Senjojiki Cirque Autumn Leaves 2026 Confirmed

千畳敷カールの紅葉 — Komagane, Nagano (Koshinetsu)

Senjojiki Cirque is a glacier-carved amphitheater at 2,612 meters in the Central Alps, reached by Japan's highest ropeway. It delivers the country's earliest mainstream foliage: from late September to early October the alpine bowl blazes red and orange beneath the granite spire of Mt. Hokendake, often dusted with the first snow. Because the ropeway climbs 950 vertical meters, the color then descends the mountainside for about a month, so even mid-October visitors catch it lower down. A gentle 40-minute loop trail circles the cirque floor.

Background

The cirque was scooped out by a glacier tens of thousands of years ago; its name means 'a thousand tatami mats,' after its broad floor. The Komagatake Ropeway that serves it was Japan's first ropeway built for mountain sightseeing, opening the high Alps to non-climbers.

Getting there

Private cars cannot drive up. From Komagane Station on the JR Iida Line (or Komagane IC highway bus stops), go to Suganodai Bus Center, park there, and take the mountain bus to Shirabidaira, then the ropeway to Senjojiki — about ¥4,000 round trip for bus and ropeway combined.

Tips

• During peak color, waits for the ropeway can stretch to several hours — ride the first buses of the morning from Suganodai, ideally on a weekday.
• Budget about ¥4,000 for the round-trip bus and ropeway combination; there is no way to skip either leg.
• Morning light hits the cirque wall straight on and the air is clearest before noon — afternoon often brings cloud boiling up from the valley.
• It can be near freezing at 2,612 meters even in early October; bring a warm layer, and note the Hotel Senjojiki lets you stay for sunrise above the clouds.