After two hot and sunny days, the omens are looking good for the weather-critical part of the journey. The 5-day forecasts either indicate a big sun, or one which is partially hiding behind a cloud, but no raindrops. We are keeping our fingers crossed.
Kamikochi is one of the oddest mountain resorts I have ever stayed at. During the day it is positively aswarm with tourists. Come 8 p.m., the teeming hordes have departed and the mountain retreat is devoid of people, except for a few paltry campers and the well-to-do folk who can afford the excessively pricey hotels (the latter excludes us, so the former we must be).
Home sweet home!
To be honest, most things in Kamikochi - apart from the fresh air and the mountain views - are pricey. We had booked a bungalow on the municipal camping site, which, it turns out, is little more than a shack: it has a small “squatter” toilet at the back, a small kitchen area, two power points, two futons (with sheets provided) and lots of creepy crawlies thrown in for good measure. We will forgo the fact that there are no chairs, after all this IS Japan, but for 8,500 yen a night (that's around 80 euros) you might expect basic bathroom-cum-shower facilities (and perhaps in the modern era, one might also hope for an internet point and a mobile signal). In fact, the only on-site washing facilities comprise an onsen (public baths) which is open only between the hours of 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The campsite restaurant likewise closes at the early hour of 6 p.m. and there's little else in the way of eating left open - after all, the place is deserted at night-time. All this basically means we are paying 8,500 yen a night for the privilege of NOT being able to take a shower or buy a meal at a convenient time. (To put this in context, we had paid 11,500 yen a night for the most comfortable and accommodating hotel of our trip the night before, in Takayama).
The bus terminal at Kamikochi when we arrived
The largest building in Kamikochi is the bus terminal and with its droves of tourists, on Marine Day, it pretty much resembled Ueno on the Friday evening we arrived in Tokyo. We had driven up there by bus from Takayama, by way of Hirayu Hot Springs, where we had to change to a connecting bus. A tunnel has been bored through the mountainside to cut journey times over the pass. One of the reasons there is such a large bus station at Kamikochi is because no cars are allowed in and out of the town.
The view from the Kappabashi bridge
Japan is one of the most forested lands I have ever visited. Even the tree line seems to extend to well beyond 2500 metres. Mountain valleys, like the one in which Kamikochi nestles, at 1500 metres, are lush with vegetation. Temperatures of above 25 are the norm for this time of year. Unlike the Alps, the high mountainous valleys of the region were never settled before the arrival of tourism in the late 19th century, when the area was opened up by western pioneers who sparked a Japanese interest in the sport of mountaineering. Kamikochi's riverside paths are therefore unfailingly wooded.
The idyllic pond near Myojin-bashi
Raph reflecting on how clear the water is
We arrived at the bus terminal at midday, lugged our heavy backpacks for 15 minutes along Kamikochi's main drag and checked into our bungalow. After orienting ourselves on the campsite, that is, ultimately discovering a complete lack of shower facilities, we headed off in the direction of the Visitor Centre (for information) and headed across the wooden Kappabashi suspension bridge, which marks the centre of town (if Kamikochi can indeed be called a town). It is a universal law that day-trippers never stray far from the focal point of tourist attractions, so on the one-hour walk up the valley to Myojin-bashi we were able to leave the masses behind us. A shrine has been built here whose biggest drawcard is the pond with its crystal clear waters and a mountain backdrop.
The Myojin-bashi bridge
Our aim was to arrive back at 4.30 and take a stroll over to the restaurant for a meal before jumping into the hot tub before that closed at 7. After 8 p.m., Kamikochi is officially asleep and wakes up again in the morning at 8 a.m. Time for a good book.
The Kappabashi bridge at dusk - note: almost deserted
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