the dam. Specifications The Kurobe Dam is a long and high, with variable-radius (dome) arch dam. The dam is wide at its base, wide at its crest and contains of concrete. The dam is flanked and supported by two "wing" dams which form the abutments; the one on the left bank is long and the right is . The dam withholds a reservoir with a capacity of of which is live (active or "useful") storage. The reservoir also has a catchment area of and surface area of . The dam's spillway is located on its crest and contains 10 wide uncontrolled openings with a maximum discharge capacity of . Three other openings exist in the dam's orifice which consist of diameter pipes, two of which can discharge a maximum of each and the third . The dam's crest elevation is above sea level while the reservoir's normal operating level is and low level is considered . The dam's power station, Kurobe No. 4, is located underground and contains four generators which are powered by Pelton turbines for a total installed capacity of 335 MW and average annual generation of 1 billion kWh. The power station is wide, high and long. The penstock serving water to the power station is long and utilizes a maximum effective hydraulic head of while transferring a maximum of to the turbines. The plant's surge chamber is long and high. Access The Kurobe Dam is the most popular hydropower site in Japan and, between late June and mid-October, water is released from its spillway for onlookers. The surrounding Kurobe Gorge is popular as well and is accessible by the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Start from Toyama Station which, from March 2015, is accessible by Hokuriku Shinkansen (trains Kagayaki or its slightly slower counterpart, Hakutaka) from Tokyo, Nagano, Kanazawa, and various other stations along the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line. Take the train from Dentetsu Toyama Station in Toyama to Tateyama Station (Toyama) by Toyama Chihō Railway Tateyama Line (65 minutes). (Note: Toyama Station is the main station with the shinkansen hub, while Dentetsu Toyama is the station next to the main station with local lines that go through the towns of Funahashi, Kamiichi, and Tateyama, to ultimately reach Tateyama Station (Toyama)). From Tateyama Station (Toyama), take the Tateyama Cable Car to Bijodaira Station (7 minutes). From there, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route bus will take you to the