I’m not much of an outdoorsman, but I do enjoy the occasional side trip into Japan’s rugged and beautiful highlands. One particularly rewarding detour that requires little time or hiking experience involves tackling the easy riverside trails of Kamikōchi (上高地): a remote mountain valley located less than two hours from downtown Matsumoto.
Category Archives: Japan 2019 (2nd)
Transportation Report: Travelling from Matsumoto to Kamikōchi and back
The scenic highland valley of Kamikōchi (上高地) lies deep within the Northern Japanese Alps, in a remote corner of Nagano Prefecture. Yet despite its relative isolation, visitors from elsewhere in Japan (as well as from overseas) are able to travel there with relative ease. Today, we’ll go over how I visited Kamikōchi from the oldContinue reading “Transportation Report: Travelling from Matsumoto to Kamikōchi and back”
Field Report: Walking Around the Murodō Plateau, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (01 October 2019)
The highest stop on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a gateway to some of the Hida Mountains’ incredible natural beauty. Here, at 2,450 metres above sea level, even inexperienced walkers can enjoy a day in the great outdoors and surround themselves with fantastic views of the Japanese Alps. Welcome to Murodō (室堂).
Field Report: Kurobe Dam, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (01 October 2019)
Though it’s best known for breathtaking natural landscapes, the scenic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route also includes a stop at an important man-made landmark. Completed more than half a century ago, the tallest arch dam in Japan was a major engineering feat of its time, with construction taking a heavy toll in both resources and humanContinue reading “Field Report: Kurobe Dam, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (01 October 2019)”
Field Report: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Part 2 (Descent from Daikanbō to Ōgizawa and Nagano)
Fresh off the first few legs as described in Part 1, we’re now ready to complete our crossing of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート) by setting out on the long way down, starting at Daikanbō.
Field Report: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Part 1 (Ascent from Toyama to Daikanbō)
Spanning the Hida Mountains between Toyama and Nagano Prefectures, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート) features some of central Japan’s best natural vistas. Never mind that the route itself is anything but natural, with its tightly coordinated network of trains, buses, funiculars, and aerial lifts. But without all that infrastructure, one would probably require seriousContinue reading “Field Report: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Part 1 (Ascent from Toyama to Daikanbō)”
Field Report: An Autumn Stroll at Midagahara, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (29 September 2019)
There are many places of interest along Japan’s Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート), the scenic corridor through the Hida Mountains between Toyama and Nagano Prefectures. Amongst them is one of the country’s largest alpine wetlands: a place that sleeps under a thick blanket of snow for much of the year, but stirs gloriously to lifeContinue reading “Field Report: An Autumn Stroll at Midagahara, Toyama Prefecture, Japan (29 September 2019)”
Transportation Report: Travelling from Toyama to Midagahara on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Japan’s incredibly scenic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート) is best appreciated on an overnight journey, or at least a full-day trip with a very early start (as I’ll demonstrate in a future post). That said, if one can spare only part of a day, the initial western section of the famous mountain traverse makes forContinue reading “Transportation Report: Travelling from Toyama to Midagahara on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route”
Terminal Report: Narita International Airport (NRT) T2, Japan
Tōkyō’s main international airport and I go back a long way. I flew in through here a decade ago, at the start of my very first visit to Japan – a visit that sparked an enduring interest in this country, its history, its culture and unique way of life. Even though I’ve used other entryContinue reading “Terminal Report: Narita International Airport (NRT) T2, Japan”
Flight Report: NRT-MNL on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 5057 (06 October 2019)
As my favourite destination – my own little happy place – Japan exerts such a strong hold on my imagination that I’ve come to dread every homeward flight. Painful though this 20th in a long line of partings might be, let’s see if my chosen airline can still end the holiday on a high noteContinue reading “Flight Report: NRT-MNL on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 5057 (06 October 2019)”
Within striking distance 