Trails Mostly Clear for Earlybird Hikers!

A hearty hello to all of our loyal readers around the world!

Last week, we announced that we’d be doing an FAQ post later in the week, but with only three days left till Kamikochi opens to the public, we will instead pivot to a different topic: the current state of the trails.

As Five Sense blogger Natsu reported in a recent post, the trails linking central Kamikochi to the popular Myojin area are now 90% clear of snow. What little residual snow there is can mostly be seen near the footpaths rather than on the and as such poses no obstacle to walking. Both the right bank (the side with the Bus Terminal) and the left bank trails along the Azusa River are now easily traversible. See the picture below for reference:

This development represents a terrific boon to hikers arriving on Monday to take in the first few hours of the 2023 season. Whereas in most years, access to Myoin is often restricted in the first few weeks, you can now walk along those trails to your heart’s content.

As a necessary caveat, we have to add that you shouldn’t confuse unseasonable warmth with the actual springtime warmth being enjoyed by folks at lower elevations. On the contrary, Kamikochi can be quite chilly in the morning, and you should be sure to prepare warm attire, such as down jackets and gloves. Similarly, the lack of snow on the trails shouldn’t dissuade you from wearning sturdy hiking boots–always advisable for safe an comfortable hiking.

Some Other “Early Birds”

As it turns out, the first wave of hikers are not the only early birds in Kamikochi. Visitors can also expect to enjoy the usual menagerie of winged beauties like the willow tit pictured above.

Also making the seen are the black-faced bunting and the red-flanked bluetail top and bottom, respectively) pictured below:

And with that we conclude today’s post. We’ll be back in the near future with coverage of the 2023 spring season.

Thanks to Natsu and the other posters at Five Sense for their always stellar updates on Kamikochi.

Till next time!

Source of Information:

Nature Guide Five Sense, Kamikochi blog: https://fivesense.guide/blog/today/127313/