Topic: Nara Park Bus Terminal, Nara tours Publish date: May 2nd, 2025
The Nara Park bus terminal is a stylish and modern wooden building located right across Nara Park. This terminal isn’t just for boarding city buses, but it also has kimono rentals, plenty of resting areas, bathrooms, restaurants, information about Nara, and a rooftop garden (3F) with benches where people can look over Nara Park from a vantage view. Several tours buseswhich lead to Mt.Wakakasa have drop offs around the area.
Currently two tours are running in Nara, the World Heritage Tour with Kamameshi and Matcha and the Perfect Nara Park course. To book a tour in Nara, check here for tours administered by the prefectures main bus company. Tours can be booked online or at the Nara Kotsu Sightseeing Bus Information Center, located a 8 minute walk from Nara Park Bus Terminal.
Facilityhours: 7:30 AM ~ 8 PM
Access
🟢From Kintetsu Nara
take Exit 1 and walk 10 minutes
🟢From JR Nara Station
head towards bus stop #2 and board bus 2, 77, or 97 and get off at Kencho-mae (Kenchozen) bus stop
1F (Souvenir Store + Information Desk)
Pick up an assortment of Nara souvenirs such as famous Nara snacks, Nara letter prints, and even Nara leaf wrapped sushi! Inside is also an information desk, a stylish brunch like cafe serving roasted meats and smoothies, a 7-11 convenience store, and an ATM where you can withdraw international currency.
Souvenir store hours: 10:00 AM ~ 6:30 PM Information desk hours: 7:30 AM ~ 8 PM
2F (Nara Story– interactive information about Nara)
Resembling a small museum, “Nara Story” is a newly constructed area packed with information about Nara, its history, and even quizzes for guests of all ages to enjoy. Nara Story introduces the several power spots in Nara, the origin story about Nara deer, Japan’s oldest history scriptures (Kokiji and Manyoshu), and trivia about different Nara sake.
Nara Story hours: 7:00AM ~ 8PM
2F (Indoor Rest Space & Cafes)
On the second floor there is also a large indoor rest space with plenty of seating and a view of Nara Park. There are also two bathrooms on this floor. On this floor is Starbucks and also a Gyukaku restaurant, famous for its deep fried beef cutlets. It is separated in two parts, one which holds lecture halls and exhibitions, and one with the stores.
Starbucks hours: 7 AM ~ 8 PM Gyukaku hours: 7:30 AM ~ 8 PM
3F (Outdoor Panoramic View Resting Space)
Up the stairs and outside is a spacious rooftop garden space with benches and a grass area where you can enjoy a view of Mt.Wakakusa, Nara Park, and Todai-ji Temple! There large grass area is a great spot for children to play and there are even deer sculptures you can take a photo op with while looking at the panoramic view of Nara.
Every year the Takayama Festival (Spring) is held on April 14th and 15th. April 14th is where most of the major festivities are held including the night festival. If you missed the festival on the 14th, don’t fret! You can still see the floats another day. On the 15th, the parade returns to the main shrine and several dances and puppet shows are held throughout the day. Depending on the weather, there are cases where the festival finishes early or is cancelled due to the fragile nature of the floats so please keep this in mind.
How to get to Takayama from Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka
April 15th: On this day, a procession makes its way back to Hie Shrine where they departed the day before. There are also puppet shows put on through different times throughout the day. At the procession locals dress up in traditional wear and play music as they march back to Hie Shrine. There are also Shishimai (lion) dances that take place in front of the Takayama Historical Government House.
Takayama Spring Festival April 15th Schedule
Note: This is the basic schedule, however often schedules can be completely changed due to weather conditions so pay attention to live updates.
Marionette Performance #1
10:00 AM (around 15 mins)
Procession starts (in front of Takayama Historical Government House )
12:30 PM
Marionette Performance #2
2:00 PM (around 15 mins)
Procession ends at Hie Shrine
4:00 PM
The schedule is subject to change depending on weather (such as rain).
Takayama City decides and has live updates on which events are cancelled the day of found on their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Takayama Float Locations (for the marionette dances)
*Each float has a unique performance. For example, the Shakkyo marionette includes a lion dance and lion transformation while the Ryujin marionette includes a blast of confetti. Floats in red show which ones are putting on shows.
12:30 PM
Get off at Takayama Nohi Bus Center adjacent to Takayama Station. I missed the lion dance earlier, but the streets were lively with a lot of tourists.
1:20 PM
Around Honmachi street, there are festival food and game stalls selling classic festival foods like chocolate bananas, sugar coated fruits, fried foods and more! Many local children were out with their friends playing games.
Similar to the Ponshukan Sake Museum in Niigata Prefecture, Takayama also opened a sake sample bar located in the souvenir store Maryuhyaku where you can sample 100 different typesof the areas award winning sake, which is proudly produced in the area.
1:50 PM
After walking through the main streets and even doing some shopping, people started to make their ways to several different float stalls. I arrived 10 minutes early and was already far behind in the crowd!
Not all Takayama floats have puppets on them–my best advice is to see where the Japanese crowds migrate to (lol). Those with puppets will have a protruding stage in front of it for the doll. Floats with dolls on them are: Ebisu, Ryujin, Sanbasou, Shakkyo, Koukondai.
2:00 PM
The puppet dances start at each respective stall at 2PM and lasts around 15 minutes. This particular float (Shakkyo) was located right in front of the Takayama Municipal Government Memorial Hall. It did some pretty nifty tricks that were totally unexpected.
Hotels/ Lodging
Most guests opt to stay the night in Takayama to enjoy the festival and area at a more leisurely pace. The area is abundant in nature activities, luxurious foods like Hida beef, and natural hot springs. To truly experience the hot springs and hiking, the Okuhida region of Takayama has hiking trails, hot springs, and access to the national park Kamikochi. Next door is also Hida Furukawa famous for inspiring the anime movie, “Your Name” where many people enjoy riding bicycles by the rice fields. Lastly, the Kamioka region is a retro town famous for its outdoor bicycle experience on an old abandoned railway track!
Check more detailed information about the bus routes/ prices in the area: here
Beyond famous World Heritage Sites such as Todaiji are ancient sites in the Ikaruga district and Nishinokyo area in central Nara Prefecture. Ancient temples in this area date back to the 6th and 7th century and are home to the first World Heritage Sites in all of Japan and the oldest wooden buildings in the world. If you want to have a more intimate, complete experience, rich in legacy away from the crowds, these areas are a great place to visit.
A majority of these World Heritage Sites are built in more rural parts of Nara, so transportation to them can be challenging. The most efficient and convenient way to reach the temples in this area is to get dropped off by bus via the Nara World Heritage Temple Tour with Kamameshi & Matcha. This tour bus takes you hassle-free through the temples and also includes a traditional Kamameshi lunch and a special matcha garden viewing experience.
Check the tour specifications and reservation information:here
List of temples covered on the day tour: 📍Horyuji Temple 📍Chuguji Temple (lunch after) 📍Jikoin zen Temple (w/ Matcha green tea) 📍Yakushiji Temple 📍Toshodaiji Temple 📍Heijo Palace Site・Suzaku Gate (view from inside bus) 📍Pick up/ Drop off at Kintetsu or JR Nara Station
Japan’s Oldest World Heritage Sites + Matcha & Kamameshi 🍵
While this tour is partially guided, they do leave you personal time to explore each heritage site on your own. For maximum efficiency, the tour also included a scheduled Kamameshi lunch and a matcha tea experience. While the tour is administered in Japanese, non Japanese speakers were given audio guides and pamphlets (for me, in English but there are also simplified and traditional Chinese available).
Several of these temples include Yakushi Nyorai, or the Medicine Buddha, so they are great places to pray for you or your loved one’s health while enjoying ancient architecture and history.
📍10AM~ Depart from Kintetsu Nara Bus Stop
This tour picks up participants daily from either JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station. After boarding, I was given a route tour map and an audio guide that had multiple language options. The pamphlet gave thorough explanations of the routes, instructions for the day, and maps. This tour is completely given in Japanese, but the guide is very sweet and accommodating to you. The audio guide uses GPS to give live explanations of passing landmarks.
The tour started with the guide on the bus collecting Goshuincho (temple signature books) from any passengers. Goshuin are a beautiful way to remember your visit to temples and shrines in Japan and is thought of as a way to donate and pay respect. They also make beautiful souvenirs as each temple or shrine has their own Japanese calligraphy and are thought as good luck for the afterlife.
Goshuin (Temple Signatures)
If you bring your Goshuincho (temple signature books), the guide will gather the temple signatures for you, saving you a lot of time to explore the grounds. On this particular tour, by paying an extra 2100 yen you can receive 5 in total.
Goshuincho (temple signature books) can be bought at any temple and shrine or even some souvenir stores. On the trip I was able to collect several beautiful goshuin, but one of the most beautiful goshuin I’ve ever received was from Yakushiji Temple, the 4th temple on the tour.
Famous points: First National Heritage Site in Japan, world’s oldest surviving wooden structure, Medicine Buddha (for health prayers),private seated viewing of the 1,400 year old Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu statue
After viewing the impressive architecture, we made our way to the main hall. Inside was a Medicine Buddha surrounded by two guardians that are meant to protect you at day and night. Many people pray for speedy recovery here. On our way to the Great Treasure Gallery (Daihozoin), we also passed the pond that inspired one of the most well known haiku (japanese poems) in Japan.
After passing the pond, we were left to explore the Great Treasure Gallery (Daihozoin) which housed ancient artifacts used by Prince Shotoku himself. Before meeting up again, there is a restroom and a vending machine to buy drinks from. We headed to Chuguji Temple where we had a private and peaceful viewing of one of Japan’s national treasure, a 1,400 year old Bodhisattva statue. The explanation was in Japanese, but the guide made sure to hand me an English information guide. Next we made our way to a restaurant nearby to eat!
Kamameshi Lunch (30 minute lunch)
This tour includes a kamameshi seafood lunch. Kamameshi is cooked in an iron kiln with flavorful rice that is infused with the flavors of the seafood cooked on top of it. The dish also came with side dishes of fried chicken, pickles, and egg.
The kamameshi was flavorful and the side dishes added a nice variety to the dish. The pot was deeper than I thought, and was full of flavorful and crispy rice! The seafood included crab, scallops and shrimp.
📍1:50PM~ Jikoin Zen Temple (Matcha tea experience)
Famous points:Moss garden and flowers, matcha tea service, tea room
Next stop was Jikoin Zen Temple, a tranquil and beautifully designed temple on a hill. Leading up to the temple were moss gardens, beautiful plum blossom trees, and camelia flowers. Everyone shuffled to the tea room and soon was welcomed by the temple’s monk who gave an explanation of the temple’s history. Although it was only in Japanese, his style of speech was artistic and unique, almost like an old traditional play.
After the tea service, visitors are able to explore the grounds before heading back to the bus. You also have an opportunity to talk to the monk for further questions if you want.
Matcha Tea ＆ Sweets
You will be served matcha tea and a sweet sugar treat shaped like the family emblem of the temple. Looking out at the mountain view with the cool breeze was healing in itself.
📍2:45 PM~ Yakushiji Temple
Famous points:Healing Buddha (for health), Buddha to pray for a first love/special meeting
Making your way to Yakushiji Temple, you instantly realize how massive the area is. The color and architecture of the buildings gave an aura of ancient China. This particular temple was built for the speedy recovery of the emperor’s wife, which she did heal from, but ironically was followed by him getting sick after. Enshrined in the center is a Medicine Buddha dedicated to healing her. The guide leads you to Toindo Hall, which also has a Buddha where you can pray tomeet your first love or a special person.
Inside the pagodas are magnificent and intricate murals of Buddha reaching Nirvana, however if you enjoy flowers and are there during the plum season, in March, behind the main lecture hall you can find a large plum tree garden. It was a fragrant and beautiful surprise.
The day I went, the monks were doing a sermon talking about the Great Japan Earthquake in 2011. After everyone prayed together, they handed out petals that were used in the ceremony for anyone to take. I received a few from the monk. Talk about lucky! After that, we had the opportunity to see national treasures within the hall and roam on our own.
📍3:50PM~ Toshodaiji Temple
Famous points:Chinese Buddhist monk Ganjin (鑑真), moss garden, ancient relics from the 6th century
Our last stop of the day was Toshodaiji Temple. This ancient temple is significant due to the Chinese monk named Ganjin (鑑真) who introduced Chinese culture to Japan, changing Japan’s history forever. Though pictures were not permitted, housed inside of Kondo Hall were stunning and gorgeous statues of a detailed 1000 handed Bodhisattva and Buddha. The grounds were tranquil and peaceful, but the best area was hidden in the back.
Leading to the grave of Ganjin (鑑真), there is a large moss garden shaded within the trees. The whole area was quiet and cool– it felt like a private experience and was great for pictures. As you approach the grave you can enjoy the natural wildlife and pay your respects if you please.
Suzakumon Gate
On the way back to JR Nara Station and Kintetsu Nara Station, the bus makes a stop briefly in front of Suzakumon Gate. There is time to take pictures and listen to the guide’s explanation.
~5:00 PM Arrive back at the station
At the end of the day the bus drops everyone off at the station on schedule. Today, a lot of ground was covered and in all honesty, without the bus taking us to each place it would have taken too much time to transfer from one place to the other. I personally preferred these World Heritage Sites over the ones closer to the stations because it felt completely different. You could truly still feel the history and sacredness of the past there.
Each area had different Buddhas to pray to and different styles of statues. While some were made from ancient Korea or India, it was very interesting to make comparisons. You could differentiate them from how thin the Buddha was, their faces, and in some cases even their poses.
If any of these world heritage sites tickle your fancy, this was an efficient way to spend the day considering most were in very rural areas with hard to find food places. I felt like I got what I paid for because everything, including entrance fees and the food were taken care of for me.
At the end of each tour, there is also a gift for participants. This time, I got a cute magnet of the deer mascot of the area, Shikamaru-kun which opens from a deer cracker.
This tour runs daily, but you can make an online reservation in advance:here
Do you know of the most famous spot to see the sunset in Nara?
Mt.Wakakusa is a 1112 ft tall mountain in Nara where you can overlook the border of Nara and Kyoto. If you’re traveling in Nara, (or in Japan in general), you might know that it involves a lot of walking. Nara in particular includes a lot of walking up slopes and stairs while dodging deers who might follow you if you have any trace of food (or in some instances paper) in your pockets! Mt.Wakakusa is popular amongst both locals and tourists because you can see almost the entirety of Nara prefecture alongside the Nara deer. It’s a great way to appreciate the Kansai region, but can be a bit tiring to hike.
For those who aren’t up for a hike, you can also get to Mt.Wakakusa by bus.
Hiking Mt.Wakakusa by Foot
Hiking up to Mt.Wakakusa includes some steep stairs and inclines, but for more experienced hikers, it might take only around 30 minutes from the entrance. On average, especially if you like to take your time, it can take up to 45 minutes or even an hour. Once you reach the summit of the mountain, you’ll be greeted by many Nara deer basking in the ambiance. Hiking down is of course faster, but if you stay for sunset, it may start to get dark and cold.
Starting Place to Mt.Wakakusa Summit
Estimated Time Taken
Kintetsu Nara Station
1 hour~
JR Nara Station
1 hour 20 minutes~
Nara Park
45 minutes~
Todaiji Temple
1 hour~
The entrance is located here:
Mt.Wakakusa Vehicle Entrance Fee
Mt.Wakakusa has an entrance fee only for cars and buses. The price will be covered if you take the bus, but if you take taxi, you may also have to pay that the entrance fee price.
Vehicle Classification
Mt.Wakakusa Summit Route
Going Through All Courses
Motorcycle
500 yen
950 yen
Light Motor Vehicle (Yellow plate cars)
700 yen
1,600 yen
Mini Compact Vehicle (Also yellow plate but smaller than light motor vehicles)
700 yen
2,010 yen
Standard Vehicle (White plate cars)
700 yen
2,110 yen
Microbus
1,500 yen
4,430 yen
Large Bus or Truck
2,500 yen
5,830 yen
Note: In Japan there are different sizes of cars and each are taxed differently based on size and weight. Standard vehicles (普通自動車) are normal sized cars often seen abroad and have a white license plates. Other car rental stores also rent out light motor vehicles (軽自動車）which are much smaller and bear a yellow license plate.
Wakakusayama Hill Entrance Fee
Adults (Junior High and above)
Children (Over 3 years old)
Individual
150 yen
80 yen
Group (more than 30 people)
120 yen
60 yen
Getting to Mt.Wakakusa by Bus
If you want to get to Mt.Wakakusa, the Perfect Nara Park Tour bus takes you through the main tourist attractions of Nara City with several perks along the way. This half day afternoon tour covers three main areas: Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Mt.Wakakusa.
The schedule is as following:
📍12:30 PM Depart at JR Nara Station 📍12:35 PM Depart at Kintetsu Nara Station 📍12:45 PM~ Arrive at Todai-ji Temple 📍2:00 PM~ Arrive at Kasuga Taisha Shrine 📍3:30 PM~ Arrive at Mt.Wakakusa Summit 📍4:25 PM Drop off at Kintetsu Nara Station 📍4:30 PM Drop off at JR Nara Station
After riding this bus, you also get a complimentary unlimited 2 day Nara Yamatoji bus pass for local buses in Nara (all the way down to Tanzan Shrine!) and a cute deer handkerchief. It’s a great deal if you planned to spend several days in Nara, as many stores and restaurants tend to be spread out as soon as you leave the main city area by the stations.
Spacious Seating on the Bus
The buses were quite spacious and came with a charging port and even a light! Each seat is also covered with cute Nara designs, making it fun and easy to remember which seat you sat at.
The Perfect Nara Park Tourbus can be reserved online in advance or bought up to 10 minutes before departure time. You can make an appointment at the JR Nara Station Bus Information Center (directly in front of the train station entrance), or the Nara Kotsu Sightseeing Bus Information Center (located right across Kintetsu Nara Station). The rate includes entrance fees to the temples, a deer fortune at Kasuga Taisha Shrine, crackers to feed deer with, and the transportation/guide.
Check the available dates and book in advance:here
📍Starting the Day in Nara
Since I was aiming for Mt.Wakakusa around sunset, I decided to explore the areas around Kintetsu Nara Station and eat lunch. There’s plenty to do here from watching the high speed pounding mochi man, walking the old shotengai (Japanese traditional shopping streets), or enjoying light souvenir shopping. Streets such as Higashimuki Shopping Street, to my surprise had a blend of both traditional and more modern facilities. By the Kintetsu ticket center, I also found a bunch of Gatcha machines featuring the Nara City’s mascot, Shikamaro-kun.
Around the area there were many stylish jazz cafes, tea houses, sandwich & crepe restaurants and even a well stocked record store (for any audiophiles out there). After eating lunch, I headed towards the Nara Kotsu Sightseeing Bus Center and waited for the bus. The bus info center has indoor seating and a bathroom so you can sit as you wait.
Nara Kotsu Sightseeing Bus Information Center
This information center is packed with information about places you can get to from Nara such as Nagoya and Shinjuku. You can also purchase one or two day bus passes here.
12:30-12:35 Depart from JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station
My first deer of the day. Taken by the Kintetsu Nara Pick Up Point
Around 12:35, the bus came to pick me up and to my surprise, I was also luckily greeted by this cute deer mascot!! It was so cute as it waved us goodbye. After passenger check up, the bus left on schedule with a few greetings from the bus driver and the guide on the bus.
12:45PM~ Arrive at Todaiji Temple Parking Lot
First stop: Great South Gate (Nandaimon)
First on the stop is the Nandaimon, the gate before entering Todaiji. Here is where you make your first encounters with deer. Walking with the guide, you get priceless information regarding the history of the gate, structures, and even the deer. (I’ll keep it a secret though). After a brief introduction about the gate, we reached the ground of Todaiji Temple.
Arrive on Todaiji’s grounds and meet the Great Buddha
Entering the grounds of the temple is almost breathtaking. Todaiji is known as one of the biggest wooden temples in Japan, but that description doesn’t suffice to seeing it in person. The temple itself is massive–its size towers over every visitor walking up to it. And that’s only a prefix to what’s inside.
Greeting you directly at the entrance of Todaiji is a 500 ton bronze Buddha statue (almost 100 elephants for your perspective). One the Great Buddha’s nostrils alone is 1 meter long (around 3 ft) and his massive height leaves you starstruck. The inside of the temple is cool and there are many other activities to do such trying to gain protection by squeezing yourself through a pillar (don’t underestimate yourself!), or meeting a statue that grants you healing congruent to the body part you touch.
Squeeze your way through the darkness for good luck 🍀
2:00PM~ Arrive at Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Make your way through the moss lanternforest Before reaching Kasuga Taisha Shrine, you’ll make your way through rows and rows of moss lanterns shaded within a cool forest. Walking through the lanterns almost felt like being transported through a different dimension, as there were deer guarding the lanterns and bowing at you as you pass.
Reach the Kasuga Taisha grounds Once reaching the grounds, you can learn about the ancient history surrounding the base of the mountain the shrine is enshrined upon.
Enjoy the lanterns and the sacred shrine of Nara Kasuga Taisha is lined with hundreds of golden and bronze lanterns which change color over time. You can also enjoy seeing the lit lanterns in a dark room.
Test your luck with a Deer Nara Fortune Before departing, you will get the opportunity to draw Omikuji (fortune) from the shrine. Each fortune has a different range of luck from bad to excellent. Each fortune includes detailed information about each part of your life including love, work life, and even what is your lucky direction! It’s a fun way to test your luck and is completely included in the bus/tour fare.
3:30PM~ Arrive at Mt.Wakakusa Summit
Reach the summit peak Finally, we made our way towards Mt.Wakakusa. As you head toward the summit from the parking lot, you start to notice deer of all sizes lounging peacefully, enjoying the fresh mountain air. The summit area itself is a large and vast park, and as you step closer to the summit, the mass panoramic view of all of Nara starts to emerge before you. When joining this bus, you get crackers to feed the deer with, so you can spend your time mingling with the deer while enjoying the view!
Take in the views of the mountains+ deer From the mountain summit you can see the top of Todaiji and even the border of Kyoto. The top is not so cold, and instead there is a really soft breeze which makes it a wonderful and more intimate experience.
After feeding the deer, the bus heads back down to Kintetsu Nara Station (~4:25 PM) or JR Nara Station (~4:30 PM). If you want to be dropped off at Kofuku-ji Temple, then the bus can also drop you off here. Before departing you are handed your 2 day Nara Yamatoji Pass and deer handkerchief!
Where you can go with the 2-day pass
Tanzan Jinja Shrine Tanzan Shrine is home to a unique 13 story, 17 meter (55 ft) high pagoda and stunning fall foliage that rivals the overly crowded Ruriko-in Temple in Kyoto. The shrine is beautiful all year round as its quiet location is completely surrounded by nature in the mountains.
Kashihara City Kashihara is a quiet town in southern Nara known for its charming old styled streets, vast Kashihara Jingu (shrine) and in the fall time, their giant field of cosmos flowers at Fujiwara Palace Ruins. Right next to Kashihara City is also the Asuka area, famous for its deep history and stunning nature views.
Overall thoughts
The Perfect Nara Park Tour bus is quite convenient and time flew by faster than I thought. It’s a great way to bypass crowds, save time and energy, and learn something new! I think the tour is suitable especially for families, but they are very inclusive if you go alone. I personally went alone and not only the guide but the guests never let me feel left behind!
It was reasonable considering the fare included crackers, the bus pass, entrance fees, and fortune that you get included with the tour. The 2-Day Nara Yamatoji Pass gifted to us was especially useful and I used it multiple times to go to spots more spread out from the station. Nara afterall is a huge area with so much to see past the area of the tour.
If you are planning to do a round trip journey from Tokyo, there is actually a cheaper way to get to Kamikochi if you make one transfer via bus. It can save you up to 10,000 yen.
Kamikochi is one of the most popular national parks in all of Japan, located in the Japanese Alps of Nagano Prefecture. Annually, visitors flock to the area to enjoy the park’s pristine clear waters, fresh air, and hiking routes. Kamikochi can be reached in around 5 hours by bus from Tokyo and 1 hour by bus from central Takayama. Once a year the park closes during the winter season and reopens in spring due to the high amounts of snow. Spring in Kamikochi can still be a bit cool, but flowers and greenery start to take light again. Kamikochi is beautiful year-round, but spring offers unique sights that set it apart from other seasons.
Enjoy Nirinso Flowers Blooming
In Kamikochi there is a famous wildflower which blooms in Spring. The Nirinso is a small, delicate flower that blooms in fields around Kamikochi. You can spot these flowers by taking only a five minute walk from Kappa Bridge, the main photo spot in Kamikochi, or a 10 minute walk from the bus parking lot to Konashidaira Campground.
Nirinso
Nirinso is a wildflower that is part of the buttercup flower family, and is native to Japan and commonly found in the woodlands. The flowers can be spotted at Konashidaira Campground, located next to Kappa Bridge, the main bridge in Kamikochi and bloom starting May.
Enjoy Wildlife Make Their Return
If you’re a fan of birdwatching, in spring, many birds wake from their hibernation and can be seen all around the park. Other wildlife such as monkeys, ducks and weasels can also be seen all around the park as they make their return for spring.
Wild Birds
The Kamikochi area has over 100 variety of birds. Some varieties include the Grey Wagtail, Brown Dipper, Bush Warbler, and Pygmy Woodpecker.
Tips for Spring in Kamikochi:
Cold Temperatures: Although it is spring, temperatures in Kamikochi can still be quite cold especially during early April. It is advisable to wear thermals and prepare for some snow to still be on the ground. There also instances where you can still see snow on the mountains or on the paths during early spring.
Some Hiking Routes in Kamikochi:
Route (from Parking Lot)
Time Taken (one way/way up)
Taisho Pond Trail
1 hour
Mt.Yakedake
5 hours
Karasawa Hutte
5 hours
Opening dates:
Kamikochi reopens April 17th, 2025.
Hotels on the premises will not be opened until later in the month. While day trips are possible, if you truly want to enjoy the Japanese Alps, we recommend booking a hotel on the premises or staying in the nearby onsen area, Okuhida or in Takayama City so you can take your time in Kamikochi. For those with more time on their hands, we recommend staying 2 or more days as the area has many breathtaking hiking routes spread throughout the Nagano and Gifu regions. Okuhida also offers many ryokan (Japanese Inn) and onsen (hot spring bathing) for nature lovers. Buses from Okuhida (Hirayu Bus Terminal) to Kamikochi have resumed on the 17th.
Nearby Attractions/ Hiking Routes
Mt.Norikura
Mt.Norikura is the highest mountain that can be reached by bus (and bicycle!). The mountain is only a 1 1/2 hours away by bus from Kamikochi. To get here, depart from Hirayu Bus Terminal for Honokidaira Bus Terminal. From Honokidaira Bus Terminal, there are buses once an hour that take you to Mt. Norikura.
Okuhida Onsengo
Okuhida Onsengo is a onsen resort area 20 minutes from Kamikochi. Some popular hiking routes include: Mt.Kasagatake, Mt.Yake, and Nishihotakadake.
