Mount Norikura
Encyclopedia
is a potentially active volcano located on the borders of Gifu
and Nagano
prefectures in Japan
. It is part of the Hida Mountains
and is listed among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains and the New 100 Famous Japanese Mountains.
. The Norikura Plateau borders the mountain on its northern side in Nagano Prefecture. The mountain, whose name means "riding saddle," received its name because its shape looks like a horse saddle.
This is the Jananese mountain of 3000-meter class
that can be most easily climbed.
and Mount Ontake
, Mount Norikura is the third tallest volcano
in Japan. It is a stratovolcano
and hardened lava flows can still be seen near the peak. There are eight plain
s and 12 crater lake
s on the mountain that were formed by volcanic activity. The Norikura Skyline is a road through the mountain, but it has to be closed for much of the year because of heavy snow fall. Even in the summer, some snow remains on the northeastern face of the mountain.
and martins, the Rock Ptarmigan (one of Japan's natural monument
s) also makes its home on the mountain.
There are various alpine plant
s and other flowers, including rhododendrons, lilies
, and komakusa
.
in the surrounding area.
and is in the most south part of it.
of the source flows to the Sea of Japan
or Ise Bay
.
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
and Nagano
Nagano Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
prefectures in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is part of the Hida Mountains
Hida Mountains
The , or , 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...
and is listed among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains and the New 100 Famous Japanese Mountains.
Outline
The mountain is located on the borders of Gifu and Nagano prefectures in Chūbu-Sangaku National ParkChubu-Sangaku National Park
is a national park in the Chūbu region, Honshū, Japan. It was established around the Hida Mountains and encompasses parts of Nagano, Gifu, Toyama and Niigata prefectures...
. The Norikura Plateau borders the mountain on its northern side in Nagano Prefecture. The mountain, whose name means "riding saddle," received its name because its shape looks like a horse saddle.
This is the Jananese mountain of 3000-meter class
Three-thousanders (in Japan)
The following is a list of the 21 mountains in Japan whose altitudes are 3,000 metres or greater. The tallest mountain in Japan is Mount Fuji .- Geography :There are three-thousanders in the following regions:...
that can be most easily climbed.
History
- 1680's - It is said that EnkūEnkuwas a Japanese Buddhist monk and sculptor during the early Edo period. Born in Mino Province , who wandered all over Japan, helping the poor along the way. During his travels, he carved some 120,000 wooden statues of the Buddha. No two were alike. Many of the statues were crudely carved from tree...
was first ascent on the top. - 1878 - Englishman William GowlandWilliam GowlandWilliam Gowland was an English mining engineer most famous for his archaeological work at Stonehenge and in Japan. He is known in Japan as the "Father of Japanese Archaeology", which is an exaggeration. He was a major founding figure....
became the first non-Japanese man to climb on the top. - 1892 - Englishman Walter WestonWalter WestonThe Reverend Walter Weston , was an English clergyman, missionary, and mountaineer.-Background and early life:...
climbed on the top. - December 4, 1934 - This area was specified to the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.
- 1973 - Norikura Skyline to the vicinity of the top of a mountain was opened. It is the road that exists in the highest place in Japan.
Nature
After Mount FujiMount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
and Mount Ontake
Mount Ontake
, also referred to as , is the second highest volcano in Japan at located around northeast of Nagoya. It is on the borders of Kiso and Ōtaki, Nagano Prefecture, and Gero, Gifu Prefecture...
, Mount Norikura is the third tallest volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Japan. It is a stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
and hardened lava flows can still be seen near the peak. There are eight plain
Plain
In geography, a plain is land with relatively low relief, that is flat or gently rolling. Prairies and steppes are types of plains, and the archetype for a plain is often thought of as a grassland, but plains in their natural state may also be covered in shrublands, woodland and forest, or...
s and 12 crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
s on the mountain that were formed by volcanic activity. The Norikura Skyline is a road through the mountain, but it has to be closed for much of the year because of heavy snow fall. Even in the summer, some snow remains on the northeastern face of the mountain.
Plant and animal life
Mount Norikura has a variety of plant and animal life on its slopes. In addition to the Alpine AccentorAlpine Accentor
The Alpine Accentor, Prunella collaris, is a small passerine bird found throughout the mountains of southern temperate Europe and Asia at heights above 2000 m. It is mainly resident, wintering more widely at lower latitudes, but some birds wander as rare vagrants as far as Great Britain.It is...
and martins, the Rock Ptarmigan (one of Japan's natural monument
Natural Monument
A natural monument is a natural or natural/cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance....
s) also makes its home on the mountain.
There are various alpine plant
Alpine plant
Alpine plants are plants that grow in the alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. Alpine plants grow together as a plant community in alpine tundra.-Alpine plant diversity:...
s and other flowers, including rhododendrons, lilies
Fritillaria camschatcensis
Fritillaria camschatcensis is a species of fritillary native to northeastern Asia, including northern Japan, Kamchatka, and eastern Siberia, western North America from Alaska to Oregon...
, and komakusa
Dicentra peregrina
Dicentra peregrina is a herbaceous perennial growing from a rhizome, native to Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, and northeastern Siberia .-Etymology:...
.
| Rock Ptarmigan | Alpine Accentor Alpine Accentor The Alpine Accentor, Prunella collaris, is a small passerine bird found throughout the mountains of southern temperate Europe and Asia at heights above 2000 m. It is mainly resident, wintering more widely at lower latitudes, but some birds wander as rare vagrants as far as Great Britain.It is... | lilies Fritillaria camschatcensis Fritillaria camschatcensis is a species of fritillary native to northeastern Asia, including northern Japan, Kamchatka, and eastern Siberia, western North America from Alaska to Oregon... | komakusa Dicentra peregrina Dicentra peregrina is a herbaceous perennial growing from a rhizome, native to Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, and northeastern Siberia .-Etymology:... |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Geological features
Mount Kengamine (剣ヶ峰 Kengamine), one peak on the mountain, was formed in two eruptions 9,600 and 9,200 years ago. Mount Ebisu (恵比寿岳 Ebisu-dake), another peak, was formed during an eruption 2,000 years ago. Though the volcano has lost some of its eruptive power, volcanic gas is still escaping through the Yū River (湯川 Yū-gawa) and there are many spa areasSpa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
in the surrounding area.
Nearby Mountains
It is on the main ridge of the Hida MountainsHida Mountains
The , or , 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...
and is in the most south part of it.
| Image | Mountain Mountain Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River... |
Elevation Elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface .... |
Distance Distance Distance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are. In physics or everyday discussion, distance may refer to a physical length, or an estimation based on other criteria . In mathematics, a distance function or metric is a generalization of the concept of physical distance... from the Top |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Hotaka Mount Hotaka , also known as Mount Hotakadake, is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, reaching a height of . It is situated in Japan's Hida Mountains and all its major peaks besides Mount Maehotaka, lie on the border between the cities of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, and Takayama, Gifu Prefecture... 穂高岳 |
3190 m (10,466 ft) | 22 km (13.7 mi) | • tallest mountain in Hida Mountains • 100 Famous |
|
| Mt. Yake Mount Yake is an active volcano in the Hida Mountains, lying between Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, and Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, reaching at the highest peak.-Geography:... 焼岳 |
2455.37 m (8,056 ft) | 13.7 km (8.5 mi) | • 100 Famous | |
| Mt. Norikura 乗鞍岳 |
3025.64 m (9,927 ft) | 0 km (0 mi) | • Kengamine is tallest point in Mount Norikura • 100 Famous |
|
| Mount Ontake Mount Ontake , also referred to as , is the second highest volcano in Japan at located around northeast of Nagoya. It is on the borders of Kiso and Ōtaki, Nagano Prefecture, and Gero, Gifu Prefecture... 御嶽山 |
3067 m (10,062 ft) | 24.6 km (15.3 mi) | • 100 Famous |
River of source
The each following RiverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
of the source flows to the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
or Ise Bay
Ise Bay
Ise Bay is a bay located at the mouth of the Kiso River between Mie and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. Ise Bay has an average depth of 19.5 metres and a maximum depth of 30 metres toward the centre. The mouth of the bay is 9 kilometres wide and is connected to the smaller Mikawa Bay by two channels:...
.
- TributaryTributaryA tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Azusa River that joins to the Shinano RiverShinano RiverThe Shinano River is the longest and largest river in Japan. It flows from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture. It is called the Chikuma River in Nagano Prefecture.... - Tributary of Takahara RiverTakahara RiverThe has its source at Mount Norikura in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and flows into Toyama Prefecture, where it joins with the Jinzū River...
- Tributary of Hida RiverHida RiverThe has its source in Mount Norikura in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It flows from the northern to the southern section of the prefecture before emptying into the Kiso River in Minokamo.-River communities:...
See also
- Chūbu-Sangaku National ParkChubu-Sangaku National Parkis a national park in the Chūbu region, Honshū, Japan. It was established around the Hida Mountains and encompasses parts of Nagano, Gifu, Toyama and Niigata prefectures...
- Hida MountainsHida MountainsThe , or , 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...
- Three-thousanders (in Japan)Three-thousanders (in Japan)The following is a list of the 21 mountains in Japan whose altitudes are 3,000 metres or greater. The tallest mountain in Japan is Mount Fuji .- Geography :There are three-thousanders in the following regions:...
- 100 Famous Japanese Mountains
- List of mountains in Japan
- VolcanoVolcano2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...