Well, October is just days away now and we all know what that means: the steady stream of nature lovers coming to relish one of Kamikochi’s most popular periods will soon be increasing considerably. “Koyo” hot spots like the Karasawa Col will be host to troops of hikers of all ages and their tent villages will compete with the leaves in density and color. There will be something here for all of us to enjoy and the entire area has something to offer. This week, let’s take a look at some recent images of changing foliage around Kamikochi.
Since there’s only so much I can say about autumn and colorful foliage without sounding like a broken record, I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves. Thanks again to the folks at the Hotel Shirakabaso website for allowing us to share these images with our readers.
As you can see, the shift toward yellow is very much in evidence down by Kappa Bridge and the Kamikochi Bus Terminal::
And also on the hillsides leading up to the Hotaka peaks:
In the forests and marshes, there are already fiery yellows and jaunty oranges to be seen:
And these next two shots say more about the ambiance of Kamikochi in the fall than I could possibly put into words:
Lastly, a blogger at the National Park Guide wesite snapped this lovely shot of Japanese maple sporting seasonal reds:
ADVISORY: Though such matters are not in keeping with the usual tone of this blog, I thought I should comment briefly on the yesterday’s shocking eruption of Mount Ontake in the Kiso area. The situation is ongoing and the extreme nature of the current circumstances has understandably resulted in hiking paths to Ontake itself being closed. To my knowledge it has NOT caused any such disruption in traffic to the Kamikochi area. Our thoughts are with those who were affected by this incident and we wish all of those caught under the volcanic ash a safe return.
As always, we urge all of our visitors to plan their trips carefully and hope you have a safe and unforgettable visit to Kamikochi and the Northern Japan Alps.
Sources of Information:
Kamikochi Hotel Shirakabaso website: http://shirakabaso.com
