Toyama · Gorge railway · Autumn 2026
The Kurobe Gorge Railway has been running its full line again, Unazuki to Keyakidaira, since Thursday 1 October 2026, and runs until Monday 30 November 2026. At Keyakidaira you can visit only the station building, its roof, part of the station square and the visitor centre while repairs continue. The railway gives mid October to mid November as the usual leaf season. From Tokyo it puts the trip at about three hours: the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, on a train that stops there, then the Toyama Chiho Railway.
Is the Kurobe Gorge Railway running in 2026?
The railway announced on 3 July 2026 that the full line, Unazuki to Keyakidaira, would reopen with the first train on Thursday 1 October. On 15 October 2026 its top page said trains were running normally.
The line had been cut by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 1 January 2024. Rockfall from Mount Higashi-Kanetsuri damaged the Kanetsuri Bridge, the railway says. In May 2024 it said the damage was worse than first thought and the full line could not reopen that season. In the 2026 season, from 20 April to 30 September, trains ran only between Unazuki and Nekomata. Kanetsuri Bridge repairs began on 18 May 2026; the railway aims to finish the works within 2026.
| Item | 2026, as the railway lists it (checked 15 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| 20 Apr – 30 Sep | Unazuki–Nekomata and back (finished) |
| 1 Oct – 30 Nov | Full line, Unazuki–Keyakidaira |
| Keyakidaira | Station building, part of the square, the roof view and the Keyakidaira Visitor Center (9:00–16:00) only; about an hour suggested; passenger numbers limited |
The line in October–November 2026
- Unazuki: the start.
- Kuronagi: open. Kuronagi Onsen is about 20 minutes away on a path with many steps. Return seats from Kuronagi cannot be booked; you ride back in any vacant seat on an arriving train.
- Nekomata: trains pass; no boarding or alighting.
- Kanetsuri: open. Its page listed the riverbank as passable on 15 October 2026.
- Keyakidaira: the end of the line; station area and visitor centre only.
The railway’s season page says the hot-spring facilities along the line are open only until early November; the hot-spring town at Unazuki stays open.
At Keyakidaira you can only visit the station building, its roof, part of the station square and the visitor centre. Repair works continue on the slope and retaining wall downstream of the station, and the railway has closed the area around it for the time being. Its Keyakidaira page also marks the Sarutobi Gorge path as closed. Kanetsuri is the stop for the riverbank.
Timetable, fares and booking
| Item | October–November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Trains, 1 Oct – 23 Nov | From Unazuki at 8:17, 9:00, 9:21, 10:03, 10:44, 11:27, 12:09 (Fri–Mon only), 12:50, 13:32, 14:14 and 14:56. Last train back from Keyakidaira 16:43, at Unazuki 17:58. |
| Open cars only, 1 Oct – 23 Nov | The 9:00, 10:03 and 13:32 from Unazuki and the 10:43, 11:46 and 15:19 from Keyakidaira. The other trains also have relaxing cars. |
| Trains, 24–30 Nov | 9 a day each way; last from Unazuki 14:14; last from Keyakidaira 16:01, at Unazuki 17:16. All trains except the 11:27 out and the 13:10 back run with relaxing cars only, so on those trains every passenger needs the ¥600 car ticket on top of the fare (¥3,080 one way to Keyakidaira in total). |
| Unazuki–Keyakidaira | ¥2,480 adult, ¥1,240 child (6–11), one way |
| Unazuki–Kanetsuri | ¥1,780 adult, ¥890 child, one way |
| Unazuki–Kuronagi | ¥830 adult, ¥420 child, one way |
| Relaxing car (windows) | ¥600 extra for each ride |
| Return tickets | Valid for 2 days from the day of travel; no stopovers on a return ticket |
The railway asks for at least 20 minutes at Kanetsuri or Keyakidaira, even if you take the next train back. All trains have a fixed capacity and every passenger gets a seat. There are no toilets on the train.
Booking. Bookings for individuals open three months ahead and close at 15:00 the day before, according to the railway’s July 2026 notice and Japanese FAQ (its English reservations page gives earlier cut-offs). Online booking for Keyakidaira opened on 7 October 2026; phone: +81-765-62-1011 (0765-62-1011 within Japan; 9:00–16:30 Japan time). Same-day tickets go on sale at Unazuki at 7:40. At busy times, including the autumn colour season, you may not get the train or car you want on the day, so the railway recommends booking. To stop at both Kanetsuri and Keyakidaira, book one way to the first stop and buy the rest on the day.
Rail-pass discount. From 1 October to 30 November 2026, holders of the Japan Rail Pass and several other JR passes and tickets for visitors, including the Hokuriku Arch Pass, get 10% off returns (the railway’s figures: ¥4,480 adult to Keyakidaira, ¥3,220 to Kanetsuri). The discount is for same-day tickets bought at the Unazuki window on showing the pass, and a relaxing car still costs ¥600 extra. If you are still choosing a pass, see Japan Rail Pass options and our JR Pass vs individual tickets comparison.
When are the autumn leaves in Kurobe Gorge?
The railway’s FAQ gives mid October to mid November as the usual season, moving down the valley. Its English information page gives “between October 20th and November 10th (approximately)”.
| Usually (railway FAQ) | Where |
|---|---|
| Mid October | Colour starts around Keyakidaira |
| Late October | Keyakidaira at its best; starts around Kanetsuri and Nekomata |
| Early November | Kanetsuri and Nekomata at their best; starts around Unazuki |
| Mid November | Kanetsuri to Unazuki at their best |
The railway lists average morning temperatures of about 15°C at Unazuki, 13°C at Kanetsuri and 12°C at Keyakidaira in October, and about 13°C, 12°C and 10°C in November. For the lowland, the Japan Meteorological Agency’s 1991–2020 normals for its Toyama city station:
| Period | High / low (JMA Toyama) |
|---|---|
| Mid October | 21.8°C / 13.2°C |
| Late October | 19.6°C / 11.0°C |
| Early November | 18.0°C / 9.0°C |
| Mid November | 15.4°C / 7.1°C |
| Late November | 13.6°C / 5.7°C |
Source: JMA, Toyama, ten-day normals 1991–2020. Normals, not a 2026 forecast.
For where the season stands across Japan this week, see our koyo tracker.
How to get to Kurobe Gorge from Tokyo, Kanazawa and Toyama
By train, the usual route is the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, the Toyama Chiho Railway from Shin-Kurobe (a short walk away, as the gorge railway’s access map shows) to Unazuki-Onsen, then a 5-minute walk to Unazuki Station. From Toyama, the railway’s English access page also shows the Toyama Chiho Railway direct from Dentetsu-Toyama. Shinkansen times below are JR East’s October 2026 weekday departure times; Toyama Chiho Railway times are from its 1 April 2026 timetable.
| Route | Times and frequency |
|---|---|
| Tokyo → Kurobe-Unazukionsen | 14 Hakutaka a day stop there on weekdays, 2 h 18 min to 2 h 37 min, first 6:28 from Tokyo. No Kagayaki stops, and some extra Hakutaka pass without stopping. |
| Kurobe-Unazukionsen → Tokyo | Last train that reaches Tokyo: 20:57, at Tokyo 23:24 |
| Kanazawa ↔ Kurobe-Unazukionsen | Hakutaka that stop there, 35–37 min; 15 a day towards Kurobe on weekdays, first 6:16 from Kanazawa |
| Toyama → Kurobe-Unazukionsen | Hakutaka that stop there, 13–14 min |
| Shin-Kurobe → Unazuki-Onsen | ¥740 (child ¥370). 21 trains a day; locals 26–34 min; limited expresses (three on weekdays, four on Saturdays and holidays), 18 min, ¥100 extra |
| Unazuki-Onsen → Unazuki Station | About 5 minutes on foot (gorge railway) |
Check that your train stops at Kurobe-Unazukionsen. In JR East’s October 2026 weekday and Saturday/holiday timetables, no Kagayaki stops there. Some extra Hakutaka that run only on certain dates pass it too: from Tokyo, for example, Hakutaka 643 (14:32) and 645 (15:32); towards Tokyo, Hakutaka 624 (from Kanazawa 14:30) and 660 (from Kanazawa 15:36). When you book, check that Kurobe-Unazukionsen is listed as a stop for your train. The gorge railway also asks you to allow at least 20 minutes between arriving on the Toyama Chiho Railway and your train, for boarding formalities.
A day trip from Tokyo (weekday, October 2026): Hakutaka 551, 6:28 from Tokyo, at Kurobe-Unazukionsen 8:56; limited express 9:23 from Shin-Kurobe, at Unazuki-Onsen 9:41; gorge train 10:44, at Keyakidaira 12:03; back on the 13:10, at Unazuki 14:28; 15:10 from Unazuki-Onsen, at Shin-Kurobe 15:32; Hakutaka 570, 16:44, at Tokyo 19:12. If you take the last train back, the 17:58 arrival at Unazuki connects with the 18:30 from Unazuki-Onsen and Hakutaka 576 at 19:41, at Tokyo 22:12. Toyama Chiho Railway times differ on Saturdays and holidays (there is no 15:10 or 18:30 from Unazuki-Onsen), so check its holiday timetable.
A night nearby makes an early start easier. Compare places to stay in Unazuki Onsen, or compare hotels in Kanazawa and come in on Hakutaka 554, 7:19 from Kanazawa (at Kurobe-Unazukionsen 7:56).
By car. The railway gives about 20 minutes from Kurobe IC on the Hokuriku Expressway to Unazuki Station. If you plan to drive the area, compare rental cars. The paid Times car parks in front of the station hold about 350 cars and 15 buses: cars ¥1,000 for the first 6 hours, ¥1,500 maximum per 24 hours. The railway warns that on autumn-colour weekends and holidays the car parks and the roads to them can be very crowded.
At Unazuki: what is by the station
Listed by the railway and the Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen tourism bureau:
- Yamabiko Observatory, which looks down on the red Shin-Yamabiko Bridge as the trains cross it.
- Yamabiko Bridge and the Yamabiko promenade: a red footbridge with a view of the railway bridge; the railway’s English page listed the promenade as open.
- Footbath “Kuronagi” on the platform of Toyama Chiho Railway’s Unazuki-Onsen Station: free, 9:00–18:00 from April to November.
- Footbath “Omokage” in Unazuki Park, about 5 minutes’ walk from that station: 6:00–22:00, no closing day.
- Kurobe River Electric Memorial Hall, on the river’s hydropower history.
Built to carry materials for power stations
In the railway’s own history, Nihon Denryoku began laying track in 1923 to carry materials for power stations on the Kurobe River; trains reached Keyakidaira in 1937. From 1929 tourists could ride for a fee, on tickets that, the railway says, read “no guarantee whatsoever as to the safety of riding”. That stopped in 1951. Kansai Electric began running passenger trains under a railway licence on 5 November 1953, and in July 1971 its subsidiary, Kurobe Gorge Railway, took over the line.
Combining it with the Alpine Route or Kanazawa
For regular passengers, the gorge railway and the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route are separate trips. The link between them is the Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route, a power-station works route from Keyakidaira to Kurobe Dam. Toyama Prefecture started tours on it on Friday 2 October 2026. Its FAQ says they are overnight packages sold in advance through travel agencies, for ages 11 and over, with about 2,700 places in October and November 2026; the Keyakidaira–Kurobe Dam section cannot be booked on its own.
For autumn on the Alpine Route, see our Tateyama Murodo autumn colours guide. From Kanazawa, our Kenrokuen in autumn guide has its November light-up dates. For a wider autumn trip, see Japan’s three great autumn foliage spots.
Practical notes
- What to wear. For October and November the railway says open cars get very cold while moving and a thick jacket is needed. Rain can blow into open cars; it suggests a raincoat or poncho. The windowed relaxing cars are heated in the cold months.
- Time budget. With the suggested hour at Keyakidaira, the round trip takes about 3½ to 4 hours on the timetable: for example, out on the 8:17, back on the 10:43 (open cars only until 23 November), at Unazuki 12:02. Add 20 minutes before boarding.
- Toilets. None on the train and no toilet stops on the way. Unazuki Station has toilets inside and outside the gates.
- Luggage. The railway’s Japanese FAQ lists ¥500 coin lockers at Unazuki and Keyakidaira (up to 80 × 35 × 48 cm); bags too big for them can be left at Unazuki, Kanetsuri or Keyakidaira for ¥1,000 each. For suitcases on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, see our Shinkansen luggage guide.
- Phones. Along the line, only au has coverage, the FAQ says; docomo, SoftBank and au work near the stations.
Kurobe Gorge Railway: FAQ
Is the Kurobe Gorge Railway running in 2026, and how far does it go?
Yes. From Thursday 1 October to Monday 30 November 2026 trains run the full line to Keyakidaira. You can get on and off at Unazuki, Kuronagi, Kanetsuri and Keyakidaira, but not at Nekomata.
How much is it, and do I need to book?
Unazuki to Keyakidaira is ¥2,480 one way for adults and ¥1,240 for ages 6 to 11, plus ¥600 per ride for a windowed relaxing car; from 24 November all trains but one each way have relaxing cars only. In the autumn colour season the railway recommends booking (online or by phone, until 15:00 the day before).
Does the Japan Rail Pass cover the Kurobe Gorge Railway?
The railway’s offer for pass holders is a discount: from 1 October to 30 November 2026, 10% off same-day return tickets at the Unazuki window (¥4,480 adult to Keyakidaira). It does not apply to bookings.
When is the best time for autumn leaves?
Usually mid October to mid November, the railway says, starting at Keyakidaira and reaching Unazuki in mid November.
How do I get there from Tokyo or Kanazawa?
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kurobe-Unazukionsen, checking that your train stops there: no Kagayaki service stops there, and some extra Hakutaka pass it too. Stopping trains take 2 h 18 min to 2 h 37 min from Tokyo and 36–37 min from Kanazawa (JR East, October 2026 weekdays). Walk to Shin-Kurobe for the Toyama Chiho Railway to Unazuki-Onsen (¥740), then walk 5 minutes to Unazuki Station.
Can I go to Keyakidaira?
Yes, from 1 October 2026, but only the station, its roof and part of the square, and the visitor centre, while repairs continue. The railway recommends staying about an hour.
Sources (checked 15 October 2026)
- Kurobe Gorge Railway notices (Japanese): top page and operating status, full-line reopening, 3 July 2026, bookings from 1 October, 19 July 2026, Keyakidaira online booking, 7 October 2026, rail-pass discount, 8 September 2026, 2026 season, 23 March 2026, repair progress, 13 May 2026, Kanetsuri Bridge plan, 27 May 2024
- Kurobe Gorge Railway timetable and practical pages (Japanese): timetable, fares, FAQ, seasons and clothing, access and parking
- Kurobe Gorge Railway spot and history pages (Japanese): Unazuki, Kanetsuri, Keyakidaira, history
- Kurobe Gorge Railway English pages: top, information, reservations, timetable and fares, route guide, access
- JR East timetables, October 2026, Hokuriku Shinkansen (Japanese): westbound, weekdays, westbound, Saturdays and holidays, eastbound, weekdays, eastbound, Saturdays and holidays
- Toyama Chiho Railway: station timetables and fares (Japanese; timetable revised 1 April 2026)
- Kurobe-Unazuki Onsen Tourism Bureau: footbath Kuronagi, footbath Omokage (Japanese)
- Kurobe Unazuki Canyon Route (Toyama Prefecture): tour start notice, 3 July 2026, FAQ (Japanese)
- Japan Meteorological Agency: earthquake of 1 January 2024, name “Noto Peninsula Earthquake”, 2 January 2024; Toyama ten-day normals 1991–2020 (Japanese)
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