Kamikochi is a dreamlike place so beautiful it feels like it stepped out of a painting. It's located within Chubu-Sangaku National Park in Nagano Prefecture, in the northern part of the Japan Alps, so you can be sure the nature here is stunning. It's also peaceful, and the weather is pleasant year-round, with summers milder than in many other places. All the more reason to visit — but it pays to plan ahead. If you want every trip to be worth every penny, prepare as much as you can. That's where passes come in, making every trip easier and more affordable than ever. Not only can you use them for unlimited bus and train rides within the set number of days, but you can also use them for discounts at various attractions.
These passes are easier to use than many others. Many passes must be booked in advance, but these can be bought on the day you plan to use them. This is even more useful if you're staying in a different city or plan to visit several areas covered by the pass, since the price is quite a bit cheaper than paying per ride, and you won't waste time buying a ticket every time you board. You can also buy it in advance online through the Japanican website, pay by credit card, and print the voucher to exchange for the actual ticket in Japan at the Matsumoto Bus Terminal or Shin-shimashima Station. When boarding, just show it to the staff. We'd like to recommend 3 types of Kamikochi passes — let's take a look.
2 Day Free Passport
This pass comes in 2 types to choose from, depending on your style:
2 Day Free Passport - Valid for 2 days, this is a bus pass for unlimited rides within 2 days. It's easy to use — just show the pass to the staff. This one covers travel around Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Norikura Kogen, Tatamidaira, and Shirahone Onsen. And the second type:
2 Day Free Passport plus ONE - Valid for 3 days for just an extra ¥1,000. It covers the same area as the first type, with the only difference being the number of valid days. Simply put, it's a 3-day pass.
Price:
- 2 Day Free Passport: adults ¥6,000 / children ¥3,000
- 2 Day Free Passport plus One: adults ¥7,000 / children ¥3,500
Validity period:
2 or 3 consecutive days from the start of use.
Where to buy:
Matsumoto Bus Terminal, Shin-shimashima Station, Kamikochi Bus Terminal
Bus lines you can ride:
- Alpico Kamikochi Line (Matsumoto - Shin-shimashima)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Kamikochi)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Norikura Kogen)
- Bus (Norikura Kogen - Tatamidaira)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Shirahone Onsen)
- Bus (Kamikochi - Norikura/Shirahone Onsen)
- Haruyama Bus (Norikura Kogen - Norikura Snow Wall)
- Goraiko Bus (Norikura Kogen - Sunrise Viewpoint)
- Bus (Sawando Parking - Kamikochi)
- Town Sneaker Bus around Matsumoto City
4 Day Alps WIDE Free Passport
The 4 Day Alps WIDE Free Passport is a pass jointly offered by Alpico and Nohi Bus companies. Its clear advantage is the large number of bus routes it covers — you can ride not only Alpico buses but also Nohi buses. It's valid for 4 days, and comes in 2 types: one that doesn't include the ropeway ticket, and one that does. This pass covers bus rides along the designated routes and includes unlimited rides on the Kamikochi Line. The area you can use it in includes Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Norikura Kogen, Tatamidaira (Mount Norikura), Shirahone Onsen, Hirayu Onsen, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Gero Onsen, Hida-Furukawa, and the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway. Importantly, if you're planning to visit in winter, there's good news — the price is about a thousand yen cheaper than during the regular season. However, if you visit in winter, you may not be able to visit Kamikochi, since it closes for the winter season.
Price:
- Pass without ropeway ticket: adults ¥10,290 / children ¥5,150
- Pass with ropeway ticket: adults ¥12,000 / children ¥6,000
- Winter only, without ropeway ticket: ¥8,800
- Winter only, with ropeway ticket: ¥9,800
Validity period:
4 consecutive days from the start of use.
Where to buy:
It's available for purchase on 2 sides:
On the Nagano Prefecture side: Matsumoto Bus Terminal, Shin-shimashima Station, Kamikochi Bus Terminal
On the Gifu Prefecture side: Takayama Bus Center, Gero Bus Center, Shirakawa Bus Terminal, Hirayu Bus Terminal
Bus lines you can ride:
Bus lines operated by Alpico
- Alpico Kamikochi Line (Matsumoto - Shin-shimashima)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Kamikochi)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Norikura Kogen)
- Bus (Norikura Kogen - Tatamidaira)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Shirahone Onsen)
- Bus (Kamikochi - Norikura/Shirahone Onsen)
- Haruyama Bus (Norikura Kogen - Norikura Snow Wall)
- Goraiko Bus (Norikura Kogen - Sunrise Viewpoint)
- Town Sneaker Bus around Matsumoto City
- Bus (Matsumoto - Takayama)
Bus lines operated by Nohi
- Bus (Kamikochi - Hirayu Onsen - Takayama)
- Bus (Takayama - Shirakawa-go)
- Bus (Takayama - Gero Onsen)
- Bus (Takayama - Hirayu Onsen - Shin-Hotaka Ropeway)
- Bus (Hirayu Onsen/Honogidaira - Tatamidaira)
- Bus (Takayama - Hida-Furukawa)
- Sarubobo/Machinami Bus around Takayama City
Alps Crossing Route Ticket (Kamikochi-type)
The Alps Crossing Route Ticket is considerably cheaper than the other two passes, since it's a one-way pass only — you can't ride back and forth an unlimited number of times. It's ideal for those focused purely on visiting Kamikochi. The route is limited to Matsumoto, Kamikochi, and Takayama, and you can start from either the Takayama side or the Matsumoto side. This pass is valid for 4 days, same as the 4 Day Alps WIDE Free Passport, but with a more limited scope of use. There's also only one type of this pass. Importantly, you can ride buses from both Alpico and Nohi along the designated route. In short, if you only need a one-way trip between Matsumoto, Kamikochi, and Takayama, this pass is a great fit.
Price:
Adults ¥5,000 / children ¥2,500
Validity period:
4 days from the start of use.
Where to buy:
It's available for purchase on 2 sides:
On the Nagano Prefecture side: Matsumoto Bus Terminal, Shin-shimashima Station
On the Gifu Prefecture side: Takayama Bus Center
Bus lines you can ride:
Bus lines operated by Alpico
- Alpico Kamikochi Line (Matsumoto - Shin-shimashima)
- Bus (Shin-shimashima Station - Kamikochi)
Bus lines operated by Nohi
- Bus (Kamikochi - Hirayu Onsen - Takayama)
Here's what the passes look like:
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