By YOSHITO ASAKURA/ Staff Writer
July 10, 2024 at 07:00 JST
Passengers taking cruises on Lake Kurobeko are treated to scenic views of the Tateyama mountain range in Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture. (Provided by Kanden Amenix Co.)
TATEYAMA, Toyama Prefecture--Japan’s highest-altitude alpine sightseeing cruises will cease for good on Nov. 10 after 55 years in operation, a victim of dwindling tourist interest.
Lake Kurobeko, a reservoir behind the Kurobe Dam here, is situated 1,448 meters above sea level.
The annual number of passengers plummeted to around 18,000 in 2023 after peaking at about 55,000 a year.
The Garve, the second-generation sightseeing boat operated by Kanden Amenix Co. since 2000, is also falling into disrepair.
Sightseeing boat tours started in 1969, six years after the Kurobe Dam was completed.
The pleasure boat season started June 1. The boat takes passengers on 30-minute excursions.
To make the final year a memorable one, the operator is offering special items such as commemorative cards, T-shirts and bento boxed lunches.
“We are already receiving guests who learned that this season is our last,” said Kiyoshi Kashiwabara of the company’s tourism group. “To be honest, it has been a busier season than in recent years.”
The company operates eight regular services and two non-regular services daily.
The tour costs 1,200 yen ($7.50) for adults and 600 yen for children.
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