Hida Mountains

Geobox|Mountain Range
name = Hida Mountains (飛騨山脈)
native_name =
other_name = Northern Alps (北アルプス)
other_name1 =


image_size =
image_caption = Mount Shirouma
etymology =
country = Japan
state = Gifu
state1 = Nagano
state_type = Prefectures
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length = 105
length_orientation =
length_round = 0
width = 25
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width_round = 0
highest = Mount Okuhotaka
highest location = Kiso District
highest_country =
highest_state = Nagano Prefecture
highest_region =
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highest_elevation = 3190
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The nihongo|Hida Mountains|飛騨山脈|Hida Sanmyaku, or nihongo|Northern Alps|北アルプス|Kita Arupusu, is a Japanese mountain range which stretches through Nagano, Toyama and Gifu prefectures. A small portion of the mountains also reach into Niigata Prefecture. William Gowland coined the phrase "Japanese Alps" during his time in Japan, but he was only referring to the Hida Mountains when he used that name. The Kiso and Akaishi mountains received the name in the ensuing years.

Geography

The layout of the Hida Mountains forms a large Y-shape. The southern peaks are the lower portion of the Y-shape, with the northern peaks forming two parallel bands separated by a deep V-shaped valley. It is one of the steepest V-shaped valleys in Japan. The Kurobe Dam, Japan's largest damn, is an arch dam located in the Kurobe Valley in the central area of the mountains. The western arm of mountains, also known as the Tateyama Peaks (立山連峰 "Tateyama Renpō"), are dominated by Mount Tsurugi and Mount Tate. The eastern arm, known as the Ushiro Tateyama Peaks (後立山連峰 "Ushiro Tateyama Renpō"), are dominated by Mount Shirouma and Mount Kashimayari.

Major peaks

* Mount Shirouma, Convert|2932|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Kashimayari, Convert|2889|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Tate, Convert|3015|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Tsubakuro, Convert|2763|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Tsurugi, Convert|2999|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Noguchigoro, Convert|2924|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Yari, Convert|3180|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Hotaka, Convert|3190|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Norikura, Convert|3026|m|ft|0|abbr=on
* Mount Ontake, Convert|3067|m|ft|0|abbr=on

See also

* Japanese Alps
** Kiso Mountains (Central Alps)
** Akaishi Mountains (Southern Alps)

External links

* [http://kita-alps.yamagoya.gr.jp/ Northern Alps Lodging Cooperative] ja icon
* [http://www.kitaalpsgifu.jp/ Northern Alps Information for Gifu Prefecture] ja icon

References