A Day-Trip to the National Park at Kamikochi

Between visiting the world-class destination of Hida Takayama and a dip in the hotspring pools of Oku-Hida Onsengo, we spent a leisurely day walking the National Park trails at Kamikochi.

This is a pristine mountain valley carved out by the glacial water of the Azusa River and surrounded by some of the tallest peaks of Central Japan's Northern Alps. For years it has been a favourite expedition base for Japanese mountaineers, a mecca for hikers and nature seekers, and most recently, a re-discovered destination for international tourists.



So Kamikochi is well worth a trip anyway you look at it, especially since we're right in the neighbourhood on our way from Hida Takayama to Matsumoto. But for any potential visitor, the main issues are ... 1) it's only open from late April to mid November due to heavy snowfall through winter and spring, and 2) even in summer the mountain climate can get very unpredictable, and the only road into Kamikochi occasionally gets closed off after rock slides. As a result we actually had a Plan B -- we would spend our day in Hida Furukawa instead if we couldn't reach Kamikochi.

Fortunately it turned out to be a glorious sunny day, albeit a little misty amid the moist mountain air of late May. Starting out from Hida Takayama we first took a one-hour bus ride to the hotspring resort of Hirayu Onsen where we dropped off our backpacks, then took another 25 minute bus into the vicinity of Kamikochi (see Transportation section below).



We got off the bus at the scenic Taisho Pond at 10:30, about the same time as a hundred or so Taiwanese and Korean tourists -- definitely not an ideal introduction to the supposedly serene Chubu Sangaku National Park. I suppose it was just like Banff or Yellowstone, but then I realized that at least the Japanese Government is doing its part in banning private cars and most forms of non-public transportation into Kamikochi, so I shouldn't complain.



Back to the scenery -- this picture was taken under the shadow of an active volcano as we walked around Taisho Pond, which came into being only after 1915 when the lava from a major eruption blocked off the water of the Azusa River and flooded this wide valley. The dead trees still standing in the middle of the lake form one of the most recognizable images of Kamikochi, and have been designated Natural Monument status.



The fuming volcano of Yake-dake (literally "Burning Peak") erupted as late as 1995, but it's much more famous for the eruption during the reign of Emperor Taisho which gave birth to the Taisho Pond. Today you can still see the tree-less path of the lava down the side of mountain, and if you're really adventurous, there's a hiking path to the summit where you can get close and personal with one of the less active craters. For us though, gingerly treading the other side of the lake is quite close enough.



There are a few famous and easily accessible scenic spots in Kamikochi -- the lava-formed lake of Taisho Pond at the downstream, the stretch of the Azusa River around the Kappa-bashi bridge at the middle, and the smaller lake of Myojin Pond further upstream. According to the park pamphlet, it should take 65 minutes of non-stop walking from the Taisho Pond to Kappa-bashi, and another 60 minutes from Kappa-bashi to Myojin Pond. But from our own experience, the scenery was so beautiful and the mountain streams so crisp and refreshing that it was impossible not to walk down to the river bank, take a drink from the bluish glacial water, then lounge around on the rocks while playing with the wild pigeons. Feel free to call us slackers, but it really took us nearly two and a half hours just to complete that 65 minutes walking distance from Taisho Pond to Kappa-bashi.



This was in late spring when the snowy glaciers started to melt into the rushing Azusa River, turning into an incredible ribbon of turquoise blue that went on for miles before draining into the Taisho Pond. I live in mountainous Western Canada where glacial streams are quite common, but I had never seen another that comes even close to this remarkable display of colour. There's nothing different about the water content of course, as the optical phenomenon is really caused by the white granite rocks on the river bed.



The spectrum of colours came into a full bloom about half-way towards the Kappa-bashi, where the underground hotsprings grant their warmth and minerals to the shallow Tashiro Pond and the surrounding wetland. In the winter the rust brown bottom of the Tashiro Pond would stay visible in a world of silver, even when the much larger Taisho Pond freezes solid.



The surrounding wetland also supported an amazingly colourful collection of algae growth, from deep emerald green to bright orange. And being in Japan, you'd have to expect running into a few painters and photographers who would sit there for hours just to capture the perfect moment.



The unspoilt wetland along the trails sprouted thousands of fresh, young fiddlehead ferns, organically grown inside a National Park and looking so succulent and crisp, which reminded me of last night's dinner ...

Just joking ... I better stick to our topic of eco-tourism!



We finally reached the Kappa-bashi bridge, possibly the most-photographed landmark of Kamikochi, after 2.5 hours ... I suspect that even the most elderly Japanese hikers would have overtaken us along the way. At this point of convergence of two upstream branches of the Azusa, white water roared underneath while the snowy peaks of the Hotaka mountain range tower over everything else in sight.



Even though it's Japan's third highest mountain after Mount Fuji and Mount Kita, the looming Hotaka appeared so close that you'd think you can reach out and touch it. It may not look to be 3190 metres tall from here, but one shouldn't forget that Kamikochi itself is a plateau of 1500 metres.



We did wander a little further upstream, but not quite as far as the Myojin Pond. The lush green underwater vegetation here attracted a pair of gorgeous Mandarin ducks, which in turn attracted a small crowd along the shores. Sorry I don't have a picture to show, as the pair grew uncomfortable with the crowd and flew away (I didn't know Mandarin ducks could fly!) before either of our cameras could get a decent shot.



A collection of optical equipment in front of the Visitor Centre, just a couple minutes walk from the Kappa-bashi. The cause of amazement here wasn't the numbers or the sophistication of the equipment, but the way their owners would just leave them unsupervised while going inside for souvenirs and maps.



Raw cedar pillars and wooden beams abound, the Visitor Centre serves its informational purpose quite well besides just plain lookin' good. It provides the mountain weather forecast, 1:25000 topographic maps for mountaineers, trail maps for the rest of us, flora and fauna guidebooks, and a gallery of absolutely stunning Kamikochi photos from some of Japan's top nature photographers. We just couldn't resist buying the Kamikochi Visitor's Guidebook containing all these amazing shots, and for 1500 yen (CAD$15), it was well worth the money.



What About Food?

Lunch options are few as expected in the middle of a National Park. For those who have the time and money to splurge, the dining room of the magnificent Kamikochi Imperial Hotel is located about 10 minutes walk from the Bus Terminal. But being the cheap backpackers we are, we just followed the local crowds towards the Kamikochi Shokudo, a large canteen located on the second floor of the Bus Terminal.



I remember there being six or seven items on the menu on this day: Tonkatsu, a few kinds of curries, Hayashi rice, ramen, Shogayaki pork, and smaller snacks like Onigiri riceballs. Even though it's cafeteria food, the warmth of Curry Tonkatsu looked inviting after a few hours in the cool mountain air.



This was definitely not the place for exciting culinary discoveries. Everything tasted as average and uninspiring as you would expect from a cafeteria, but then it's really about having a quick lunch and getting back to the outdoor playground. At less than 2000 yen for two lunches, we've got no complaints.

Bill for Two Persons

Curry Tonkatsu Teishoku	~900 yen
Shoyu Ramen with Onigiri	~900 yen
TOTAL	~1800 yen (CAD$18)

Accommodation

We didn't stay in Kamikochi for the night -- at the end we chose to stay at the nearby hotspring resort of Hirayu Onsen instead -- so I can only refer you to the cheap accommodation choices that were under my consideration:

Nishiitoya - Room + 2 Meals for 8000 yen per person, 5 minutes walk from Bus Terminal

Kamonji-goya - Room + 2 Meals for 7000 yen per person, 1 hour walk from Bus Terminal

Myojinkan - Room + 2 Meals for 8000 yen per person, 1 hour walk from Bus Terminal



Transportation

As mentioned above, the only road into Kamikochi is opened only from mid April to late November -- it simply gets way too treacherous once the snow season arrives.



The easiest way to reach Kamikochi is to take the Nohi Bus, which operates a frequent service between the local transportation hub of Hirayu Onsen and the Kamikochi Bus Terminal near the Kappa-bashi bridge. A round-trip costs 1800 yen (CAD$18) with the bus departing from both terminals at roughly 30 minute intervals between 08:00 and 17:00, making it the most convenient way to get in and out. Multiple buses connect to Hirayu Onsen from the nearby cities of Takayama (1 hour), Matsumoto (1.5 hours), and even as far away as Tokyo (4.5 hours). See Nohi Bus's English website for the latest schedules.

One little trick about the bus from Hirayu Onsen is that it will make a quick stop at the Taisho Pond on the way to Kamikochi Bus Terminal, which means that if you plan on visiting Taisho Pond anyway, you can get off there and follow the trail to the Bus Terminal without having to do a return trip. The reverse doesn't quite work since the bus departing for Hirayu Onsen generally gets filled at the Kamikochi Bus Terminal and won't stop at Taisho Pond to pick up any passengers. You may want to keep that in mind as you plan your hiking route.



An alternative way is to start from Matsumoto, taking the cogwheel railway to Shin Shimajima and transferring to a bus to Kamikochi. The entire trip takes about 1.5 hours, departs every 45 minutes and costs 4400 yen roundtrip. Check the official Alpico website for the latest timetables.

MY WIFE'S CORNER The Kitsune, or Japanese red fox, is a well-respected character in traditional folklores, rumored to be exceedingly wise and proficient with various magical abilities. In real life though, habitat destruction has marginalized the Kitsune to beyond the outskirts of civilization. The sale of this "Mountain Meadows Edition" cellphone strap doesn't seem to be subject to any geographical restriction, as it is said to be sold in Hokkaido as well. We came across this at the little souvenir stand just outside the Kamikochi Bus Terminal.