May 25, 2020 at 15:39 JST
TATEYAMA, Toyama Prefecture--A path that runs through towering walls of snow, part of the popular Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, will reopen to tourists on June 1, after closing for more than a month due to the coronavirus outbreak.
It comes after the state of emergency was lifted on May 14 for both Toyama and Nagano prefectures, where the mountain pass sightseeing attraction is located.
However, activities in the area will be limited to viewing the walls from the bus. Walking on the ground will be prohibited to prevent visitors from coming into close contact with each other. The number of people in the bus will also be reduced.
The Asahi Shimbun used a drone to film the snow walls on May 24, after the tour operator granted permission.
The sightseeing route was empty and only the sounds of melting snow and birds chirping could be heard during the film shoot in Toyama Prefecture.
The snow walls were 13 meters at their highest point. They can be seen until mid-June.
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The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route in Toyama Prefecture is empty due to the coronavirus pandemic on May 24. (Shiro Nishihata)
