Japanese glaciologists and geographers believed that there are no active glaciers in Japan. We studied the surface flow velocity and ice thickness of the Gozenzawa perennial snow patch in Mt. Tateyama(3015m as1), and the Sannomado and the Komado perennial snow patches in Mt. Tsurugi(2999m as1)in the northern Japanese Alps, central Japan, since 2009.The Sannomado and the Komado perennial snow patches have large ice masses( >30m in thickness). We measured
the surface flow velocity and found that both the ice masses had flowed over 30 cm month-1 in the autumn of 2011. Hence, we regard both the snow patches as active glaciers. The Gozenzawa perennial snow patch too has a large ice mass (27 m in thickness). We measured the surface flow velocity and found that the ice mass had flowed slightly ( < 10cm month-1)in the autumns of 2010 and 2011. Hence, we regard this snow patch also as an active glacier.
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