Kamikochi: A Snow Country Stories Japan Travel Guide
Episode of 33 of the podcast takes us into Japan’s highest mountain range and into the beautiful alpine valley of Kamikochi. Part of the wider Chubu Sangaku National Park, Kamikochi is a 16 kilometre / 10 mile valley which follows the beautiful Azusa River and bookended by two famous mountains – Mount Hotaka and Yakedake. With an average elevation of around 1400 metres / 4593 feet, the valley is known for its outstanding beauty, pristine ecosystem and multiple mountain peaks. Open to the public from mid-April until mid-November each year, access is restricted in order to preserve that natural beauty and ecosystem, and as such, a little planning goes a long way when heading there. This episode of the podcast is my travel guide to Kamikochi.
In this episode I delve into the history of Kamikochi, what to expect, its highlights and hiking options, when to visit, where to stay and how to get there. Kamikochi is a special protected zone within the national park and as I explained, private cars are not allowed to enter. Visitors to Kamikochi must use public bus services, a taxi or a chartered vehicle, meaning that understanding how to get there is essential to making the most of your time there. I provide that information during this episode along with everything else you need to know.
The episode begins with a reading from the novella ‘Kappa’. Published by Akutagawa Ryunosuke in 1927, it begins with the protagonist’s encounter with a kappa while hiking in Kamikochi on a day of heavy fog and his pursuit of it into the world of the kappa. This is followed by a later reading from the 1896 publication ‘Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps’ by Reverend Walter Weston, and short passage from a 1915 account of the eruption of Yakedake inside Kamikochi. It is my hope that these readings provide a colourful rendering of the beauty and significance of Kamikochi, and blended with information about how to plan your visit, serves to motivate you to do just that.
Top image: ‘Guide to 12 Types of Kappa’ by Sakamoto Kounen circa 1850 / Bottom image: ‘Kappa & Ama’ by Kitagawa Utamaro 1788 - both images are in the public domain.
Complete information – including accommodation and transport - can be found on the official Kamikochi website and you can follow them on Instagram. I hope you enjoy!