Komagane

I used this service on October 3rd. I arrived at Komagane Station at 3:00 AM. There were already a few people, some having left their luggage, but there was a long line. I was about 100th in line and waited for the first bus at 5:00 AM. Since there were no extra buses departing from Komagane Station, I was eventually able to board the third bus at 6:00 AM. By this time, there seemed to be about 200 people behind me. The sun was rising, and there weren't many clouds; the weather looked good. The main entrance to Mount Komagatake, Suganodai Bus Terminal, had an enormous line. There were probably extra buses running, but it looked like there would be a considerable wait. It took about 45 minutes from Komagane Station to Shirabidaira, the ropeway station. There was no internet connection at Shirabidaira, so I downloaded my voucher beforehand and showed it to the driver when getting off the bus, which made things smooth. On this day, the ropeway connecting Shirabidaira and Senjojiki was operating at 9-minute intervals. I was able to check in by scanning the QR code on my voucher when boarding. I took the 7:00 AM bus to Senjojiki. We could see waterfalls, and the autumn foliage was progressing nicely from the halfway point upwards. Upon arriving at Senjojiki and stepping out of the building, I was greeted by the spectacular view of the Komagatake cirque. While I had seen this view in pictures, the contrast between the towering ridges and the blue sky, the grandeur and power of the cirque dyed in yellow and green—it was something entirely different when experienced in person, leaving a lasting impression on my heart and memory. Concerned about the crowds on the descent, I quickly enjoyed (and struggled with) the climb to the summit of Mount Kiso-Komagatake, and joined the queue for the descent ropeway around 11:30 AM. It seems I was about the second group to board the 11:45 AM bus. The bus from Shirabidaira to Komagane Station runs regularly every 30 minutes. There was a separate queue for the bus to Suganodai, and extra buses were arriving one after another for Suganodai, resulting in almost no waiting time. Many people were waiting for the ropeway going up around the Shirabidaira bus terminal. I took the 12:20 bus to Komagane Station. There were frequent delays due to passing buses and taxis coming up, so it took a little longer than expected, but I arrived safely around 13:10. I showed my voucher and got off. It was a wonderfully timed trip to Mount Komagatake with beautiful scenery; it will be an unforgettable experience.