End of the 2023 season

Kamikochi is closed for this season. Thanks to all the funs of Kamikochi, there are so many people visited here.

This Year’s Opening

This year, Kamikochi will officially open to the public on April 27th, after the Kama Tunnel, which grants access to the park via buses and taxis, has opened as scheduled on April 17th, as usual. See this blog article for the details and this year’s schedule of opening dates of some facilities. See this article for this year’s trail conditions.

End of the 2022 season

Kamikochi is closed for this season. Thanks to all the funs of Kamikochi, there are so many people visited here.

Mount Yake Eruption Warning Level Lowered, Hiking Ban Lifted

As of July 12th, 2022, the warning level for Mount Yake has been lowered from 2 to 1. This means that hikers are no longer forbidden form hiking to and around the summit.

Mount Yake is one of Kamikochi’s most popular day hikes and can be approached from several trailheads. The reopening of the trails is sure to please visitors seeking a rewarding mid-level mountain excursion suitable for hikers of all levels.

Source of Information: Asahi Shinbun Digital

ADVISORY: Mount Yake Eruption Warning Raised to Level Two
As of May 24th, 2022, the eruption warning level of Kamikochi’s only active volcano, Mount Yake, has been raise to Level 2. As a result, access to the area around the crater has been restricted.
According to current regulations, no visitors will be allowed to venture within 1km of the mountain top. This is regrettable as the Mount Yake route is one of the most popular day hikes in Kamikochi. As with all such things, though, it’s a matter of “safety first.”
Further info on the mountain along with some insights on volcanic activity can be found in the post from earlier this year: https://www.kamikochi.org/uncategorized/in-the-shadow-of-mt-yake
Information may be seen in Japanese on the Japan Meteorological Agency’s homepage: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/310.html
Thanks as always to the fine folks at Five Sense for sharing this info in the original post.
Regarding Kamikochi’s 2022 Opening

This year, Kamikochi will officially open to the public on April 27th of this year, after the Kama Tunnel, which grants access to the park via buses and taxis, has opened as scheduled on April 17th, as usual. See this blog article for the details.

We uploaded this year’s schedule of opening dates of facilities here.

End of the 2021 season

Kamikochi is closed for this season. Thanks to all the funs of Kamikochi, There are so many people visited here same as usual year.

Kamikochi Reopens, But Severe Weather Warnings Remain in Place

Our friends at Five Sense reported earlier this morning that service granting access to Kamikochi has resumed along Route 158. Even so, heavy rainfall and flood warning remain in place in Matsumoto and nearby urban areas.

According to the Alpico Group’s homepage:

“Route 158 has been closed due to rain, but will reopen from 8am (2021/8/16) with the following departures:

From Shinshimashima: 8:40~

From Kamikochi: 10:40

PLEASE NOTE: Due to damage to the tracks of the Kamikochi line, train service to Kamikochi has been suspended. As a result, a substitute bus service is now running between Matusmoto Station and Niimura Station.

News that local transportaton services are coping with the extreme weather is welcome. However, anyone planning on traveling in the area should be aware of the following caveats.

ADVISORY ON TRAVEL:

  • Weather warning remain in effect for much of Matsumoto and the surrounding area with many roads and rail lines linking Matsumoto to other urban centers now out of service due to heavy rainfall.
  • More heavy rainfall is expected in Nagano Prefecture today meaning that further disruptions are likely.
  • Matsumoto has recently experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases resulting in the alert level being upgraded to LEVEL 5.
  • Given the unstable nature of the weather situation, exacerbated by the ongoing COVID crisis, we strongly discourage travel to the area as well as cross-prefecture travel in general at this time.

Sources of Information:

Nature Guide Five Sense, Kamikochi blog: https://fivesense.guide/blog/fivesense-info/31204/

The Alipco Group:

Website

For Information on bus service to Kamikochi

For information on road and train statuses around Nagano

Update: Kamikochi Temporarily Closed Due to Heavy Rainfall

We can now confirm that Kamikochi is temporarily closed due to heavy rainfall. At time of writing (2021/8/14), no time for reopening the park had been announced.

We will post another update once the park lifts the restriction. Until then, the weather situation remains volatile around central Japan. We urge all of our readers to stay alert to travel risks posed by both weather and the current wave of COVID infections.

Keep dry and stay safe!

ADVISORY: Heavy Rainfall Temporarily Blocks Access to Kamikochi

Prospective travelers to Kamikochi should be aware that, as of 10am on May 21st, 2021, roads leading into the park have been closed temporarily due to heavy rainfall. Access to Kamikochi will not be possible until the road closures have been lifted.

We will update our readers on the expected end to this situation as information becomes available to us.

Till then, keep dry and stay safe.

 

5月21日10:00現在、県道上高地公園線は雨量規制のため通行止めとなっております。

通行止め解除まで、上高地へ入ることはできません。

解除の目途が立ちましたら、こちらのブログにてお知らせいたします。

Regarding Kamikochi’s 2021 Opening

This year, Kamikochi will officially open to the public on April 27th of this year, after the Kama Tunnel, which grants access to the park via buses and taxis, opens as scheduled on April 17th, as usual.

The Opening Festival will be cancelled this year due to measures being taken to combat the spread of COVID-19. In its place, a smaller ceremony involving only locals, will be held to offer prayers for safety in the coming year as well as 2020.