Shirakami-Togakushi can be explored like this too！ With an Alishan Forest Railway ticket, ride Japan’s hidden railway for free

▲ The “Kurobe Gorge Railway,” a hidden Japanese railway that only runs during the opening season of Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. (Photo / from the official Facebook page of Kurobe Gorge Railway Co., Ltd.)

Reported by Cai Wenjun / Compiled by HowToTrip

Listed among Japan’s “100 Hidden Railway Spots,” the “Kurobe Gorge Railway” operates only during the opening season of Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route each year, and it is also the sister railway of the Alishan Forest Railway. On the 12th, Kurobe Gorge Railway Company announced an extension of their ticket mutual benefit program with the Alishan Forest Railway. From April 20 to the end of November, Taiwanese travelers can exchange one round-trip local train ticket between Chiayi and Fenchihu on the Alishan Forest Railway for one designated one-way ticket on the Kurobe Gorge Railway for free.

▲ The Alishan Forest Railway and the Kurobe Gorge Railway are sister railways. (Photo / provided by Taiwan Railways Administration)

Like the Alishan Forest Railway, the Kurobe Gorge Railway is also part of the 762mm gauge mountain railway system. It connects from Unazuki Station at an altitude of 224 meters to Kushigata Station at 599 meters, offering visitors the chance to enjoy Unazuki Onsen and the breathtaking natural scenery of the Kurobe Gorge. It remains one of the most beloved hidden railway journeys for Japanese travelers, and has been selected as one of Japan’s Three Great Valleys and among Japan’s 100 Hidden Spots. It is a must-visit spot for backpackers during the opening season.

The Chiayi Forest District Office also stated that the ticket mutual benefit program between the Kurobe Gorge Railway and the Alishan Forest Railway has been in place for years and has been extended again this year. Taiwanese travelers can exchange one round-trip Alishan Forest Railway ticket between Chiayi and Fenchihu (NT$408) for one one-way ticket on the Kurobe Gorge Railway between Unazuki and Kushigata (approximately NT$900–1300 depending on the car class).

▲ The beautiful scenery of the Kurobe Gorge Railway when it’s snowy. (Photo / from the official Facebook page of Kurobe Gorge Railway Co., Ltd.)