Hida Takayama

a mountain range in Japan, in the central part of the island of Honshu. The range measures 140 km in length and rises to an elevation of 3,190 m at Mount Yarigatake. It is composed of Paleozoic schists, quartzites, and limestones, as well as granites and volcanic rocks. The alpine crest has traces of ancient glaciation. Ontake-san, Norikura, and other volcanoes rise above Hida Takayama. On the west the range borders on the Fossa Magna tectonic fault. The range drops off steeply toward the Sea of Japan. Coniferous forests of spruce and fir predominate, with mixed and broad-leaved forests on the lower slopes. The Chubu-Sangaku National Park is located in the range. The mountains are often called the Japanese Alps because of their picturesque landscapes. At Kameoka there is a deposit of lead and zinc ores.