I last explored the Japanese Alps in 2015 from Takayama to Kanazawa. This time (June 2024), I was exploring the eastern side which include the Alpine Route, Matsumoto, the Nakasendo Trail, Ise Shrines before going on to Osaka. There was a lot of media reports about over-tourism but I've hardly experienced any of it during this trip.
Day 1: Landed in Nagoya Airport at 10:15am after transiting in Seoul. No other international flight at that time, so passing through immigration was a breeze, possibly the easiest I've experienced. I picked up my JR Alpine Route pass at the airport again with no queue and reached Takayama by 3pm. The Hida Express has been upgraded to a new and shiny train. During a weekday, Takayama was virtually empty, with only some activity at the historical street. Went back to a restaurant I've eaten in 2015 (Altezza) which was still good but prices had risen significantly. My hotel was Tokyu Stays which is 3 mins walk from the train station and the best hotel during my trip with thoughtful Japanese design elements, in-room washer/dryer and lovely onsen.
Day 2: Hida Open-Air Museum, which is a curated collection of buildings around the region – sort of a mini-Shirakawago and much less crowded. Good alternative for those who are not going to Shirakawago. Made my way to Toyama (amazing views from the train) in preparation for the Alpine Route and was pleasantly surprised at the train station area, which is fairly new and spacious.
Day 3: Woke up early for the 8am departure; the Alpine Route is a well-oiled machine, as long as you made a reservation for the Tateyama ropeway. The best part for me was the bus ride between the top of Tateyama and Murode (highest point of the Alpine Route), with gorgeous views. At Murode, there was still snow in early June and I was not prepared for the blinding snow – bring along your sunglasses! People were slipping at some steep areas. Away from the main lodge and the snow wall area, it was much less crowded and I had lunch at the onsen restaurant. The ponds were frozen and there weren't any flowers so it wasn't as scenic I expected it to be. There were many group tourists, especially along the snow walls but still fairly manageable. Kurobe Dam was splendid but you can't hang around too long because the transport options were limited and infrequent.. The final connection from Shimano Omachi to Matsumoto required a 45 mins wait for a local train and then a 1 hour journey. Matsumoto train area is much older than Toyama and feels as if you're stepping back into the 1980s.
Day 4: Day trip to Kamikochi – took a train (which was packed full of university students heading for classes and then cleared out after the university station) and then a bus. Again, super-scenic and an easy and flat 60 minute hike, I would recommend getting off at Taisho Pond, which is quiet and serene compared to the bus terminal area. Was amazed that even at this isolated spot, there is a splendid high-tech toilet. Most tourists were congregated at the Kappa Bridge area but again still manageable since you can just walk 5 minutes for a quieter vibe. They kept reminding you to make a reservation for the buses departing from Kamikochi but my departure wasn't even filled up. It might be different for peak periods though.
Day 5: Matsumoto Castle and Museum of Art – on a Saturday, I was expecting this to be super-crowded. However, there was a only a short wait at the top of the castle (due to the small size and very steep stairs). There were some nice shopping areas near the castle and I had a lovely lunch at Storyhouse at Nawate Street. Museum of Art was mostly for Yayoi Kusama and was a short and sweet experience. Travelled to Nakatsugawa for the Nakasendo walk the followng day and the limited express was packed! My lodgings (Ryokan O) was fully occupied, which was surprising, as I thought this was fairly off the beaten track. The town itself is super-quiet even on a Saturday evening.
Day 6: I started by taking the train to Nagiso (mistake – tapping with a Suica card at Nakatsugawa when the destination had no IC fare gate – had to pay in cash), transferred to Tsumago to start the walk. It was sunny in the morning and then got cloudy and drizzled by the time I ended up in Magome, which made it look more scenic. There were more ups-and-downs then I've expected and you would see fellow hikers every few minutes. Ended my day in Nagoya, which was fairly quiet on a Sunday evening. The hotel (Croom) was located near the red-light district as there were pimps on the corners nearby asking if I wanted Japanese sex but it was way more low-key than Shinjuku/Kabukicho.
Day 7: Took the touristy limited express to Ise (Shimakaze) with super-plush seats and an exquisite cafe-carriage. At the Inner Shrine, there were lots of domestic tourists and school groups (all male – maybe someone can enlighten me whether this was a coincidence or that only male students make the pilgrimage?) and since the grounds were huge, the procession was quite orderly. There is of course a wonderful shopping street near the shrine. The Outer Shrine had a lovely garden with iris blooming and then it was back to the station for the journey to Osaka.
Day 8: Mostly shopping and trying to walk the whole stretch of Shinsaibashi (made it as far as Honmachi area). Went to the Osaka Aquarium at 6pm where there's no queue nor crowd. It's old (1980's vibe) but fairly well-maintained. My home country has a better aquarium, so it was comparatively underwhelming.
Day 9: Mt Koya – lovely train ride into the mountains and I recommend getting off the Ichinohashi for an atmospheric approach to the cemetery. On a Wednesday, quite a number of restaurants were closed so did not manage to try the famous vegetarian cuisine. Kongobuji was worth a visit and then I walked all the way to Daimon Gate before taking the bus back to Koyasan. If pressed for time, I think skipping the Daimon Gate is fine.
Day 10: I hesitated about visiting Kyoto due to reports of over-tourism and I've been there 3 times already. However, I made it to Tofuku-ji and one of the sub-temples (Komyo-in) and with very few people, it was a delight. A contrast to the bustling Fushimi-Inari area just 1 stop away.
Summary: I think the media hype about over-tourism or bad behaviour is confined to a few spots (certain parts of Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt Fuji) ; all of the places I've visited during this trip had lots of domestic tourists and a smattering of foreign tourists but none were as crowded as the Louvre or Versaille which I visited last year. The mountain scenery was spectacular was I'm planning for an autumn trip next time!
by BonneybotPG