utsukushigahara Highlands, a plateau rising 2,000 meters above sea level. Located within a quasi-national park, it is Japan’s largest subalpine highland plateau, covering approximately 600 hectares. Its name comes from the Japanese word utsukushii, meaning “beautiful.”<\/p>\n
A walk across the plateau from Japan’s highest-altitude roadside station reveals a remarkable landscape shaped by ever-changing mountain weather, where art, history, and modernity intersect in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n
Roadside Station Utsukushigahara Kogen stands at an elevation of 1,938 meters. Part of the building was originally constructed as a facility for the Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum, known as Japan’s highest open-air sculpture museum, before the site was registered as a roadside station in 2007. It is also the endpoint of the Venus Line, a scenic mountain road popular among motorcycle enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
Radio towers on Ougatake create a surreal contrast with the pastoral landscape of Utsukushigahara. (\u00a9Sankei\/Noriyuki Ishige)<\/p>\n
Sculptures Full of Life<\/p>\n
The museum opened in 1981 and covers approximately 13 hectares. Over the years, its collection has expanded, and today it displays around 250 modern sculptures, ranging from figurative to abstract works.<\/p>\n
When people think of sculptures, they may picture works standing alone in city plazas and streets, or pieces carefully preserved indoors. But those set against the vast natural backdrop of Utsukushigahara possess a wild, almost living energy.<\/p>\n
Walking through the museum grounds in the light mist, visitors can appreciate each work without the harsh glare of the sun. As the fog lifts, the sheer number of sculptures scattered across the landscape becomes apparent, creating an overwhelming sense of scale. <\/p>\n
When the clouds clear and blue skies emerge, the sculptures seem to come alive, as if reaching toward the heavens.<\/p>\n
Toshifumi Shionoiri, general manager of both the museum and the roadside station, said, “On clear days, Utsukushigahara offers a 360-degree panorama, so many visitors come hoping to enjoy the views. But many sculpture enthusiasts say the works are easier to appreciate on cloudy days.”<\/p>\n
Cows and Radio Towers<\/p>\n
For many visitors, the main attraction is exploring the plateau on foot. Following a trail that begins near the parking lot, hikers walk along the edge of the museum grounds toward Ushibuseyama (Mt. Ushibuse), which rises 1,990 meters (6529 ft) above sea level, before reaching open grasslands.<\/p>\n
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Cattle grazing freely across the open grasslands of Utsukushigahara\u2013June 29. (\u00a9Sankei\/Noriyuki Ishige)<\/p>\n
Along the way, they encounter cows grazing across the fields. Temperatures at Utsukushigahara are 8 to 10 degrees Celsius lower than those on the plains below, making it an ideal summer pasture. <\/p>\n
From May to October, around 250 to 300 cattle are released onto the approximately 300-hectare grasslands to escape the summer heat. The free-roaming cows often approach the fences along the walking paths.<\/p>\n
As the clouds continue to clear, the rolling grasslands stretch into the distance. Ahead, a raised area emerges, with an artificial silhouette appearing above the horizon: radio towers standing atop Ougatake, the highest peak of Utsukushigahara at 2,034 meters. More than 10 towers stand there, along with a hotel at their base.<\/p>\n
The scene creates a striking contrast: a peaceful pastoral landscape of freely grazing cows, with modern structures appearing and disappearing among the clouds in the distance. It feels like a scene from a science fiction film, yet this surreal landscape exists on a plateau 2,000 meters above sea level.<\/p>\n
Utsukushigahara is among the peaks featured in 100 Famous Japanese Mountains by writer and mountaineer Kyuya Fukada. On clear days, more than 40 mountains from the list can reportedly be seen from the summit of Ougatake.<\/p>\n
The trail from the parking lot to Ougatake is relatively gentle and takes about three hours round trip. The plateau offers a different experience with each season, time of day, and change in weather. But visitors should take care to avoid dense fog and thunderstorms.<\/p>\n
Roadside Station Utsukushigahara Kogen \/ Utsukushigahara Open-Air Museum<\/p>\n
The facilities close during the winter due to extreme cold and heavy snowfall. The operating season runs from late April to early November, with daily opening hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.<\/p>\n
This year, early morning openings from 4:00 AM were held from July 18 to 20, with additional early openings scheduled for August 8 to 16 and September 19 to 23.<\/p>\n
Museum<\/a> admission is \u00a51,000 (about $6) for junior high school students and older, and \u00a5500 for elementary school students.<\/p>\n
(Read the article in Japanese<\/a>.)<\/p>\n
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