Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/05/17

As the end of May approaches, the atmosphere in Kamikochi is gradually changing from one of bracing spring weather with a strong dash of winter to one that cautiously anticipates the long, bright days of the warmer months.  The snow has all but vanished in the park proper and, more tellingly, the anemones--soft wildflowers which are the symbol of Kamikochi in spring--are everywhere.

Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/05/17

Now that the spring is here, we can expect a gradual shift in the scenery around Kamikochi.  The late snows are now behind us and green is here to stay, so as we move toward summer, expect that green to creep up toward the mountain tops as well.  For the moment, however, there's enough snow on the mountains to create a nice balance between green down below and white up top, which is a trademark of Kamikochi in the springtime.

And with the changing of the seasons, the sun is also rising a lot earlier these days.  These photos were taken last week at around four in the morning:

Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/05/10

After a long, cold Winter in Nagano, spring weather has been taking its time arriving in earnest.  In the cities, we've been experiencing days of unseasonably warm weather, followed by chilly periods and even occasional surprise snowfall in April.  And, as described in a recent blog entry, Kamikochi was hit by a blizzard on the day of the opening ceremony.

Our patience has been rewarded, however, as newly budding flowers confirm that spring will soon be here to stay.

Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/05/06

It's often said that early spring offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the final stages of winter in Kamikochi.  With the paths mostly clear of the snow that winders movement in the colder months, hikers are able to enjoy great views of the snow-capped mountains withtout worrying too much about specialized equipment.

At the moment, it's a bit of a mixed bag.  The snow which had remained in the wake of last week's blizzardy opening has mostly melted, but traces of it can still be found in certain areas:

Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/04/27

It wasn't the ceremony that anyone expected, but the high spirits of those in attendance helped to maintain a jubilant atmosphere through blizzard conditions at Kamikochi's annual opening, the "Kaizan-sai."  This year, the cermony coincided with the start of Golden Week, which is usually known for having very fine weather. 

In actuality though, there are those who think the Kaizan-sai might be jinxed with snowfall because, at this time of year, it isn't all that unusual in the park.  And in a year that saw snow fall on cherry blossom trees, perhaps it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise.

Written by: William Habington
Date: 2013/04/22

With just one week left until Kamikochi 's official opening this Saturday, the Kama Tunnel opened up to tour buses and other forms of public transit on Friday the 19th.  It will be a few days until eveything in the park is up and running, but some hotels and shops are already welcoming the first wave of visitors in what promises to be another incredible season here. 

There's just one thing...