12/11/2025
The mountain ranges along the western coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu, are collectively known as the Japanese Alps. While the resorts dotting the region might not be as flashy as Niseko to the north, their craggy peaks have inspired monks to build temples on their summits, trained generations of internationally acclaimed mountaineers, and witnessed one of the greatest Olympic comebacks of all time. Read the full story, Mountain Spirit, by Betsy Manero in Issue 164.
✍️: Betsy Manero ()
📷: Benji Wadsworth (), Iz La Motte (), The Japanese Memorial Museum of Skiing, Joetsu City, Niigata, National Diet Library, Japanese Alpine Club, Courtesy Keio Alpine Club, Buntarō Katō Memorial Library, Nozawaonsen Japan Ski Museum, Courtesy Bill Ross, 佑介 西澤, Sasakawa Sports Foundation, Public Domain, Bianca Germain ()
