A hearty hello to all of our loyal readers near and far!
Hot on the heels of a long weekend and not ten days away from season’s end, it’s hard not to feel a pang of melancholy today. Even as I say that, the larches continue to boast brilliant yellow foliage, confirming that the season isn’t over just yet.
Today, we’ll be sharing some recent images of larches around central Kamikochi along with some helpful tips about where to find them. Thanks to Five Sense blogger Ma- for posting these images in an update from last Friday!
Know as karamatsu in Japanese, larches are endemic to some of the colder regions in Japan. Every autumn, their needles turn yellow before gradually falling off the trees, and growing back the following year to repeat the cycle anew. They are distinguished from other similar species in that they alone are classified as deciduous conifers. Larches are perhaps the tree most closely associated with Kamikochi in the autumn.
Recommended Spots
Now, we’d like to introduce a few spots where you can reliably find larches to view and photograph with minimal fuss. We begin with the Konashidaira Camping Area:
Located just a ten minute walk away from the Kamikochi Bus Terminal, this well-loved camping spot offers up sumptuous swathes of larches like the ones in the above photo.
Kanashidaira also commands a wonderful, panoramic view of the Hotaka Range;
Turning your gaze upriver, you will also be treated to a view of the imposing peak of Mt. Roppyaku wreathed in golden foliage:
Another top spot for viewing larches is from the bank of the Azusa River near the Nishiitoya Lodge:
We end our tour of popular larch viewing spots with the popular “O-Magari” (a name given to a conspicuously large bend in the Auzsa River. You can find this location by following the riverbank downriver from the Bus Terminal for about 20 minutes. The view is well worth the trip
And with that, we conclude our survey of popular spots to enjoy the final days of autumn foliage in Kamikochi. If you didn’t manage to visit this past weekend, you may console yourself with the fact that A) you avoided the crowds and B) you can still catch a few days of larches in peak color. It’s getting down to the wire though. By this time next week, the only autumn yellows will be forming a thick carpet on the forest paths.
Thanks as always to Five Sense for providing the images and info on which our own blog relies so heavily. 来年もお願い申し上げます！
And to everyone else, keep warm and enjoy the rest of your autumn!
Sources of Information:
Nature Guide Five Sense, Kamikochi blog: https://fivesense.guide/blog/today/137491/
