Leaving Kamikochi: bus reservations for Matsumoto and Takayama
Your return bus from Kamikochi depends on which side of the mountains you are heading for. Matsumoto-bound buses use priority reservations; the route to Takayama involves a change at Hirayu Onsen and does not require reservations under Nohi Bus’s current guidance.
Plan the whole journey, not just the first bus. A bus leaving Kamikochi late in the afternoon may reach an interchange after your onward service has already gone.
For Matsumoto, reserve the bus to Shin-Shimashima
The usual return journey is a bus from Kamikochi to Shin-Shimashima Station, followed by an Alpico train to Matsumoto. Taking a direct bus from Matsumoto on the way in does not mean there is an equivalent direct return.
Alpico lists its 2026 Kamikochi service for April 17–November 15. On the Shin-Shimashima route, passengers with reservations board first. Without one, you depend on available seats. If you have a limited express to catch from Matsumoto, choose your return bus before setting off on your walk.
- Use the booking link on Alpico’s official Kamikochi route page and select the return direction.
- Check the connecting train at Shin-Shimashima, then your departure from Matsumoto.
- If boarding at Taisho Pond or another intermediate stop, reserve from that stop rather than the terminal.
A ticket and a reservation are not necessarily the same thing. Read the journey details on your confirmation rather than assuming that a return ticket assigns you a particular bus. The official route page brings together the timetable and booking links.
For Takayama, change at Hirayu Onsen
Take the bus down to Hirayu Onsen, then change for Takayama. Nohi Bus’s 2026 guidance says that neither of these two sections requires a reservation. Buy your ticket at the relevant counter or ticket machine at terminals such as Kamikochi and Hirayu Onsen.
The last bus out of Kamikochi is not necessarily your last usable bus to Takayama. In the current timetable, the 17:30 departure from Kamikochi reaches Hirayu at 17:55, after the final Takayama-bound bus has left Hirayu at 17:30.
One listed connection is Kamikochi 16:30 → Hirayu 16:55, then Hirayu 17:30 → Takayama 18:31. Treat that as a timetable example, not a reason to leave your walk until the last possible moment. An earlier connection gives you room to adjust if you miss a bus.
Returning to a car at Sawando is a different journey
If you left a rental car at Sawando, choose the service that returns to Sawando. Under Alpico’s guidance effective September 1, 2026, Shin-Shimashima-bound buses do not allow passengers to get off at the intermediate stops through Sawando Ohashi. Do not board for Matsumoto assuming you can simply get off at your parking area.
Connections towards Shirahone Onsen and Norikura Kogen also have separate guidance. Start with your actual destination—Matsumoto, Hirayu or Sawando—before choosing a departure time.
Let the return journey set the length of your walk
Leave time to return from Kappa Bridge, use the toilets and sort out your ticket before boarding. If you already have a train booked, decide where to turn back before you start walking. Our Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge guide helps you choose a walking section that fits the day.
Official information
Information checked: October 9, 2026.
