Fodor's Expert Review Mt. Shirouma

Hiking at the bottom of Daisekkei (Big Snow) Gorge, which extends for 3½ km (2 miles), requires warm clothes even in midsummer, when temperatures can dip below freezing. More than 100 types of alpine flowers grace the nearby fields in summer. From the trailhead at Sarukura Village (reached by a 30-minute, ¥1,000 bus ride from Hakuba Station), the hike through the forest takes 1 hour 45 minutes. If you're lucky, you may spot a snow grouse, a protected species in Japan. For climbers who want to scale Mt. Shirouma, which takes six hours to the top (two huts are on the way for overnight stays), proper equipment is necessary.