Kurobe Gorge

▶The True Face of the Remote Kurobe Gorge
Kurobe Gorge is a great canyon formed by a steep, deep V-shaped ravine in the upper and middle reaches of the Kurobe River, which rises on Washiba-dake near the center of the Northern Alps and flows 86 km with a difference in elevation of 3,000 m.

In December 1934, it was designated as part of Chubu-Sangaku National Park. The gorge was carved deeply by the erosion of the Kurobe River between the Tateyama and Ushirotateyama mountain ranges, including Tateyama, Mt. Tsurugi, and Mt. Yakushi on one side, and Mt. Hakuba, Mt. Goryu, and Mt. Kashimayarigatake on the other. Collecting many streams known as the “8,000 valleys and 8,000 gorges,” it passes through the Kurobe River alluvial fan and empties into the Sea of Japan.

The average gradient of the Kurobe Gorge watershed is an extremely steep 36 degrees, with slopes of 30 to 45 degrees accounting for as much as 70% of the area. Because the basin lies in a region of heavy snowfall, the Kurobe River has abundant water throughout the year. Its river gradient is also steep at an average of 1/40, making the current fast. The Kurobe River is also known for its clear water, and the groundwater in the spring area at the edge of the Kurobe River alluvial fan has been selected as one of Japan’s “100 Best Waters.”

▶History
Kurobe Gorge is the deepest and largest gorge in Japan, carved over many years by the Kurobe River flowing between the Tateyama and Ushirotateyama mountain ranges. Its rugged valley and harsh natural environment kept people away for a long time.

Full-scale development of hydroelectric power in Kurobe Gorge was begun by Toyo Aluminum Co., Ltd., founded by Dr. Jokichi Takamine, a native of Takaoka and famous for inventing Takadiastase. The company was established on December 7, 1919.

Later, in 1922, Nippon Electric Power Co., Ltd. took over the project. In 1923, construction began on a railway line between Unazuki and Nekomata (11.8 km) to transport materials for power plant construction in the Kurobe River system. The line opened in stages thereafter:
October 1926 / Unazuki–Nekomata began operations
August 1930 / Nekomata–Koyadaira began operations
July 1937 / Koyadaira–Keyakidaira began operations
and thus became the present route.

The railway was then operated by Nippon Electric Power Co., Ltd., before being transferred in 1941 to Nippon Hassoden Co., Ltd., and after the postwar reorganization of the electric power industry, it was handed over in May 1951 to Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Although the Kurobe Gorge Railway was a private line built for transporting materials, from the beginning it also allowed local residents to ride as “free passengers” to improve convenience for the community.

From 1929, in response to the growing number of tourists each year, it was permitted to open the line to the general public by collecting a fare for such riding. This continued until it was prohibited in October 1951. Tickets from that time bore the words: “We do not guarantee safety in any way for free riding.”

Later, as requests grew stronger from local residents and visitors who loved the natural beauty of Kurobe and wanted to use the line as a sightseeing train, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. obtained permission under the Local Railway Business Act and began commercial operations as the “Kurobe Railway” on November 5, 1953.

Furthermore, as passenger numbers increased and the railway’s role shifted from transporting materials and workers for power development to passenger service, Kurobe Gorge Railway Co., Ltd. was established in May 1971 as a railway-only company under Kansai Electric Power. It received approval for the transfer of the local railway business and began commercial operations on July 1 of the same year, with the aim of further enhancing service and establishing a stronger safety operation system.

Since then, it has been affectionately known as the “Trolley Train” and continues to this day.