Mount Chō

What it is

• A 2,677-meter mountain peak located within the Chubu-Sangaku National Park.
• Named for butterfly-shaped snow patterns that appear on its slopes during late spring.
• First recorded ascent was made by the Buddhist monk Banryu in 1826.
• The highest point of the mountain is known as Nagabei-no-atama.

What to see

• Panoramic views of the nearby Mount Yari and Mount Hotaka peaks.
• Rare rock ptarmigans that inhabit the area around the summit.
• Alpine butterflies including the Colias palaeno species along the ridges.
• The Cho-ga-take Hyutte mountain hut which has operated since 1958.
• Butterfly-shaped snow patches visible on the mountain slopes in late spring.

When to go

• Late spring is the time to see the namesake butterfly snow patterns.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.