Kappa Bridge (河童橋) is the landmark of Kamikōchi. Most important facilities in the area are located close to the bridge, including the Kamikochi Bus Terminal and visitor centers. This part of Kamikōchi is almost like a transport hub that allows tourists to gain the necessary information to explore the area and rejuvenate. The suspension bridge over the Azusa River is the fifth generation. Regardless of the angle and part of the bridge, your photo is guaranteed to be stunning
Table of Contents
- About Kappa Bridge (河童橋)
- Gosenjaku Kitchen (五千尺キッチン)
- Trois Cinq by Gosenjaku (トワ・サンク)
- How to Get to Kappa Bridge
- Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル)/Kamikōchi Sightseeing Center (上高地観光センター)
- Kamikōchi Information Center (上高地インフォメーションセンター)
- Kamikōchi Post Office (上高地郵便局)
- Shimizu River (清水川)
- Kamikōchi Visitor Centre (上高地ビジターセンター)
Tips:
☛ Early or late lunch around Kappa Bridge is recommended. This is so you have more chances to avoid the crow.
☛ There are two water fountains where you can refill your water bottle with the delicious mountain stream. One is in the courtyard between Kamikōchi Bus Terminal and Kamikōchi Information Center, and the other is at the entrance of Gosenjaku Kitchen.
About Kappa Bridge (河童橋)
A kappa (河童) is an amphibious imp found in Japanese folklore. They have a human face and a plate-like surface on their head that retains water. Their body is green color and has a shape somewhat like a turtle, but they do stand up like humans.
There are a couple of theories about why the bridge is called the Kappa Bridge. The most probable one is this one: During the good old days when there was no bridge, people trying to cross the Azusa River had to carry their clothes on their heads so they wouldn’t get wet. And those clothes must look like the Kappa’s plate!
Each year, at the foot of the Bridge, the Kaisan Festival (開山祭) and Heizai Festival (閉山祭) are held on the 27th of April and the 15th of November, respectively. These two festivals are the ceremonies announcing the start and end of the traditional climbing season (although the actual start and the end of the season may differ from these dates).
The view of the Hotaka mountain range and Mt. Yake is one of the most stunning views anyone could ever see. But, you will also have a hard time if you want a photo without all the tourists in the background…(;´･ω･).
The view from Kappa Bridge is said to be most beautiful in the early morning. So if you aren’t a morning person, booking one of the accommodations around the bridge is recommended.
You still need to get up early, but at least you don’t need to spend much time getting to the bridge.
How to Get to Kappa Bridge
- To get to the Kappa Bridge, take any bus service bound for Kamikōchi and get off at the last stop – Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル).
- The Kappa Bridge is just a 5-minute walk away from the bus stop. The bus journey takes around 70 minutes.
- Note the area is closed for travelers from mid-November to late April.
Click HERE for more information about how to access Kamikōchi!
Gosenjaku Kitchen (五千尺キッチン)
There is a two-story building close to Kappa Bridge, with a souvenir shop on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor. Gosenjaku Kitchen was the only place in Kamikōchi where we found a vegan light meal option. The vegan curry was tasty, but we wish there were more rice to go with the sauce. Besides the curry, there are several light meal choices, including ramen noodles and a fried chicken set meal.
Probably because the restaurant is just next to Kappa Bridge, the queue is usually long. So, if you don’t want to wait for too long, arrive at least 20 minutes before it opens. This way, there is a high chance that you could be seated among the first batch of customers.
If you are lucky enough to be allocated a window seat, the stunning scenery of Kamikōchi will be in front of you as you dig into the food!
Trois Cinq by Gosenjaku (トワ・サンク)
Just next to the Kappa Bridge, there is The Parklodge Kamikōchi. Trois Cinq By Gosenjaku, most famous for its apple pie, is located on its ground floor. Instead of using spices like cinnamon, the apple pie at Trois Cinq by Gosenjaku contains six whole apples (if you order the whole pie, that is)! You are guaranteed to enjoy the pie with pure apple fragrance!
But unless you have access to an oven later on, don’t order a whole apple pie like us. It didn’t taste as nice even after we microwaved the pie (´▽｀*).
If you aren’t vegan and can eat eggs, the apple pie will be the perfect dessert for morning tea, after lunch, afternoon tea, or anytime you feel like something sweet!
No matter how full we are, we always have another stomach for dessert anyway!
Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル)/Kamikōchi Sightseeing Center (上高地観光センター)
If you are taking a bus to Kamikōchi, the last stop, Kamikōchi Bus Terminal, is located at Kamikōchi Sightseeing Center. It is opposite Kamikōchi Information Center. Here, you can find the bus ticket sale counter, shops, restaurants, and, most importantly, the baggage storage facility!
Besides bus stops, there is also a fixed-rate taxi stand for nearby destinations, such as Hirayu Onsen, if you are in a rush.
Baggage Storage Cost at Kamikōchi
- Bags up to around 10 liters will cost you 350 yen to store a day.
- A middle-sized bag will cost 400 yen and a large-sized bag will cost 500 yen.
- Bags around 60 liters will cost you 600 yen.
- The price is around the same as coin-operated lockers in Japan.
- The Sightseeing Center is open from 5:30 am to 7 pm between late April and the 15th of November.
- Baggage storage service is available from 6 am to 5 pm.
- To get to Kamikōchi Sightseeing Centre, for any of the bus services that you take, get off at the last stop – Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル).
Kamikōchi Information Center (上高地インフォメーションセンター)
If you were running out of time to map out where in Kamikōchi to visit before you depart, Kamikōchi Information Center is the perfect place to sort everything out! The center provides all information about Kamikōchi, such as trekking or climbing, transportation, and accommodation. You can also find advice on the highlights of the season that you are in.
If you are going to enter one of the hiking tracks in Kamikōchi, definitely drop by the Centre before you head off, as it provides critical information regarding the weather and whether there is anything you need to watch out for during the hike.
The Information Center also has a small shop selling rain gear and emergency and survival products.
Also, wheelchairs and baby carriers can be rented out for free without a reservation.
But if you need one of these two pieces of equipment, you will want to reach the Information Centre as early as possible because once they have all been rented out, you won’t get one until someone else returns one.
Lastly, there is a coin-operated shower room for those who need to refresh themselves. For example, a multi-purpose room (for breastfeeding) can also be found here.
Kamikōchi Information Center’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- The Information Center is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily from late April to the 15th of November.
- For any of the bus services that you take, get off at the last stop – Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル).
- The Information Centre is just opposite the Kamikōchi Bus Terminal.
Click HERE to get back to the list of Kamikōchi’s scenic spots.
Kamikōchi Post Office (上高地郵便局)
The Kamikōchi Post Office has an appearance of a forest lodge. It blends in really well with the surrounding nature. Anything sent out from this post office will be sent on the Kamikōchi commemorative stamp! Whether it is to your family, your friends, or even just yourself, we think spending a few hundred yen on the stamp and postcard will be worthwhile because this will make the perfect souvenir!
When we sent ours, the postage was cheaper to send it overseas than within Japan (´▽｀*).
- The post office is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm from late April to the 15th of November.
- But note it will close on Wednesdays between late April and the 14th of July and from September to the 15th of November.
- To get to this Post Office, take any bus services bound for Kamikōchi and get off at the last stop, Kamikōchi Bus Terminal (上高地バスターミナル).
- The Kamikōchi Post Office is a 10-minute walk from where you get off!
Shimizu River (清水川)
Between Kappa Bridge and Kamikōchi Visitor Center, you might spot a clear stream with beautiful green algae swaying with the water flow at the bottom of the river. Instead of only having water feeding from the Azusa River, the Shimizu River is actually also flooded with underground water!
So although the length of the Shimizu River is around 200 meters only, it will never dry out (well, as long as Roppyaku Mountain still gets rain from time to time because that is the underground water source).
Apparently even on a heavy rainy day, the River still stays clear without getting muddy (*´ω｀).
This River is an important source of drinking water in Kamikōchi, by the way, and home to some really cute ducks!
Kamikōchi Visitor Center (上高地ビジターセンター)
On the other end of the Shimizu River, Kamikōchi Visitor Center is like a natural education center. You will gain valuable information about Kamikōchi’s nature and wildlife here. And if you somehow want to sit in a library in Kamikōchi, this is the spot you need to visit (´▽｀*).
And while we haven’t confirmed if there are any English-guided tours that you can join, there are definitely Japanese tours, so you don’t miss out on any rare plants and/or wildlife (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ. The tours can be booked when you get to Visitor Center.
There are two tours available, one brings you to Taishō Pond (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), and another brings you to Myōjin Pond (Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekends).
- Both cost you 1,00 yen and 2 hours of your time.
- Both start at 9 am from Kamikōchi Visitor Center.
Kamikōchi Visitor Center’s Access Information and Opening Hours
- The Visitor Center is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily from late April to the 15th of November.
- It is just located less than a 5-minute walk from Kappa Bridge!
Discover Other Stunning Spots in Kamikōchi
Surrounding by the magnificent Northern Japanese Alps, Kamikōchi is the ultimate tourist destination for nature lovers. There is not a single day that Kamikōchi looks the same because nature changes as the seasons pass. There are rivers, ponds, forests, and wetlands along the tracks in the area. All of these have disappeared from the life of most people nowadays.
So, if you want to escape from the daily hustle and bustle, refer to our article on Kamikōchi to plan your visit!
