Kurobe canyon route tours trade comfort for rare look at underground works

KUROBE, Japan (Kyodo) — The long-awaited opening of the Kurobe-Unazuki Canyon Route aims to draw visitors with an appetite for something out of the ordinary and a willingness to embrace inconvenience deep into the mountains of Toyama Prefecture, central Japan.Tours of the route, which began on Friday, guide participants through tunnels using vehicles built for the construction and operation of hydroelectric power facilities that normally operate out of sight in the mountains surrounding the Kurobe River.