Kamikochi

I've participated in many day tours organized by Double K (Kentucky Railways), but this was my first time joining a tour with a local Japanese travel agency without Chinese language support. Although my English is only so-so, as long as I knew the meeting time, it was fine. The tour guide was very patient and caring, reminding everyone of things. My detailed impressions are as follows: 1. You can feel the Japanese service; as expected from Meitetsu, they are very professional. Although I couldn't understand the Japanese tour guide speaking Japanese, his attitude and enthusiasm were very novel to me. The English-speaking tour guide was also very considerate of foreign tourists, which was excellent. Because it was a snowy area, I chose Meitetsu because I felt that experienced guides would be safer, and the driver was also polite and professional. 2. The itinerary included the most Shin-Hotaka tours of any tour, and I think just going to Shin-Hotaka is enough; seeing the snow was truly moving. 3. I felt the seats were a bit small, about the size of a Kyoto bus but smaller than a budget airline ticket. Also, perhaps because my travel companion was a bit overweight, and I am of average build, I felt very cramped and breathless the whole time. If you're considering this tour and your travel companion is overweight, and you're not particularly slim, I think you should think twice. For solo travelers, there's no need to worry. In my group, Meitetsu Railway was very considerate of solo travelers, giving them double seats and a separate area for meals. 4. The group meal included lunch and bread. The bread bags were extremely greasy, so I recommend bringing wet wipes. My travel companion's bag was perfectly dry, which might just be a coincidence. 5. They're readily available in Shin-Hotaka! 6. I suggest bringing snow cleats, but I didn't see anyone wearing them or slipping. However, even though I was walking carefully and wearing high-strength, non-slip hiking boots, I still slipped. So, assess your own physical condition. Snow cleats aren't expensive.

It's great! I highly recommend it. Transportation is convenient, the controls are easy to follow, and the routes are simple with Chinese characters, so even those who don't understand Japanese can easily read them. I suggest you come and visit!

The 3-day, 2-night tour I originally joined was cancelled due to insufficient participants, so I opted for a 2-day, 1-night tour that didn't include Kanazawa. The tour bus was a small 20-seat vehicle, and the driver had a bit of trouble loading the luggage. The first day's itinerary was Kamikochi, and the weather was fantastic, the scenery picturesque, and it was definitely worth visiting. The second day was Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, which was before the mountain closed for the season, so there were very few tourists. Seeing the snow-covered Murodo was incredibly exciting, even more beautiful than in summer. Our guide, Ame, was very helpful; she took photos with us along the way, recommended good restaurants, and was very attentive.