Page 175 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

Walking over the Kappabashi
bridge to cross the Azusa
River, in Kamikochi

Hokusai Museum
" ⌂ 10-min walk from
Obuse Stn § (026) 247-5206
# 9am–5pm daily

u
Kamikochi
上高地
! E4 ⌂ Nagano Prefecture
£ To Shin-Shima shima,
then bus @ From Hirayu
onsen or Shin-Shimashima
n Next to Kamikochi bus i
terminal; (0263) 95-2433 Chichibu-Tama-Kai
An alpine valley with a hand ful National Park EAT
of hotels and campsites, 秩父多摩甲斐国立公園
Kamikochi lies in the southern ! F4 ⌂ Tokyo, Saitama,
part of the Chubu Sangaku Nagano, and Yamana shi Kobayashi
(North Japan Alps) National Matsumoto is famous
Park, at an altitude of 4,900 ft Prefectures £ Seibu- for soba noodles, and
Chichibu Stn, Seibu-
(1,500 m) and is a good hiking Chichibu line; Chichibu Stn, this is one of the best
and climbing base. The valley Chichibu line; Okutama or places to enjoy them.
is reached by a tunnel (open ! E4 ⌂ 3-3-20 Ote,
late April–early Novem ber); Mitake Stns, JR line n Seibu- Matsumoto-shi, Nagano
Chichibu Stn; (0494) 21 2277
in July, August, Golden Week, 390-0874
and on some week ends, private Chichibu-Tama-Kai National § (0263) 32-1298
cars are banned. Japan’s Park is a remote region of low 
highest (after Fuji) and wildest mountains, stretching from
mountains are in the South the narrow valleys of Okutama Alps Gohan
Alps, but the North Alps in the south to the basin
have more snow and more around Chichibu city in the This cult restaurant
impressive scenery. Plentiful north. The two parts of the offers patrons two
mountain refuges allow hikes park are separated by moun- daily-changing options.
of several days from hut to tains, crossed only by a few ! E4 ⌂ 3-7-5 Fukashi,
hut, often via a hot spring. hiking trails. Within the park, Matsumoto-shi, Nagano
The most spectacular climb railroads reach a few spots, 390-0815
is a three-day route from but travel is mostly by bus. ∑ alpsgohan.com
Kami kochi taking in Mount A silk-producing area until 
Yari and Mount Hotaka – at the early 1900s, Chichibu is now
10,470 ft (3,190 m), the highest known for a pilgrim route Fureai Yamabekan
peak in the North Alps. Short linking 34 Kannon temples. Learn to make soba
hikes include the rocky scree To the north, at Nagatoro, noodles for yourself
of Mount Yake, the only active the Arakawa River runs past with the help of
volcano in the North Alps. rare schist rock formations. experienced teachers.
In bad weather, walks are In the Okutama area, Mount ! E4 ⌂ 85-1 Satoya-
restricted to the valley floor Mitake has a mountaintop mabe, Matsumoto-shi,
by the rushing river. shrine village, and the Nippara Nagano 390-0221
Caves are worth visiting. § (0263) 35-9076
Nippara Caves 
The moat surrounding " ⌂ 30 mins by bus from
Matsumoto Castle, built Okutamaeki stop § (0428)
in the early 16th century 83-8491 # 8am–5pm daily
175

174-175_EW_Japan.indd 175 04/02/2019 15:57