Japan best scenery full#

At 1,500m of elevation and far removed from busy population centers, it's an ideal environment to refresh your mind and body and reconnect with nature.Įxploring Kamikochi on foot is a must to get the full picture of all it has to offer. The sublime valley sits at the foot of the hulking Hotaka Range of mountains and snakes alongside the turquoise blue waters of the Azusa River through unspoiled forests for nearly 18 kilometers. Kamikochi is a place of awe-inspiring beauty that showcases the true richness of Japan's wild places. Shimoguri-no-Sato is accessible 365 days per year, but the Hanbatei restaurant is closed on Thursdays and shuts down for the winter between late November and mid-April.Ī pristine valley, aptly known as 'The Jewel of the Japanese Alps'Ī bird's-eye view of the Kamikochi valley from Mt. Lodging can be booked at several local guesthouses. The staff is comprised entirely of residents and their food is made from locally grown ingredients using traditional recipes. If you’d like the opportunity to interact with locals or are feeling hungry, stop at Hanbatei, the only eatery in town. A stroll through the village is a great way to observe and learn about some of the community's unique agricultural practices, rich culture, and simple way of life on display just be sure to remain respectful since you are a visitor, and these are people’s homes. From this angle, Shimoguri-no-Sato appears to almost be floating amongst the mountains, and the feeling is even more pronounced on mornings where a sea of clouds hovers below it. This small observation deck provides the ultimate bird’s-eye view of the settlement and its sensational surroundings. The best vantage point to capture the uniquely scenic village from is the ‘Tenku-no-Sato Viewpoint’. For visitors, it presents the opportunity to encounter both a rare and remarkable landscape as well as a traditional lifestyle that transports you to another time and place. The settlement ranges in elevation from 800 to 1,100 meters above sea level and clings to slopes angled at almost 40 degrees in places surrounded by soaring mountains. Shimoguri-no-Sato is an isolated hillside hamlet of fewer than 50 households that is recognized for its singular beauty. Shimoguri-no-Sato from the ‘Tenku-no-Sato' (Sky Village) viewpoint If you stay overnight, be sure to glance heavenward: the night sky is brilliant here and is often punctuated by a visible Milky Way.Ī secluded hillside settlement suspended in the sky Overnight stays are possible at the Hotel Senjojiki, located immediately next to the ropeway terminus.

Walk starting at and returning to the ropeway station that gives you ample opportunity to pad your Instagram stream. Hiking around the base of the cirque to capture the panoramic views and seasonal wonders on camera is perhaps the most popular activity. The altitude seems to amplify the magnificence every season, with fields of endless alpine flowers blooming in summer (late June to August), a wave of gold and crimson hues breaking across the mountainside in fall (late September to October), the stark, silent beauty of ice, snow, and rock in winter and the spring snowmelt slowly revealing the mountain's muted canvas before it bursts forth into color once more. Disembarking from the ropeway station is like stepping into another, exotic world above the clouds. However, the Komagatake Ropeway stands ready to whisk ordinary sightseers and hobby hikers to the base of the cirque, both sweat, and stress-free. Senjojiki sits at an elevation that's often the exclusive domain of experienced alpinists and reachable only after hours of hard climbing. Today it is an alpine paradise that lets you experience the grandeur of the Japanese Alps and witness the full majesty of the four seasons while immersed in incredible natural surroundings. The Senjojiki Cirque is a vast, amphitheater-shaped plain carved into the mountains by glacial activity millennia ago. Beautiful autumn colors spread across the Senjojiki Cirque

Japan best scenery