We stayed at Murododaira for two nights to see the Kurobe Dam and went a little further to hike at Midagahara which was one of the areas to walk along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
Once inside the National Park, I would suggest getting a free map at Midagahara Station and switching off from digital devices and enjoying the scenery.
How to get there
The transportation was so convenient to hike in Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. It took 30 mins from Murodo Station to Midagahara Station by Express bus. You can also stop over from Tateyama Station to Midagahara Station for a walk. It runs every one hour to Murodo Station. 
You can choose to do a 45-minute or 1 and a half hour walk while enjoying the beautiful scenery and alpine plants at the Midagahara. The boardwalk was flat and it was well maintained. Some parts were separated into two boardwalks, so we could easily pass each other with other visitors even in summer vacation season.
Mountaineering Gears
Midagahara is situated 1,930m above sea level, so the weather is changeable and rain gear was needed. We saw blue sky behind the Tateyama Kurobe alpine area but soon after we were surrounded by white fog. We didn’t bring our umbrellas, but sports jackets protected us from coldness. There were some gentle slopes and it was easy to walk with jogging shoes or walking shoes. 
Hungry Goasts’ Rice Fields
Following the boardwalk from Midagahara Station, we saw the wetland called hungry goasts’ rice fields. Only selected people could climb Tateyama Kurobe Alpine in old times and they had a hard time to climb up to Midagahara. In the wild landscape, they had seen small plain fields and thought someone must claim this area.
It was also easy to tell the story of goasts’ rice field to someone who had never been to Midagahara in their life.
Alpine Plants
Alpine plants were blooming around Tateyama in August. Their color was plain and the shape was simple, but they looked brave and strong in the strict environment. It was fun to take pictures of adorable appearance and amazing colors of each of them.
However, the most interesting part was to see those flowers and plants in harmony with the huge and wide mountainous background.
It’s all in the details:
Transportation: Tateyama Alpine Route
Stay: Hotel Tateyama
