Visited the followings in early and late Oct for koyo.
Hakuba
visited Tsugaike Kogen in early Oct. Did not complete the loop due to misty day. Returned to stay in Hakuba Wadano for overnight onsen. The 3 summits of Shirouma-dake were already covered in snow.
Tsugaike kogen in early Oct
Hakuba Wadano in late Oct
Mt Shirouma covered in snow – viewed Hakuba Happo
The Alpine route
Visited the Alpine route for the 1st time on public holiday from Hakuba. Due to huge crowd and long queue up to Daikanbo via ropeway, had to abandon that ride and return back to Tokyo via Ogizawa.
view of Mt Tateyama from Kurobe-daira @1800m
Naruko gorge
2nd visit. Finished walking trail at the bottom of the gorge which took about 1hr. Returned back to onsen town for quick lunch and daytime onsen before returning to Sendai.
Goshiki-numa (5-coloured ponds)
Prior to going for the walking trail takes about 1 hour, we took a lake cruise of Hibara-ko when it’s in peak colours. Of the ponds there we like these more – Yagi-numa, Ao-numa, Ruri-numa and Bishamon-numa.
Hibara-ko
lake cruise in Hibara-ko
Yagi-numa at the upper entrance
Aonuma
Ruri-numa
Mt Bandai from Ruri-numa
Benten-numa
Bishamon-numa
Nikko
Took the lake cruise where the most stunning foliage were.
our 1st trip to Hokkaido for fall foliage. We went to Daisetsuzan (大雪山) in late September during peak foliage 🙂
Kurodake (黑岳)
took Sounkyo ropeway and ski lifts to 7th level @1500m and commenced hiking to summit. Took about 1.5hr to reach summit @1984m. All are required to register at 7th level before hiking.
serious hiking required! During peak foliage season, no private car was allowed and all had to park their cars in a temporary parking area near Daisetsu-lake and change to special shuttle bus uphill to base @1300m. Before entering the park we had to listen to a briefing of the route, wild bear precautions, closing time etc. 1 round trip takes 4 to 5 hours, with only 1 or 2 makeshift toilets. There were lots of ups-and-downs and muddy paths along the way. Reaching the 1st pond took 1hr.
The most stunning ponds are Takimi-numa, Midori-numa, Ezo-numa, Kamo-numa etc. We did not finish the loop as by 1500 all are required to leave the park. By 1300 we arrived at Daigaku-numa, had a quick bite and turned back along the same route.
This is still one of most memorable foliage trip so far – the closest place to heaven !!
Asahidake is the highest peak in Hokkaido @2200m+. Took ropeway to top station @1600m where there were several hiking trails. Took the 1hr trekking course. The reflection of Asahidake in the Sugatami pond (姿見の池 ) was pristine. While fall foliage was fading up there, the forest between 1100 – 1600m was starting to turn into yellow.
Kamikochi @1400m is another favourite ‘koyo’ spot for us. We first visited in Nov 1999 when most foliage passed peak and were mostly brownish, with many leaves on the ground. We returned twice in different months – once in May and another trip in Oct. In 2010 we returned for the 4th time, hoping to catch fall colours at its peak. Turned out to be about 70% at eye level, where on the mountain slopes there were some patches of red and yellow.
We arrived early in the morning to start our trekking from Taisho-ike. The pond was almost still and serene. With almost perfect reflections of the Mt Hotaka range, Mt Yaki etc in the water, we were so pleased with Kamikochi as the finale of this koyo trip.
The Shin-Hotaka ropeway is a double-decker, stretching from 1100m up to 2100m. At the top observatory, a panoramic view of the JP Alps can be seen, with summits ranging from 2400m – 3100m like Mt Nishi-Hotaka, Mt Yari, Mt Kasa, Mt Yake etc.
Overall itin – Tokyo > The Alpine route (East to West) > Kurobe Gorge > Shin-hotaka > Kamikochi > Tokyo
The Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine route is the one of the most spectacular during fall foliage season. It descends from Murodo side from 2700m+ from mid September.
We visited in mid-Oct when peak fall foliage descended to about 1800-2200m. We took a “East-to-West” route, commencing from Ogizawa (on Nagano side) and exit in Tateyama (on Toyama side). We stayed in Omachi onsen-go the night before. While no car is allowed, all have to take 6 different types of transports within this route. Even though it was on a normal day, there were loads of tourists so we had to queue up between 5 to 20min.
From Ogizawa @1400m to Daikanbo @2300m (Nagano side)
The most beautiful fall foliage was between Kurobe-daira @1850m to Daikanbo. While we were walking across the Kurobe dam @1400m, water was released from the Kurobe lake. The ride on the ropeway was the highlight, where we were in a sea of colourful foliage.
Ogizawa station @1400m
water being released from Kurobe dam @12 noon
Lake Kurobe
queueing for cable car up to Kurobe-daira
Kurobe-daira @1800m
Mt Tateyama @3000m+ viewed from Kurobe-daira @1800m
view of Mt Tateyama @3000m+ from Kurobe-daira @1800m
ropeway to Daikanbo
on ropeway upto Daikanbo @2300m
view from Daikanbo
Murodo @2450m to Tateyama (Toyama side)
Once arrived at Murodo, we had a quick bite and took a walking trail of about 1hr. Fall foliage up there had passed its peak in the ponds such as Mikuriga-ike, however, we were lucky to have spotted some rare birds – Thunderbird (Raicho). We stayed in the Tateyama hotel – probably the highest hotel in Japan. Chose a French course and surprisingly it was better than expected, including its service. The next morning when we woke up we were literally above a sea of clouds. Thus, before descending we took a quick stroll along the walking trail to take advantage of clear blue sky and reflections in the ponds. Took the only highland bus, descended to Midagahara @1900m and did some trekking there for some fall foliage, though the peak had passed as well. On the way down from the bus, we passed Kobo probably @1600m and the colours were at peak! Next, we descended to Bijodaira @1100m where there were some huge Sugi trees. As it was turning late and it was well below the foliage zone, we decided to skip it and exit the Alpine route – we still had to travel to Unazuki onsen for overnight stay.
Murodo @2450m
sea of clouds in the morning from hotel room
Murodo-daira with Mt Tateyama in the background
Hotel Tateyama in Murodo
descended to Midagahara @1900m by bus
followed walking trails there
Bijyodaira station @1100m
took cable car descending to Tateyama station
Exiting the Alpine route in Tateyama station in the west
Myoko Kogen is in fact in Niigata Prefecture, on the border with Nagano Prefecture. 2nd visit since 2001. So glad to be back with a tint of fall foliage, probably 10% 🙂
Imori-ike (いもり池) with Mt Myoko in the background
Waterfalls in Myoko Kogen and in Suzaka
Visited 3 waterfalls, with probably 50% of fall colours.
Soutaki (惣滝) in Tsubame onsen
Otaki (大滝) in Seki-onsen
Dual waterfall – Yonako Daibakufu (米子大瀑布) in Suzaka, Nagano
Visited in early Oct for peak koyo (fall foliage) at higher elevations. Norikura Kogen > Togakushi > Myoko Kogen > Yonako dual waterfalls in Suzaka > Yudanaka onsen
Norikura Kogen (乗鞍高原）
From late September onwards, fall foliage would commence its descend from 2700m. Took the only shuttle bus to Tatami-daira (terminal) 乗鞍畳平 and started descending along the main road, alongside with many others doing the same, while from time to time, there were cyclists ascending ! Though the fall foliage has passed its peak @2500-2600m, it has descended to 2000-2300m with vivid colours on the way. Took about 5 hrs to descend to Resenkoya @2100m, before jumping on shuttle bus to return to base @1400m. On next morning, prior to hiking up to the summit of Mt Norikura, the pension owner was so nice to drive me to nearby Ichinose area with beautiful pond and foliage reflections.
Picked up a rental car near Nagano station and visited Kagami-ike (mirror pond) 鏡池 with reflections of Mt Togakushi. Fall foliage was probably about 30%. Walked part of the Togakushi-sando leading to Togakushi Jinja with a long boulevard of tall Japanese cedar trees (Sugi).
2nd visit since 2005. Took the new Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa from Tokyo. Visited Kenroku-en (兼六園), one of the 3 most famous gardens in Japan.
Shirakawa-go (白川郷)
World Heritage. 2nd visit since 2005, when the village was covered in snow in early December. This time we arrived after peak fall foliage.
Noto Peninsula
visited the western part known as Noto Kongo coastline as day trip before returning to Wakura onsen town for overnight stay.
Eagles’ nest rock
Kanmon rock
Hatago Iwa
Wakura onsen town
Kurobe gorge (黒部峡谷)
2nd visit since 2010. This time we reached the innermost Keyakidaira by Torroko train where fall foliage has clearly passed its peak, though there were still some in the Unazuki onsen town.
