Snow, What’s Happening?

Before proceeding any further with this midweek bulletin, I should clarify one thing.   I borrowed the title from words printed on a truly dreadful winter jumper my grandmother gave me in the mid-1980s.  As abject a a slogan as that might have been, it’s oddly apropos given current conditions at Kamikochi.

Namely these…

Snow at Kappa Bridge. More is expected today.

Yes, the same spell of cold, wet weather that brought gloom and rain to my own home in Chikuma saw fit to dump snow on Kamikochi yesterday.  Reports indicate that as much as a meter of the white stuff accumulated in some locations making conditions feel very much like winter…for the moment at least.

Now don’t panic.  This sort of thing isn’t unusual at this time of year.  It was only a few seasons ago that the Kaizansai opening festivities were held near Kappa Bridge amid blizzard conditions.  Spring weather has come a little late this year and it shows on the thermometer.  There’s an upside to all of this as well: snow later in the season means that we’ll likely be able to enjoy snowy alpine scenery well into the summer.  Cold and forbidding it may be, but it’s also undeniably pretty when draped across mountain tops.

The aptly named snow monkey. You too may wish you had a winter coat like this fellow.

Also, we may expect warmer and sunnier conditions on some days around opening.  But as we never tire of reminding everyone, check the forecast and dress warmly.  That means hats, coats and gloves as our friends at the National Park Guide blog were good enough to point out.  Seriously, don’t let yourself be caught out in a thin jacket.  Warm, dry, and comfortable is the hot look this spring.

Source of Information:

National Park Guide blog: https://npg-alps.net/blog/today/16452