While talking with my friend Jessica in August about possible trekking options, we came across a picture of Karasawa Cirque and looked no further. This natural amphitheater sits 2300 meters above sea level and boasts great views of some of the tallest mountains in Japan, a huge, sprawling campsite that can hold over 800 tents, and gorgeous colors in the fall. It’s also accessible from Kamikochi, a famous nature area in Nagano that I’ve been wanting to go to since I arrived a few years back. Sign me up!
What followed was hours trawling the internet in English and Japanese to find information about the trail to the cirque (how difficult, how long, how dangerous), many a trip to Montbell for hiking supplies, and religiously checking the weather to scope out a good time to climb.
Kamikochi Bus Terminal –> Kappa Bridge (5 min) –> Myojin (55 min) –> Tokusawa (60 min) –> Yokoo (70 min)
Aaaaand here is the second half:
Yokoo –> Hontani Bridge (60) –> Karasawa Hyutte (120 min)
And, following a disastrous but informative first attempt at the end of September, we tried again in the beginning of October.
Day 1
Time: 7:15 AM Elevation: ~1500
When we got off the bus at Kamikochi bus terminal, we knew we could make it all the way to the cirque in one day. There had been talk of stopping three hours in, at Yokoo, but the weather and our sheer joy and excitement convinced us that that wasn’t an option. A little bit of stretching, a bathroom break, and we were off!
Our first landmark was the famous Kappa Bridge. About a five minute walk from the bus terminal, it is known as a great photo spot, with the red bridge contrasting with the cool, clear water below and the Hotaka mountains behind it. We paused briefly, then continued past the bridge and immediately stopped again.
MONKEYS!
A crowd quickly gathered, especially when a mamma monkey and her little piggybacking-baby appeared. We eventually moved on after watching the monkeys tussle and eat berries.
Just past the monkeys was the Konashidaira camp ground. This area made the news about two months ago when a camper was attacked in the middle of the night, in her tent, by a bear.
After this, the trail was quickly eaten by the forest, and we were surrounded by bamboo grass (笹, sasa, in Japanese) and trees. The sun poked out every once in a while, but the clouds ruled the skies
Myojin
We made it to Myojin in a little under an hour, on par with the estimate. Myojin consists of a hut and some bathrooms, nothing fancy. If you take a slightly longer way by crossing the Kappa Bridge back at the beginning, you’ll pass more lodging, a beautiful shrine, and a bridge we crossed last time that we about got blown off of!
Sorry the picture is a bit blurry!!
Tokusawa
Still making good time, we chuckled a bit at how fast we’d made it to this point. On our first attempt to the Karasawa Cirque, it took us about three hours to get here and we promptly turned around after eating a hot bowl of curry. The rain was just too heavy. Glad the weather was perfect this time around! We stopped for a quick rest and to admire the view of the mountains behind the tents before continuing on. Everything beyond this point was new territory!
Yokoo
By the time Jessica and I got to Yokoo, the halfway point, we were still feeling good. When we stopped to eat some snacks, I noticed that many more people were coming from the direction of Karasawa than were going to it. Good news for us! From here, we knew the trail was going to become much steeper. Noooo problem!
Hontani Bridge
Ooookaaayyyy, maybe a little bit of a problem. When we finally reached this wobbly suspension bridge over the water and rocks, we definitely needed a break. Funny how going uphill suddenly makes your backpack that much heavier, huh?
It was definitely slow going once we passed this point. The trail was an uphill slog, covered in uneven rocks. We found ourselves pulling off to the side every few minutes to let people pass us, and we were beginning to think that maybe we should’ve stopped at Yokoo.
Then, about 30 min from the top, we were caught in a sudden shower. We rushed to pull on our rain covers and I stuffed my camera into my backpack. Of course, as always happens, no sooner had I hoisted my backpack back on that the rain stopped. Oh well.
FINALLY, we got close enough to really see the hut. It was here that the trail split, with one going to the hyutte and the other going to the hut (confusing I know). Luckily for us, an older Japanese hiker was taking a break here and we overheard him talking to some other hikers. “If you’re planning to camp, take this trail to the other hut. It doesn’t go all the way there; it actually brings you out to the middle of the campground and you’ll be able to see the reception from there.” Sweet! Let’s go!
The Karasawa Cirque’s Rocky Campsite
Rocks, rocks, trees, trees, tent, rocks, tree — wait, a TENT?! Yup, there among the rocks was a lone tent. Which means…
…we finally made it to the Karasawa Cirque!
So began our quest to find a good campsite, one that was as level and smooth as possible. There were actually a ton spread out all over the place, and it was fun to look around the rocky terrain and see all these little hollows where tents could go. So many possibilities! We finally picked a hollow, threw up the tent quick, and while Jessica organized the inside, I got in line to register our tent and pay.
Almost as soon as I got in line, I realized that it was like… really cold. I still had on my thin clothes which were definitely meant for sunny skies at a lower altitude; now that I wasn’t moving and the sky was thick with clouds, I looked around at everyone wearing hats and gloves and hoped that the line would move faster.
It was somewhere around this time that I realized that everyone in line was holding a paper. So, I asked the lady behind me — “I’m sorry, it’s my first time. Where did you get that paper?” She directed me to a small area nearby where there were a couple people crouched over a table scribbling. I ran over, filled it out with shaking hands, then went to get back in line. The lady I talked to earlier was kind enough to let me back in to my original spot!!
The first hut in the Karasawa Cirque — Karasawa Hyutte
Tent — check! Warm jacket — check! Hat — check!
Next on the list was to check out the Hyutte. Jessica and I took pictures on the way up, turned the corner to see the building proper and– “WAIT. Does that guy have gyudon?” We watched as a man with a steaming bowl of SOMEthing walked by and sat at a nearby table. “Oh my gosh I think that was gyudon!” We ran over to the counter and saw gyudon, curry and rice, and ramen. I have never been happier to see hot food in my entire life. I ordered the gyudon, then sat and enjoyed the view for a bit while I waited. It. was. THE best gyudon I’ve ever eaten. Hot air few out of my mouth in big steaming breaths as I inhaled that delicious bowl of food. It was gone too soon, but we felt great knowing that we had access to a hot meal.
Before we headed back to the tent, we went past the food area to fill up our water bottles and go to the bathroom. Very lucky for us and extremely convenient, water was free! There was a big trough with water spouts for people to rinse things off, fill things up, and brush teeth. The bathrooms were located in rooms below this. They were the typical mountain hut bathrooms and they definitely smelled like it too.
In the tent
We stayed in the tent for the rest of the daylight hours. As we rearranged ourselves and our stuff and prepared for nightfall, I shifted my legs to reach something, and gasped as my entire lower body suddenly cramped up; it was basically a huge charley horse. Jessica burst into laughter as I groaned and started trying to spread myself out on the bottom of the tent. It was really difficult to find a position that didn’t cause my legs, my feet, my ankles, to spasm. This lasted for at least 5 minutes until I settled into a strange, contorted shape, hands furiously trying to massage out the kinks.
Jessica continued to laugh at my pathetic form — until she shifted her legs and found herself in the same predicament, wiggling around on her sleeping pad in a desperate attempt to find a position that didn’t hurt. Eventually, we both just laid there laughing at each other and the absurdity of our situation.
Night falls on the Karasawa Cirque
We ran out to go to the bathroom again, and I brought my camera up with me. However, I forgot my tripod in my backpack, so I wasn’t able to get any good pictures of the tents at night. Instead, I decided to run with the shakiness and move my camera with the shutter open. This created some really fun, abstract light patterns! I feel like the crowd of people next to me with their tripods were hardcore judging me as I gleefully held the shutter button down and moved my camera in different directions.
Bladders empty and camera happy, we returned to our tent, bundled ourselves in our sleeping bags, ate snacks, and played cards before bed. Honestly super happy I brought cards this time; it was a great way to pass the time and to keep our body temperatures up.
Soon, though, we decided to lay down for the night. We each rolled over, closed our eyes, and–
WHOOOOOOOSH
A huge gust of wind buffeted the tent, followed by the sound of heavy rain.
I got no sleep that night. I literally just laid there imagining all the possible worst case scenarios: the tent leaking, the rain fly getting ripped off, the tent blowing away, a tent pole snapping. It was a loonnnggg night.
Click here for Part 2, where Jess and I explore more of the Karasawa Cirque, eat ramen, and I get some decent night pictures! Thanks for reading!
Such a great Blog of your trip. Thank you for sharing.
This is great, I can’t wait to read part 2!