Snow-dusted mountains, mist, and white clouds.
Colorful autumn leaves.
The lake and river reflecting the landscape like a mirror.
It was a gorgeous scene. Choosing this season for the visit turned out to be exactly right.
Late Autumn
- Kamikochi -
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The background music is "Irozuku Koyo" by Kapibaracco.
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I had long wanted to visit Kamikochi during the season of yellow autumn leaves. In 2022, that wish finally came true.
I stayed in Matsumoto before and after the trip, and spent one night in Kamikochi itself. Since I had gone that far, I wanted to see the morning scenery twice, so I decided to take an early bus into Kamikochi. Private cars cannot enter the area, which makes the bus the most reasonable and convenient way to get there. I booked the first Alpico Kotsu bus from Matsumoto at 5:30 a.m. This service did not even stop at Shin-Shimashima Station; it went straight into the Kamikochi area. Despite the early hour, the bus was full of people. I got off before 7:00 at Taisho Pond, two stops before the final Kamikochi stop.
I had imagined a mysterious Taisho Pond veiled in morning mist. There was no guarantee that I would be able to photograph such a scene, but I decided to follow the plan and start walking from there.
Unexpectedly - the word came to mind almost by itself - the view before me was astonishingly close to what I had imagined. I had never expected to encounter a landscape that looked almost exactly like the image I had carried in my head.
Starting from Taisho Pond, I walked along the left bank of the Azusa River from Kappa Bridge to Myojin Bridge, crossed to the right bank, then went around Ichinoike, Ninoike, and Dakesawa Marsh. I called it a day there and checked in at the hotel. I stayed at The Parklodge Kamikochi. For my usual travel style, it was almost too good, but there were not many places with vacancies. Even so, just securing a room felt fortunate in such a popular area.
A small aside: at the information desk, I heard a woman ask, "Where can I ride a rickshaw or something like a tuk-tuk?" It was a startling question to me, but she seemed completely serious. She was wearing a fluttering skirt and high heels. Apparently she had come without really checking what kind of place Kamikochi was. What a waste.
That night, unfortunately, there were too many clouds for a starry sky.
The next day, my plan was to leave the hotel, walk west along the right bank, cross Tashiro Bridge, and return to the bus terminal.
It was the Kamikochi trip I had long hoped for, and I was thoroughly satisfied.
I would be happy if this travel note helps anyone planning a visit to Kamikochi.