:Mount Norikura

The mountain is located on the borders of Gifu and Nagano prefectures in Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/parks/chubu.html|title=Chūbu-Sangaku National Park|publisher=Ministry of the Environment (Japan)|access-date=December 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227172634/http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/parks/chubu.html|archive-date=February 27, 2012}}

File:Norikura Volcano Relief Map, SRTM-1.jpg

The Norikura Plateau borders the mountain on its northern side in Nagano Prefecture. The mountain, whose name means "riding saddle," received its name because its shape looks like a horse saddle.

It is known for being the easiest to climb among the mountains in Japan that are above 3000-meters.

• 1680s - It is said that Enkū was the first to reach the peak.
• 1878 - Englishman William Gowland became the first non-Japanese man to reach the peak.{{cite book|title=Chronology of the climbing mountain history in Japan|publisher=YAMA-KEI Publishers|ISBN=4-635-17814-5|year=2005}}{{cite book|title=A Hand book for Travellers in Central and Northern Japan |author=William Gowland|ISBN=4-635-53047-7|year=1881}}
• 1892 - Englishman Walter Weston climbed on the peak.{{cite book|title=Dictionary of name of Japanese mountain (日本山名辞典)|publisher=Sanseido|ISBN=4-385-15403-1|year=1992}}{{cite book|title=Mountaineeraing and exploration in Japanese alps |author=Walter Weston |publisher=translated into Japanese (日本アルプスの登山と探検), Iwanami　Shoten |ISBN=4-00-334741-2|year=2005|edition=new}}
• December 4, 1934 - This area was specified to the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.
• 1973 - Norikura Skyline to the vicinity of the top of a mountain was opened. It is the road that exists in the highest place in Japan.

After Mount Fuji and Mount Ontake, Mount Norikura is the third tallest volcano in Japan. It is a stratovolcano and hardened lava flows can still be seen near the peak. There are eight plains and 12 crater lakes on the mountain that were formed by volcanic activity. The Norikura Skyline is a road through the mountain, but it has to be closed for much of the year because of heavy snow fall. Even in the summer, some snow remains on the northeastern face of the mountain.

Mount Norikura has a variety of plant and animal life on its slopes. In addition to the alpine accentor and martins, the rock ptarmigan (one of Japan's natural monuments) also makes its home on the mountain.

There are various alpine plants and other flowers, including rhododendrons, lilies, and komakusa.

Mount Kengamine (剣ヶ峰 Kengamine), one peak on the mountain, was formed in two eruptions 9,600 and 9,200 years ago. Mount Ebisu (恵比寿岳 Ebisu-dake), another peak, was formed during an eruption 2,000 years ago. Though the volcano has lost some of its eruptive power, volcanic gas is still escaping through the Yū River (湯川 Yū-gawa) and there are many spa areas in the surrounding area.

Each following river of the source{{clarification needed|date=April 2022}} flows to the Sea of Japan or Ise Bay.{{cite book|title=Mountain and plateau map, Norikura Plateau (山と高原地図)|publisher=Shobunsha Publications|ISBN=978-4-398-75718-0 |year=2010}}

• Tributary of Azusa River that joins to the Shinano River
• Tributary of Takahara River
• Tributary of Hida River

• Chūbu-Sangaku National Park
• Hida Mountains
• Three-thousanders (in Japan)
• 100 Famous Japanese Mountains
• List of mountains in Japan
• List of volcanoes in Japan
• Volcano

{{Reflist}}

{{commons and category}}

• [http://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/311_Norikuradake/311_index.html Norikuradake] - Japan Meteorological Agency {{in lang|ja}}
• {{cite web|url= http://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/souran_eng/volcanoes/052_norikuradake.pdf |title=Norikuradake: National catalogue of the active volcanoes in Japan }} - Japan Meteorological Agency
• [https://gbank.gsj.jp/volcano/Quat_Vol/volcano_data/E63.html Norikura Dake] - Geological Survey of Japan
• {{cite gvp|name=Norikuradake|vn=283060|access-date=2021-06-24}}

{{Three-thousander (in Japan)}}

{{100 Famous Japanese Mountains}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norikura, Mount}}

Category:Hida Mountains

Category:Mountains of Gifu Prefecture

Category:Mountains of Nagano Prefecture

Category:Volcanoes of Honshū

Category:Volcanoes of Gifu Prefecture

Category:Volcanoes of Nagano Prefecture