Mountain Activities 【自然と人】山を楽しむ：谷川岳ロープウェイ、山岳資料館、登山指導センター、利根川、温泉等

Mountaineering reached the Tanigawa Mountain Range in the 1920s, when two mountaineers employed a local to take them along old paths that follow the mountain ridges from Tsuchitaru to the town of Tanigawa Onsen. Today, companies offer guided hiking tours, and in autumn hikers travel to Mt. Tanigawadake to see the striking foliage. For visitors with the necessary equipment and experience, Mt. Tanigawadake is also a popular site for rock climbing.

Minakami has been a pioneer of commercial whitewater rafting and canyoning in Japan, and there are several companies that offer the opportunity to ride down the Tone River. In spring, when the river is fed by snowmelt, sections of its current are ranked approximately grade 4 on an international difficulty scale of 6. In summer, the current slows, and the difficulty rating drops to around 2, which is ideal for beginners. Other popular summer activities include bungee jumping, kayaking, and sawanobori, or “shower climbing” up a waterfall.