Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Souvenir Yunomi with Ropeway Scene

A tall, straight-sided yunomi (Japanese teacup) in a soft cream glaze, wrapped in a bright cobalt-blue print of snowy, jagged peaks. A circular window shows a ropeway cabin gliding over the valley. On the other side, the red-and-blue ACE JTB logo sits above the vertical text 立山・黒部アルペンルートの旅 ("A journey on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route"). A small orange potter's stamp is on the base. It's a lovely size for green tea, and also makes a charming pen or brush pot. It's a fun find for anyone who loves Japanese travel souvenirs. The print is crisp and the glaze is in good condition.

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route crosses the Northern Japanese Alps between Toyama and Nagano. It fully opened on 1 June 1971, after nearly 20 years of construction. The cabin pictured is most likely the Tateyama Ropeway. It spans 1.7 km without a single support tower in between, making it Japan's longest one-span ropeway, and it was built that way to protect the mountain scenery. By neat coincidence, JTB launched its ACE package tours in January 1971, the very same year the route opened.