Kamikochi

Taisho pond - Kamikochi

A short entry today. I am tired. 4:30am has a lot to answer for.

Getting to Kamikochi requires some commitment. From Matsumoto Station we took the 08:01 train to Shin-Shimashima Station, arriving at 08:31, before transferring to a reserved bus into the valley. Private cars are banned from Kamikochi entirely, which is both an environmental policy and, on a busy day, a significant logistical chokepoint. Our travel agent had organised the bus reservation on our behalf. The ticket itself inspired moderate confidence — a printout of an email with English stickers applied, presumably so we could identify what we were holding. It worked. We arrived safely (at around 0950). We are choosing not to dwell on the stickers.

A note for the detail-oriented: there are no ATMs in Kamikochi, credit cards are unreliable, and while there are some restaurants and shops near the bus terminal, stocking up on snacks and drinks beforehand is strongly advisable. There is a luggage storage room at the terminal, but no coin lockers.

Breakfast at Hotel Buena Vista was excellent

Hopefully this information will be helpful to someone...

Information posted at Matsumoto Station

Waiting for the bus at Shin-Shimashima station

The bus drive was very scenic

Windy turns a plenty. So drug up if you're prone to motion sickness

Made it Kamikochi

Kamikochi sits within Chubu-Sangaku National Park at around 1,500 metres, ringed by the Northern Japan Alps and centred on the glacially clear Azusa River. We visited Taisho Pond and Tashiro Pond, walking easy, flat trails with occasional boardwalk sections through the valley floor.

Was it beautiful? Yes. Genuinely, unambiguously beautiful — still water reflecting jagged peaks, pristine air, the kind of scenery that makes you feel briefly virtuous for being outdoors. Have I seen better? Also yes. It was busier than expected, and I would genuinely prefer not to know what it looks like when the season properly peaks. We were glad we went. We were also glad to leave at a reasonable hour.

We arrived back at the bus terminal shortly after the 13:30 service had departed. We collected our stored luggage, bought onward tickets to Takayama via a transfer at Hirayu Onsen, and joined what was then still a short queue. Shortly afterward the queue exploded. A meaningful number of people missed the 14:00 bus entirely. Buses run every half hour, so the consequences were inconvenient rather than catastrophic but I would have been annoyed it that was me!

Jays schooling the group on our route

THE bridge

Path is sometimes narrow and often wide, but always nearly flat

Tashiro pond

The bus terminal in Takayama sits conveniently next to the station, which sits conveniently next to our hotel, Mercure Hida Takayama. We checked in, found the onsen, and went out for Hida beef — the local speciality, and the only acceptable way to end a day in Takayama. Richly marbled, meltingly tender, and entirely worth every yen. 

Now....sleep time.

Our room at Mercure Hida Takayama

Very modern bathroom

No bath but nice shower

And a fabulous view of the railway tracks. Yay

A5 Hida beef

Tempura set

Another great day for the Nakaninjas!