The Southern Japanese Alps is a vast mountain range that spans over the prefectures of Nagano, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, including 13 peaks that are over 3,000 meters in altitude, and 10 of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains being interspersed from north to south.

The range is also selected as Minami Alps National Park and UNESCO’s Eco Park (Biosphere Reserve), and is characterized with less-eroded, gentle slopes of massive mountains, compared to the sharp ridges of the mountains of the Northern Japanese Alps.

While there are some ski resorts in the area, the lack of snow compared to the northern alps makes this area perfect for trips combining alpinism/hiking with backcountry skiing.