When visiting Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden, bring warm clothing as temperatures can be 10-15°C cooler than sea level, comfortable hiking shoes for walking trails, sun protection including hat and sunscreen, and a camera for alpine flower photography. Weather can change quickly at high altitude, so pack rain gear and layers even in summer.
Access to the botanical garden requires purchasing a gondola ticket, as the garden is only accessible via the resort's telecabin. Gondola ticket prices vary by season and have separate rates for adults and children. Children ages 6-12 qualify for child rates, while children 5 and under are free but must be picked up at the ticket window. Current pricing should be verified directly with the resort as rates change annually. The ticket includes both gondola transport and garden admission.
The gondola takes around 10 minutes to ascend to 1515 metres above sea level, and visitors typically spend 2-4 hours exploring the garden and surrounding area. Leisurely tracks lead visitors through the garden and more intensive hiking trails lead into the mountains including Mt. Kotomi. The site features an observation deck with panoramic mountain views, and the 'ALPS 360' restaurant is open daily for meals, snacks or drinks with mountain views. The garden is designed so anyone from children to elderly can easily observe alpine plants.
The botanical garden is only accessible via the resort's 8-passenger telecabin gondola from the base station at Escal Plaza. Public transportation includes buses from Hakuba Station (approximately 10 minutes) or express buses from Nagano Station. For drivers, after the Azumino IC on the Nagano Expressway, take the Northern Alps Panorama Road along the Takase River rather than Route 148 to avoid traffic lights. The garden paths are generally well-maintained, though visitors should wear appropriate footwear for mountain terrain and be prepared for cooler temperatures at altitude.
The Alpine Botanical Garden is one of the most famous alpine botanical gardens in Japan, located at 1515m above sea level. The garden showcases more than 300 varieties of alpine plants with approximately 2 million individual plants in their natural high-altitude environment. The garden's unique setting on a former Olympic ski slope from the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics provides spectacular views of the Northern Alps and, on clear days, Mount Fuji. The combination of accessible alpine plant viewing, mountain hiking trails, and panoramic vistas makes it a distinctive destination for both botanists and casual nature lovers.
