Kamikochi offers one of Japan's most spectacular mountain sceneries. Its magnificent landscape is designated as a Special Natural Monuments along with Special Places of Scenic Beauty. Walter Weston, a British Anglican missionary praised Kamikochi in his writing “Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japan Alps” in 1896 which made Kamikochi an internationally well-known mountain area.
Its well-kept trails look out upon a range of mountains with a height of three-thousand meters, like Hotaka mountain. As the Kamikochi area is one of the entrances for hikes to Mt. Yarigatake, there are many serious climbers around with large backpacks. If you’d like to enjoy this beautiful nature in a more relaxed way, the well-maintained trail walk from Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge is recommended.
The area closes from Mid-November to the end of April and private cars are not allowed throughout the year. This provides for an environment of rich animal life and vegetation, well preserved with clean water and air.
The majestic mountains, beautiful ponds and marshlands, and the tranquil sounds of the crystal river change depending on the weather and the time of day.
Highlights
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Beautiful nature and spectacular views of 3000m mountains.
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Some well-maintained trails make it easy to stroll around.
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In bad weather, the trails can get muddy, so choose proper shoes.
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There are also hotels, hot springs and campgrounds in the area.
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