Tateyama, Tateyama Trip Itinerary

Documented the main points covered for quick reference.

Video(Timelapse and Point of Interest) for reference :
https://youtu.be/g08OvdHtmo8

Day 1 - Drove from Tokyo to Tateyama. Our base was a camping ground. With breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, it took us around 7.5 hours. Our target was a camping ground as below.

Tateyama Green Park Yoshimine Auto Camping Ground

〒930-1362 Toyama-ken, Nakaniikawa-gun, Tateyama-machi, Yoshiminenobiraki, 中新川郡立山町吉峰野開１２

076-483-2828

https://goo.gl/maps/P6bNSwWgCUG2

Day 2 - 

a. Drove from Green Park to Tateyama station. It took 25 min to reach. We were adviced to reach at 6:00 am here. Private cars are allowed to this point only. Some people get their car shipped to other side of Alpine route. We didn`t do that since our base camp was west side of Alpine route.

Parked our vehicle here.

駐車場

Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture 930-1406

https://goo.gl/maps/ubBtqZB38hu

If the above parking place is full, one will be diverted here.

near Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture 930-1406

https://goo.gl/maps/HUir8338VnH2

b. From below location, 

Dropped Pin

near Ashikuraji, Tateyama, Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture 930-1406

https://goo.gl/maps/ZnYEqGQXPNN2

you buy tickets for various transport. We bought it from Tateyama to Kurobe Dam which was our target Route. We bought it for to and fro. One can buy till Ogizawa too if interested.

You can do advanced booking from Web which I would advice to do so to save waiting time. 

You can book it from here :

https://tateyama-kurobe.alpen-route.com/ticket/jp/ticket.html

English version here : 

https://tateyama-kurobe.alpen-route.com/ticket/en/ticket.html

There is a separate queue for same day buying ticket and Web booking. Choose it accordingly.

c. On this day, there were buses available from Tateyama station till Murudo as an alaternste Route for Cable car which was too crowded and waiting line was long. We opted for it and the best decision we took since it gave us an opportunity to explore the scenic beauty right from the start. Cable car also concludes as Bijodaira and same bus route from there. At Murodo, one can get down and walk through the snow corridor. This takes around an hour. Other routes from there on are of few minutes only.

d. From there we went for scenic doorway and sky views too and Ikuro matey teaching to Kurobe Ko and Kurobe Dam using the trolley bus and cable car. 

e. From there we started back to Since we started early in the morning we were back  Tateyama station again using all kinds of transport. The longest waiting time was again at Murudo queue with people standing on stairs extending from 1st floor to 3rd floor. That was a kind of experience. I think the last bus from here is at 17:05. Pls check for that day. We were back to Tetyama station near our parking comfortably by around 17:30. 

f. From there, we went back to our base location

Day 3: 

We covered Toyama and Tonami area.

a. Tonami Tulip Garden

Tonami Tulip Park

〒939-1382 Toyama-ken, Tonami-shi, Hanazonomachi, 1, 砺波市花園町１−３２

0763-33-7716

https://goo.gl/maps/t5UciYsi78Q2

b. We wanted to have less known, less crowded beach

Shimao Seaside Park

Shimao, Himi, Toyama Prefecture 935-0032

0766-74-8078

https://goo.gl/maps/UngdkysoFLx

c. Starbucks

Starbucks

5 Minatoirifunechō, Toyama-shi, Toyama-ken 930-0805

076-439-2630

https://goo.gl/maps/BLtMeTThFUz

Day 4 : Onsen

グリーンパーク吉峰ゆ～ランド

〒930-1362 Toyama-ken, Nakaniikawa-gun, Tateyama-machi, Yoshiminenobiraki, 富山県立山町吉峰野開12

076-483-2828

https://goo.gl/maps/FH7Bt7Egy1T2

Day 5: Monkey Park

They say best time to visit is in Jan and Feb when it’s snowing. But it’s a great scenic short walk till the park.

Jigokudani Monkey Park Hot Spring

6845 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano-ken 381-0401

0269-33-4379

https://goo.gl/maps/BKdww9EfxFG2

Ultimate purpose of life as per Vedanta

Firstly, there is a broad agreement amongst all schools of Hindu Philosophy (Astika and Nastika schools) that the ultimate purpose of life is Moksha. Only the Charvaka school does not agree with this.The different schools disagree on the way to achieve Moksha.

The most unique concept in the philosophy contained in the Vedas and the Upanishads is the concept of Dharma. Dharma has been defined differently in different texts. Dharma is what guides the individual in various walks and stages of life.

The Astika philosophies (6 in number) believe in the supremacy of Vedas. Read more about them here.

Tumuluri Rammohan's answer to What are the major differences between six schools of Indian philosophy?

In order to understand the purpose of life according to the Hindu Upanishads, the concepts of Rta, and Rna need to be understood.

Rta:

The concept of Rta is another unique concept in Indian Philosophy. What is Rta? Rta is the eternal, cosmic and moral order. Rta represents the basic truth, harmony or system of the universe which no one can violate. In the physical sphere Rta represents the eternal and inviolable law of nature. Rotation of Heavenly stars, alteration of day and nights, flow of rivers, oceans, etc. are regulated by Rta. In the moral sphere, Rta is righteousness. It is the measure of morality. Those who follow the path of Rta, follow the path of Good. They are called Vratani. The path of Rta (Vrata) is consistent with natural cosmic order. In fact, the theory goes as far as saying that even Gods are subject to the laws of Rta.Gods are not above the Rta. One of their basic duties is protection of the Rta. The God Varuna is considered as the upholder of Rta.

Rna:

Rna, translated as debt, is responsibilities and obligations. Man is a social being and his development is possible due to eh efforts of many other fellow beings have, in some or other way, contributed to his progress. Therefore he is under indebted to many members of his society. These debts, three in number, are the Rnas.The three Rnas are

1.

Rishi Rna: Also called as Guru Rna, this represents the debt a being owes to his Guru/Rishi/Teacher. Isaac Newton very famously said that “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” This is the best possible explanation of what Rishi Rna is. One has to live his life in a way that this debt is discharged. How does one do that? The books say by respecting your teacher and his learnings. If we take a modern outlook on this, this debt is discharged by using the knowledge for the purpose for which it exists, not for a contrarian purpose.

2.

Pitru Rna: An individual owes his own existence to his ancestors. Therefore, it becomes responsibility of the individual to sustain the family by giving birth to next generation. By begetting children the individual becomes free from the debt of his ancestors.

3.

Deva Rna: Let us consider that God is someone/something you owe the existence of humanity to. One may consider the five elements of nature to be God. This debt is discharged by paying respect and honouring whatever one considers as God. Sacrifices in Hinduism are one of the ways of achieving this.

Unless these debts are discharged, it is not possible to attain Moksha, the purpose of life.

Purusharthas – The purpose of life

The four purusharthas (Supreme Ends) form one complete whole and are intimately connected with each other. They define the purpose of life. These four Purusharthas are;

Dharma- the pursuit of the right (discharges the Rishi Rna)

Artha- the pursuit of material wealth (provides one with the means for the next one)

Kama- procreation and pursuit of material pleasures (discharges the Pitru Rna)

Moksha – the pursuit of salvation which happens if the above three have been done (discharges the Dev Rna)

A purushartha cannot be pursued by compromising some other Purushartha. As has been stated above, all of them combined form a single whole. Dharma cannot be compromised in the pursuit of any Purushartha.

This is the purpose of life and the way to achieve it.