Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [202]
Hiring a car may save money, time and nerves. However, some popular routes, particularly the road between Naka-no-yu and Kamikōchi, are open only to buses and taxis.
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KAMIKŌCHI
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The park’s biggest drawcard, Kamikōchi offers some of Japan’s most spectacular scenery along the rushing Azusa-gawa, and a variety of hiking trails from which to see it.
In the late 19th century, foreigners ‘discovered’ this mountainous region and coined the term ‘Japan Alps’. A British missionary, Reverend Walter Weston, toiled from peak to peak and sparked Japanese interest in mountaineering as a sport. He is now honoured with a festival (on the first Sunday in June, the official opening of the hiking season), and Kamikōchi has become a base for strollers, hikers and climbers. It’s a pleasure just to meander Kamikōchi’s riverside paths lined with sasa (bamboo grass).
Kamikōchi is closed from mid-November to late April, and in peak times (late July to late August, and during the foliage season in October) can seem busier than Shinjuku Station. Arrive early in the day, especially during the foliage season. June to mid-July is the rainy season, making outdoor pursuits depressingly soggy. It’s perfectly feasible to visit Kamikōchi as a day trip, but you’ll miss out on the pleasures of staying in the mountains and taking uncrowded early-morning or late-afternoon walks.
Orientation
Visitors arrive at Kamikōchi at the bus station, which is surrounded by visitor facilities. A 10-minute walk from the bus station along the Azusa-gawa takes you to the bridge Kappa-bashi, named for a water sprite of Japanese legend, where most of the hiking trails start.
Information
The Kankō Ryokan Kumiai (Ryokan Association; 95-2405; 9am-5pm late Apr–mid-Nov) at the Kamikōchi bus station is geared to booking accommodation, though non-Japanese speakers may want to book through the tourist information office in Matsumoto for Kamikōchi and Shirahone Onsen as it has English-speaking staff.
A little bit further along and to the left, the Kamikōchi Information Centre (95-2433; 8am-5pm late Apr–mid-Nov) provides hiking instructions and info on weather conditions, and also distributes the useful English Kamikōchi Pocket Guide with a map of the main walking tracks.
A 10-minute walk from the bus station along the main trail, the spiffy Kamikōchi Visitor Centre (95-2606; 8am-5pm late Apr–mid-Nov) has displays on Kamikōchi’s flora and fauna, and explanations of its geological history.
Serious hikers and climbers might consider getting insurance (hoken; ¥1000 per person per day), available from window 3 at the Kamikōchi bus station. Weigh the benefits for yourself, but know that the out-of-pocket cost for a rescue ’copter starts at ¥800,000.
Sights & Activities
HIKING & CLIMBING
The river valley offers mostly level, short-distance walks. A four-hour round trip starts east of Kappa-bashi along the right-hand side of the river past Myōjin-bashi (one hour) to Tokusawa (another hour) before returning. By Myōjin-bashi is the idyllic Myōjin-ike (admission ¥300), a pond whose clear waters mark the innermost shrine of Hotaka-jinja. There’s also a track on the left-hand side of the river, though it’s partly a service road.
West of Kappa-bashi, you can amble along the right-hand side of the river to Weston Relief (a monument to Kamikōchi’s most famous hiker, Walter Weston; 15 minutes) or keep to the left-hand side of the river and walk to the pond Taishō-ike (40 minutes).
The visitor centre offers guided walks (per person ¥500) to destinations including Taishō-ike and Myōjin-ike. Nature guides (per hr approx ¥2000) and climbing guides (per day approx ¥30,000) may also be requested. It is always wise to request guides in advance, though