First Day of Kamikochi in 2024

In 2024, Kamikochi opens for the first day on April 17. We took one of the earliest buses from Hirayu Onsen, and the journey didn't take long. There weren't many people waiting for the bus, probably because it was still very early. We chose to get off at Taisho Pond and walked to Kappa Bridge, a distance of about 3-4 kilometers. Along the way, some spots were still covered with ice, making it very slippery. The weather was quite cold, the trees hadn't sprouted leaves yet, and they looked quite dry. Notably, there were many Thai tourists.