Keyakidaira 欅平

With panoramic views and outdoor activities aplenty, the area around Keyakidaira Station rewards you for making the journey to the end of the Kurobe Gorge Railway .

Access Keyakidaira via the Kurobe Gorge Railway.

Start at Unazuki Station and take the Kurobe Gorge Railway to Keyakidaira Station.

From Tokyo, catch the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe Unazuki Onsen, about two and a half hours away. Then, take the Toyama Chiho Railway to Unazuki Station and change to Kurobe Gorge Railway to Keyakidaira Station.

From Kyoto or Osaka, take the JR Thunderbird limited express to Kanazawa , then transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen and to Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station.

Keyakidaira's main attraction, Sarutobi Gorge , overlooks the point where two mighty rivers converge. From the station, follow the scenic riverside course through cool forest glades.

You'll also want to visit Okukane Bridge and the famed Hitokui Iwa, or “Man Eating Rock”. This icon looms menacingly over a section of the course, as if waiting to devour those passing through.

If you need a place to rest at the end of your Kurobe Gorge exploration, check out Meiken hot spring. This inn offers outdoor pools set in the cliffside. Rest and relax in this fantastic area.

The railway runs from mid-April to the end of November, with autumn marking the peak of tourist season. Summer is also an ideal time to visit as higher altitudes provide an escape from the heat.