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No time for lunch with all the tight connections! Finally got to Nagano and there's about 30 mins gap till next train to Yudanaka onsen. Quickly bought 2 Nozawana Oyaki (traditional savoury buns)...better than nothing I guess... From Nagano to Yudanako onsen there's the private rail company...

Next to Taisho Ike was Taishoike Hotel. I went to their restaurant and had an apple juice... View was breathtaking but damn now I looked back on this picture, only thought I had was, should have eaten the soba here! Took the 11:32 bus here Got to Shin Shimashima at 12:30, then switched to...

The original plan was to leave Kamikochi relatively early this morning, breakfast then straight to the bus terminal - since I would have already 2 full days in here. But alas, the first two days weather were not great at all! Changed the plan and decided to hike back to Taisho Ike and leave...

Breakfast time. Packing things up.... One last photo of Kappa Bashi. Now that's a good life!

Last day in Kamikochi! It was indeed a lovely day as forecasted. About 6:20am, Kappa Bashi area. Nice and quiet! What was he doing?! 🤣🤣🤣 Walked around, took more pitcures....10 mins later, he was still going at it....I admired the dedication!

5pm finally the rain stopped! A bit late but I still went out. The tents were up at the camping ground... Kappa Bashi, getting quiet... This was the Gosenjaku Hotel. According to my friends who stayed before, a wonderful hotel. But I was looking at over 70K Yen per night....hmm....Park...

Enough was enough. I went back to the Park Lodge and decided to wait till check in time. Picked up a book to kill some time. Amazingly I understood most of it 🤣 They let me check in at 2pm... It was a twin room facing the Azusa River on 1st floor (Japanese 1st floor is Ground). My own...

Logical thing to do was lunch? Well Gosenjaku Kitchen was reserved for a big group... So I ended up at Kamikochi Shokudo again! Sanzoku Yaki Teshoku this time. After lunch I went to the tourist info centre next door. Good news, the day after it would be sunny! Bad news, well, this day was...

For my second night in Kamikochi I booked The Park Lodge, previously the Gosenjaku Lodge. Drop off the backpack and went out for a walk around the bridge. Day before this area was very crowded so I didn't stay long. The clouds were back! Couldn't see any of the peaks now....

Time to say good bye to Myojin Kan. And started the hike back to Kappa Bashi. The day before I came via the right side course, so this time took the left. It was shorter but not much to see... About 45 mins later I saw the Konashi Daira camping ground. Didn't see any tents (not in last...

Happy happy! Back to Myojin Kan for breakfast at 7am. Typical Japanese brekkie, nothing more to say... Check out time was 8:30am....I was packing things up and noticed the weather! So yeah, went to Myojin Ike for the 3rd time!! 🤣

Not sure when the rain started, but it was going strong when I woke up the next morning at about 5:30am.... I debated whether to go to Myojin Ike....it was COLD outside...but the whole reason I chose to stay here for the night (instead of more comfortable hotels near Kappa Bashi) was to see...

Only one seating for dinner at 6pm. Food was actually not bad! I'd say better than Nakanoyu, tasted good and they didn't forget anything! 🤣 But yes, more soba and Iwana Yaki.... Lights off at 9:30 pm and that's the end of Day 5. Note: Dorm beds were 14K Yen per person per night, I paid 21K...

Checked into Myojin-Kan. I had a private room - yes, even though Myojin Kan is a mountain hut, they have private rooms 😉 You do need to make your own bed though... And public bath!! Nothing better than a soak after all the hiking...(bath opens only 3-8pm) All shared facilities of course...

After lunch I chose the right side course to go to Myojin Ike. This part of the tracks were not as scenic as the previous one... Mostly walked in the woods. 岳沢湿原 Dakesawa Marsh Reached Myojin Ike 明神池 at about 2pm. The weather was really not helping here... More pictures of Myojin Ike to...

The bus terminal/Kappa Bashi area is the centre of Kamikochi! Hotels, restaurants, shops, information centre, all here. I had Shinshu salmon on rice for lunch. Near Kappa Bashi you have the best view of Hotaka Peaks & Mt MyojinDake.

After Tashiro Ike there's River Course and Forest Course to reach Tashiro Bashi (Bashi = Bridge). I took the River course. After Tashiro Bashi I went the left side course. Reached Kappa Bashi at about 11:30. So it took roughly two hours. Yeah, the official guide says 76 mins from Taisho Ike...

So I started from Taisho Ike at about 9:30am. Weather was not great that day, unfortunately. Rain was forecasted later in the afternoon and the next day 😢 大正池 Taisho Ike Formed in 1915 when nearby Mt YakeDake erupted and dammed the Azusa River. Apparently May to July is black bear season...

In the morning Nakanoyu runs two shuttle buses to Kamikochi at 8am & 9am. Then there's the bus back to Matsumoto from Kamikochi bus terminal at 12:30 I think? So in theory you can have about 4 hours in Kamikochi and back to Matsumoto with zero transport costs! I have however booked 2 nights in...