Kurobe Gorge Railway Autumn Leaves 2026 Confirmed

黒部峡谷トロッコ電車の紅葉 — Kurobe, Toyama (Hokuriku)

The Kurobe Gorge Railway runs open-sided trolley trains from the onsen town of Unazuki deep into Japan's deepest V-shaped gorge, crossing high red bridges over jade-green water. In autumn — typically mid-October to mid-November — the entire canyon wall turns crimson and gold around the little train, making this one of the country's great foliage rides. Note that following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, service toward the far terminus at Keyakidaira has been restored only in stages, so confirm the current operating section before you go.

Background

The railway was built in the 1920s and 1930s to haul workers and materials for hydroelectric dam construction in the then-inaccessible Kurobe Gorge. Originally a utility line that carried passengers at their own risk, it later became one of Japan's most beloved sightseeing railways.

Getting there

Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Station, transfer to the Toyama Chiho Railway for a short ride to Unazuki Onsen Station, and walk a few minutes to the trolley terminal. Reserve trolley seats ahead in foliage season. The railway stops running entirely from the end of November through winter.

Tips

• Check the official operating status first: post-earthquake restoration means the train may not run all the way to Keyakidaira, and the season ends in late November.
• Book seats in advance for October weekends, and pay the small supplement for an enclosed car if the weather looks cold — the standard open cars are genuinely chilly in the gorge.
• Sit on the river side (left going up) and shoot the Shin-Yamabiko Bridge and dam lakes; late morning puts the best light into the deep canyon.
• Bookend the ride with Unazuki Onsen — riverside rotenburo baths face the same colored slopes, and the local craft beer brewery sits by the station.