The Usui Pass is where the old Shin'etsu Main Line was located, linking Yokokawa Station with Karuizawa Station. The two locations were separated by a distance of 11.2 km and a 552 m difference in elevation, making the route between them slant at 66.7% at its steepest. Since the dawn of the Meiji era the Usui Pass has been witness to many ill-fated attempts at crossing it, but at the same time it has been home to many beautiful sceneries and famous characters. In September 1997 the line closed due to the opening of the Nagano Shinkansen line. However, it has never left the people's memories or their hearts.
