Yugama Crater Lake Reopens to 8 November 2026: Entry Hours
Kusatsu Town announced the trial on 8 October 2026. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) lowered the volcanic alert level for the Yugama area from 2 to 1 on 15 May 2026. Level 1 asks people to stay aware that Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane is an active volcano. The town stresses that Level 1 does not guarantee safety.
On opening day, Kyodo News reported crowds on the trail and the observation deck, and traffic jams on nearby roads. The town will use the trial to study crowding and safety. It will then decide how to open the area from next year.
The timeline below runs from the alert change in May to the last day of the trial.
What reopened at Yugama crater lake, and what is still closed
The open area is small. It covers the west trail and part of the area around Yumiike, a pond on the same mountain. Everything else stays off limits.
Kusatsu Town keeps its no-entry zone within 500 m of the Yugama crater. The JMA says very small bursts of volcanic ash are possible within about 500 m of the crater. It also warns about volcanic gas. Climbing over fences, ropes or signs is banned, and the town may call the police if people enter the closed zone.
The trail ends at an observation deck. The Kusatsu Town Q&A on the Kusatsu-Shirane partial opening puts the deck about 550 m from the Yugama crater. You see the lake from there, across the closed zone. Cloud can hide the water, so the town does not promise a view.
Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane straddles Gunma and Nagano prefectures. The map shows those two prefectures and where they sit from Tokyo. Kusatsu Town and the trail are on the Gunma side.
Yugama crater lake dates and opening hours until 8 November
The Kusatsu Town notice on partial opening of the Shirane west trail sets out the daily rules. You can enter the trail from 10:00 until 15:00. Nobody can start the walk after 15:00. At 16:00 the town closes the open area and the car park, so be back at your car and driving out by then.
Kusatsu Town’s Q&A says a strong walker needs about 20 minutes one way. If you walk slowly or want time on the deck, arrive well before 15:00.
The screenshot shows the town’s notice page, which links to the full rules and the Q&A as PDF files.
The trial runs until Sunday 8 November 2026. The town picked that end date because National Route 292, the Shiga-Kusatsu Road, closes for winter in mid-November. Ice on the road could cut the period short.
The Kusatsu Town trial opening of the Yugama area west trail notice puts the hours, parking and closure rules on one page. The table sums them up.
| Item | Details | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 13 October to 8 November 2026 | May end early because of ice |
| Trail entry | 10:00 to 15:00 | No new entry after 15:00 |
| Closing time | 16:00 for the area and car park | Drive out by 16:00 |
| Car park | Free, about 240 cars and 20 large vehicles | No waiting on Route 292 when full |
| Trail | About 610 m of cobblestone at 2,160 m | Slopes and steps, hard for wheelchairs |
| Toilets | Shirane Rest House only, about 280 m away | None on the trail |
| Food and drink | Shops and restaurants closed | Bring water, take rubbish home |
| Closures | Volcano news, advisories, snow, ice, bears | Can close without notice |
When the trail closes without notice
Kusatsu Town will close the trail whenever it judges the area unsafe. Changes in volcanic activity or new volcano information are the first trigger. The town also lists these cases:
- Weather advisories: a thunder or heavy rain advisory for the area.
- Snow and ice: any snow cover or frozen surfaces.
- Bears: any bear sighting. Bear bells hang along the trail.
- Bad conditions: lightning, heavy rain, strong wind or thick fog, even without an advisory.
If staff announce a closure while you are on the trail, follow their instructions and leave straight away. Tell the nearest safety guide if you feel unwell or notice anything unusual.
The town runs no phone line on its days off, so the website is the place to check. Look at it before you set off, together with the latest volcano and weather news. On weekdays, the general affairs section of Kusatsu Town answers on 0279-88-0001 from 8:30 to 17:15.
How to visit: parking, toilets and what to bring
Kusatsu Town opens one car park, in front of the Shirane Rest House. It holds about 240 cars and about 20 large vehicles such as coaches. Parking is free and open from 10:00 to 16:00.
When the car park is full, staff turn cars away. Waiting or parking on National Route 292 is banned. Staff may show you a 満車 (mansha) sign. It means the car park is full, so drive on. Even with a space, you may have to wait before staff let you onto the trail.
Plan for no services. The shops and restaurants at the rest house stay closed, and there are no bins or smoking areas. Take your rubbish home. The only toilets are in a set part of the rest house, about 280 m from the trail entrance, and there are few of them.
The trail is about 610 m of cobblestone paving with slopes, bumps and some steps. It sits at 2,160 m above sea level. Wear shoes with good grip, and bring warm clothes, rain gear and water. The Q&A says wheelchairs and strollers would be very hard to use. Bicycles, kick scooters and drones are banned.
Kusatsu Town places 3 to 4 safety guides on site, with 2 extra security guards on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. They handle safety and do not give tours.
For a hot spring night, Kusatsu Onsen is the town on the Gunma side of the mountain. Its centre is the Yubatake hot spring field, shown below.
If you are pairing the trip with Karuizawa on the Nagano side, our Tokyo to Karuizawa route guide covers the train from Tokyo. The cards sum up what to check before you set off.
Kusatsu Onsen in November: cold nights and quiet hotels
Our Kusatsu Onsen in November page shows how cold the town gets near the end of the trial. The average high is 9.1°C and the low is 0.4°C (JMA, 1991–2020). Rain or snow falls on about 8.2 days of the month.
Those figures come from the weather station in town, at 1,223 m. The trail sits at 2,160 m, so dress for colder air than in town. Pack a warm layer even on a sunny day.
Hotels in Kusatsu Onsen were 48.0% full in November 2025, by our data. Our Karuizawa in November page puts Karuizawa at 37.4% for the same month. Both figures sit below half, so you have room to book a night close to your date.
Kusatsu Onsen also hosts the Michi-no-Eki Autumn Leaves Light-up in November. Our Kusatsu Onsen by month page compares the rest of the year, for a return trip when the trail is closed.
Timing matters if you also want red maples in the Tokyo area. Our Autumn leaves in Kanto page shows maples in Kanto cities turn red from about 20 November in Utsunomiya and Mito. Tokyo follows around 28 November in an average year, and in 2025 it turned on 23 November.
All of those dates fall after the trial ends on 8 November. So pick by priority. If Yugama is the goal, go before 8 November and stay a night in Kusatsu Onsen. If red maples in Tokyo matter more, aim for late November and leave the crater lake for another year.
FAQ
Can you walk down to the edge of Yugama crater lake?
No. Kusatsu Town keeps the 500 m no-entry zone around the crater. You view the lake from the observation deck, about 550 m from the crater.
Is there a fee to see Yugama in 2026?
Kusatsu Town charges nothing for the car park in front of the Shirane Rest House. It takes no bookings, for cars or for coaches. Arrive between 10:00 and 15:00, and follow staff if the car park is full.
Will Yugama stay open after 8 November 2026?
No. The trial ends on 8 November, before National Route 292 closes for winter in mid-November. Kusatsu Town says the dates and method for next year have not been decided.
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