Ougatou Summit is located just north of central Nagano Prefecture, close to the center of Honshu. It can be reached by a hiking course on the Utsukushigahara Kogen Highlands, and from it visitors will have an unobstructed, 360-degree view of the vast plateau of Ougatou as well as 41 of the 100 Most Beautiful Mountains of Japan.
Beautiful scenery can be enjoyed during each of the four seasons, but winter, when the frigid air is wrapped in the soft light of twilight or the morning glow, is particularly magical. With a bit of luck, visitors might be able to see rare natural phenomena that occur only in winter, such as rime ice, diamond dust, and sun pillars. There is a lodging facility at the summit called Ougatou Hotel, and from a spot just in front of the entrance visitors can gaze up at the starry night sky.