I just finished doing the 3-day circuit from August 1-3 and wanted to share my thoughts to hopefully add to the resources available online about this hike.
Transportation: I stayed in Matsumoto the night before and took a 530am bus to Kamikochi that arrived a little past 7. I did book the bus ticket a month in advance, and I think that ended up being necessary because this particular bus is popular.
I stored my luggage at Kamikochi bus terminal (there’s a luggage counter across from the information center). 400 yen a day so pretty cheap. Only requirement is to pick up and drop off from 6am to 5pm.
I left Kamikochi to go to Hirayu Onsen. Bought the bus ticket day of on my way back and just waited in line to get on a bus. Pretty straight forward, just leave yourself some time to catch the last bus of wherever you’re going.
Weather: I got lucky, and the weather was absolutely perfect the three days I was there. It was completely clear with no rain at all. Other hikers told me this was the upside to doing the hike in August versus July, when it can still be wet and is monsoon season. Still, I brought a light rain jacket to be safe. It gets chilly hanging out at the huts in the evening, so if you want to comfortably be outside to hang out or enjoy the sunset, bring a layer and long pants. I only had shorts and a rain jacket, so it often was too cold for me but I would stick it out for 10 minutes to see the sunset.
On the actual trail, almost everything after the first few hours from Kamikochi is exposed, and it started getting hot after like 6am in the sun. It’s all dry heat but can still get pretty hot after hours in the sun.
Water/food/bathroom: Every hut allows you to refill your water (for a small donation), and every hut also offers meals, so you could pack ultra light if you wanted to. By the end I aimed to only have about 1.5-2L of water with me whenever I filled up, and that was erring on the safe side. I never ran out of water before making it to the next hut. Every hut also has a bathroom you can use (for a donation).
Hut reservations and planning: I think my ideal course would have been staying at Yarigatake Hut and then at Hotakadake Hut. This breaks up the 3 days pretty evenly. I stayed at Kita-Hotaka hut on the second day instead, and even though the hut was lovely, it meant I finished early at like 11am with nothing to do and then had a pretty monster long day on day 3 when I was getting pretty beat by the end of it. Yarigatake Hut I just reserved online in advance. I imagine Hotakadake is the same. For Kita Hotaka, they actually only do phone reservations so I had to ask my friend who spoke Japanese to call for me a month in advance.
Also all the huts only take cash, so make sure you arrive to Kamikochi with a good chunk! (I spent like 30-35k yen during the 3 days).
Each hut just has a bunch of futons next to each other basically. Lights out usually around 830 and people will start rustling at 4am. Sunrise was at like 4:50 but it’s light out at 4:30. Each hut I stayed at had a charging station with a bunch of outlets.
Maps: Google Maps actually worked incredibly well in the Alps. I downloaded an offline map of the region and referred to it when in doubt. The GPS was pinpoint accurate as to where you were on the trail and if you were off course. The only thing missing was the Dakesawa trail. Google Maps also has the Kanji name of the peaks and huts, which is useful because many of the signs will be in Kanji, and you just have to do a little bit of character matching.
There are also some trail maps in the beginning after Kamikochi and at some of the huts. Other hikers will also likely have maps if you need to double check something.
Generally though, the trail is super well marked. There will almost always be a white circle on a rock within eyesight if you’re on the trail. If you don’t see one and something feels off, you probably veered slightly off course and can just backtrack.
Necessary gear: Shoes with good traction (many people had hiking boots but I used Salomon trail runners because I like lighter shoes and they worked great). Something to carry water. A backpack. Sunscreen. Hat. Cash!!
Recommended gear: Helmet (98% of people on the trail had one). Ear plugs (noise galore in the huts). A bandana or towel for sweat (I washed my bandana and used it also as a sleeping mask). Snacks for fuel. Chapstick.
Physical requirements of the hike: On days 2 and 3, I was on all fours during the ridge hikes and mountain summits. They’re just gigantic and steep rock scrambles. So you definitely need to be comfortable using your hands for balance, leverage, and in some instances to help pull yourself up. Balance is key.
I happened to do Fuji like 5 days before this hike, and that actually helped a lot with my conditioning. My lower body was so sore after Fuji, but it adapted well going into this 3-day trek so that I wasn’t a complete wreck on days 2 and 3. So I would suggest doing some kind of big hike to condition your quads and glutes beforehand.
I will say I saw a ton of people in their 60s (at least) manage these portions of the hike, so I don’t think a ridiculous amount of strength is necessary at all. Focus and care are 100% more important. As long as you’re patient, have experience hiking, aren’t afraid of heights, and are comfortable on rock scrambles, you should be okay. Of course, don’t be reckless. People do get hurt on the course every year. But I would say don’t let the online lore of the Darikiretto discourage you. Approach it with respect and care, but it’s totally manageable on a clear day.
The Alps were so stunning, and it was incredible to summit so many peaks in such quick succession. Have a great hike if you go, and please treat the trail and people with respect so we can have it for perpetuity!
by BDR94