Is Kamikochi Closed Due to Heavy Rain?! Don't Panic – Here is What You Need to Know | Keiryuso Siorie

【Kamikochi Column Vol. 6】

Hello from Keiryuso Siorie.

On days with heavy rainfall, we often receive anxious inquiries from our guests, such as:

"I heard that the road to Kamikochi is closed. Can I still reach the ryokan?"

"Should I cancel my trip?"

First and foremost, we want to reassure you:

Even if you hear that the road is "closed," please do not panic right away. In many cases, there is absolutely no need to give up on your travel plans!

■ Road Closures for Kamikochi Don't Mean Sawando is Blocked

The prefectural road leading into Kamikochi (the Kamikochi-Koen Line) is temporarily closed for safety reasons when rainfall exceeds a certain limit.

However, even when Kamikochi itself is closed, you can almost always travel as far as the Sawando area (where our inn is located) without any issues.

The public buses running from Shin-Shimashima Station to Kamikochi (which require reservations) will still operate normally up to the Sawando Bus Terminal. In short, "not being able to enter Kamikochi" and "not being able to reach your accommodation in Sawando" are two completely different things!

■ Understanding the Automatic "Cancellation" Notifications

There is one important detail we would like you to know to avoid any misunderstandings.

We recently checked with Alpico Transport (the bus company) regarding this matter. They informed us that when a road closure occurs, an automatic SMS notification stating "Road Closed" or "Service Suspended" is sent out to all passengers who booked buses starting from Shin-Shimashima, regardless of their actual drop-off point.

Because the vast majority of passengers are traveling all the way into Kamikochi, the system is designed to send this notification to everyone all at once. Therefore, even if you are planning to get off early at Sawando to stay at our inn, you will still receive the exact same alert.

Please remember that receiving this notification does not mean you cannot reach our ryokan. Don't panic, and please check the actual bus destination status calmly.

*(Note: This type of notification is not sent out for the Matsumoto–Takayama bus line, as those buses do not enter Kamikochi.)*

■ Road Restrictions Are Often Lifted Quickly

Rainfall restrictions are lifted as soon as safety on the road can be officially confirmed.

In fact, just last night, the road was temporarily closed due to heavy rain, but the restriction was fully lifted by 7:00 AM this morning. The guests staying with us last night were able to depart for Kamikochi right after breakfast, exactly as they had originally planned!

We heard happy comments from them, such as:

"I thought we wouldn't be able to go today!"

"The park was much less crowded than expected, so we were able to enjoy a very peaceful stroll."

Of course, because safety is always the number one priority, the time restrictions are lifted will vary each time. However, it is a bit of a waste to give up on your entire trip based solely on the initial phrase "road closed."

■ Recommendations from Keiryuso Siorie

Even after a road closure is lifted, please note that certain walking trails inside the Kamikochi national park may remain temporarily closed. At our inn, we constantly check and provide the most up-to-date information, including real-time road conditions, bus operations, and trail updates.

Since we are dealing with mother nature, conditions change constantly, and we are always here to guide you based on the situation of that exact day. Please feel completely at ease and enjoy your journey to Kamikochi!