Kamikōchi ( 上高地 , Upper Highlands ) is a remote mountainous highland valley within the Hida Mountains range, in the western region of Nagano Prefecture , Japan.
15-529: It has been preserved in its natural state within Chūbu-Sangaku National Park . It is designated as one of Japan's National Cultural Assets, on the list of Special Natural Monuments and Special Places of Scenic Beauty . It is sometimes referred to as the "Japanese Yosemite Valley ," although it is considerably smaller than its Californian counterpart. Kamikōchi is a high mountain valley approximately 18 kilometers in length. The average elevation of
30-403: A post office, a tourist information center and some souvenir shops, mainly located between the bus and taxi terminal and Kappa-bashi bridge. As the entire Kamikochi valley is protected as part of the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park , road access is only granted to shuttle buses, taxis, and forestry and maintenance workers' vehicles. Private vehicles have been restricted from entering the park beyond
45-431: Is 14.4 kilometers from the opposing terminus of the line at Matsumoto Station . The station has one dead-headed island platform serving two tracks. The platforms are not numbered The station opened on 26 September 1924 as Akamatsu Station ( 赤松駅 ) . It was renamed to its present name on 1 October 1966. Due to damaged caused by the 1983 Typhoon 10 , the line pass Shinshimashima Station was discontinued and replaced by
60-567: The Kamikōchi Line to Shin-Shimashima rail terminal and then the Highland Bus service provided by Alpico Kōtsū . The journey to the center of the park from Matsumoto Station by rail and shuttle bus takes approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. Longer distance and overnight buses directly to the park are available from Tokyo (Shinjuku), Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. The park is officially open from mid-April to mid-November, with peak crowds during
75-584: The Kama Tunnel for both traffic management and environmental reasons since 1994. Private cars are required to park at either the Hirayu or Sawando parking area from where shuttle buses or taxis transport visitors directly to the centrally located park visitor center. For rail passengers approaching from Matsumoto an integrated park transportation ticket is available using the Highland Rail service of
90-684: The Weston Festival is celebrated at Kamikochi in recognition of his contribution to the conservation of the Northern Japan Alps. Japanese novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa also contributed to a boom in domestic tourism when he published his book Kappa in 1927. The naming of the Kappa-Bashi, the narrow pedestrian suspension bridge over the Azusa River mentioned in the novel predates the book's publication. The origin of
105-571: The area is Yarigatake which is easily accessible from Kamikochi and often combined with Oku-Hotaka as a multi-day hike. Kamikōchi was logged extensively until the mid-19th Century. The Rev. Walter Weston , a British Anglican missionary, is credited through his writing with sparking interest in recreational mountaineering in Japan and also with lobbying to preserve the Kamikōchi area. Each year in June,
120-745: The headwater of Japan's longest river, the Shinano River , flows the length of the valley, filling Lake Taishō at the base of Mt. Yake. Lake Taishō received its name because it was formed by the eruption of Mt. Yake in 1915, which was part of the Taishō period in Japan. Because of the relatively flat topography of the Kamikochi Valley, marshes and ponds are a common feature, including the Takezawa Marsh, Tashiro Pond, and Myojin Pond. As
135-455: The most important hiking area in Japan. Often tourists visit the nearby mountainous highland valley, Kamikochi . Shinshimashima Station Shinshimashima Station ( 新島々駅 , Shinshimashima-eki ) is a railway station in Matsumoto, Nagano , Japan, operated by the private railway operating company Alpico Kōtsū . Shinshimashima Station is the terminus of the Kamikōchi Line and
150-418: The naming of the bridge is uncertain, but is more commonly thought to refer to Kappa , mythical water deities said to inhabit Japan's mountain streams and rivers. kanji 神垣内 ( Kami-ko-uchi ) were also used to write "Kamikōchi," but 上高地 ( Kami-kō-chi ) has become the common way to write the name. Park facilities include two camping areas, a number of hotels (western-style and traditional Japanese ryokan ),
165-472: The park that are above 3,000 m (9,843 ft), including Kamikōchi , Mount Norikura , Mount Hotaka and Mount Tate . The park is home to numerous gorges, ravines, and dramatically shaped escarpments , as well as the headwater of Japan's longest river, the Shinano River , which begins here as the Azusa River on the southeastern slope of Mount Yari . The Chūbu-Sangaku National Park has become
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#1732775956082180-530: The summer school holidays (end of July through the end of August) and when the autumn leaves are at their peak in October. 36°14′49″N 137°38′00″E / 36.246968°N 137.633333°E / 36.246968; 137.633333 Ch%C5%ABbu-Sangaku National Park Chūbu-Sangaku National Park ( 中部山岳国立公園 , Chūbu Sangaku Kokuritsu Kōen ) is a national park in the Chūbu region of Japan. It
195-585: The valley floor ranges between roughly 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level at the south end and roughly 1,600 m (5,200 ft) at the northern tip. Kamikōchi is located in the Hida Mountains , the "Northern Alps" of the Japanese Alps . The surrounding mountains reach 3,190 m (10,470 ft). Kamikōchi is bordered on its northern end by Mount Hotaka , and on its southern end by Mount Yake , an active volcano. The Azusa River ,
210-476: The waters are mainly from melted snow runoff or underground aquifers, the water temperature is cold, even in the height of summer. The Tokusawa area at the far northern end of the valley served as a grazing area for horses and cattle until 1934, when the area was completely integrated into the park. Kamikochi is a very popular hiking destination, there are an abundance of mountain huts and camping sites that make overnight hiking easy to manage. The most famous hike in
225-483: Was established around the Hida Mountains and encompasses parts of Nagano , Gifu , Toyama and Niigata prefectures. It was designated a national park on December 4, 1934, along with Daisetsuzan National Park , Akan National Park , Nikkō National Park , and Aso Kujū National Park . The Hida Mountains , or Northern Alps make up the majority of the park. There are many points in the Hida Mountains within
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