After the indoor onsen last night, today we would be trying out an outdoor onsen for the first time, and then proceed to the Alpine Route!
Norikura-kogen Onsen (乗鞍高原温泉)
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- The outdoor onsen at our ryokan Kofujiso (湖藤荘) is by reservation only. We didn’t have to queue in the morning – one good thing about staying at a small place.
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- Light breakfast
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- Leaving the ryokan. A bright day compared to yesterday.
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- View from the bus
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- Inekoki Dam (稲核ダム)
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- Kamikochi line train again to Matsumoto
Matsumoto (松本)
For our next destination, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, we had to go all the way back to Matsumoto, then change to the Oito line train. There was some free time in Matsumoto, so we squeezed in a quick glance at the Matsumoto castle.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート)
As mentioned in the previous entry, we were taking the route from the Nagano prefecture side. If you’re doing only half of the route, then in terms of the various means of transport you get to experience, this is more interesting than starting from the Toyama prefecture side.
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- On the Oito line (大糸線).
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- Shinano Omachi (信濃大町) station. Most people visiting the Alphine route take the bus from here to the starting point of the route at Ogizawa (扇沢).
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- First section of the Alpine Route – trolley bus from Ogizawa to Kurobe Dam (黒部ダム) station. This also brought us from Nagano into Toyama prefecture.
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- Kurobe Dam (黒部ダム). From the trolley bus station, you have to climb some stairs to reach the observatory.
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- Another view from the observatory.
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- The summit of Tateyama is where the cloud is – we’d be heading up there tomorrow!
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- Walkway down to the dam. There are plenty of tourist shops and restaurants near the dam.
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- Kurobe Lake. It’s possible to do a boat ride around it, but we didn’t have time.
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- Crossing to the other side of the dam to the cable car station for the next leg of the route.
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- And the following leg – ropeway.
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- One more trolley bus ride to reach the highest point of the route. This sign indicate the point in the tunnel that is directly below the summit of Mount Tateyama.
Murodo (室堂)
The Murodo terminal is on the plateau below the summit of Mount Tatayama (3016 metres), and is the highest point of the Alpine Route. There is a network of paved walking trails, some leading to mountain climbing routes. For today, it’s just half an hour walk for us to get to the mountain hut where we’d be staying for 2 nights. There’s some stunning scenery on the way.
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- Mikuriga-ike (みくりが池)
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- After about 15 minutes walk, the “Hell Valley” came into view. It’s an active area spewing out volcanic gases, at the time of our visit the nearby trail was off limit.
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- The building to the left is the mountain hut (more like a hotel!), Raichoso (雷鳥荘), where we would be staying.
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- This sign is to indicate the wind direction, whether the volcanic gas would be coming this way.
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- Cloud turning red near sunset.
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- Canteen at the mountain hut, with dinner ready.
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- And the black hot pan has stewed seafood! Luxurious. As I said, more like a hotel!
Initially I was only able to book a shared room for the first night (it is a mountain hut, after all), and private room for the second, but upon arrival I was told a private room became free for the first night. We had some luck!