Autumn Leaves & Alpine Slopes: Japan Fall 2025
🗺️ Overview
- Dates: October 11 - October 26, 2025
- Route: Bangkok -> Tokyo -> Toyama -> Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route -> Nagano -> Matsumoto -> Kamikochi -> Tokyo -> Nikko -> Tokyo -> Bangkok
- Companions: Solo
🎨 Visual Summary
📝 Thoughts & Reflections
What I love most about autumn is the crisp, cool weather combined with the rich, warm foliage colors. The natural beauty of areas like Tateyama, Kamikochi, and Nikko is truly breathtaking.
It had been a while since my last autumn trip to Japan—as I typically travel during the spring for the Songkran holidays—and this journey was focused entirely on the autumn colors of the mountains.
While October is generally too early for low-lying areas like Tokyo, it is the perfect season for high-altitude destinations. I caught the stunning autumn foliage at its peak in mountain areas like Tateyama, Kamikochi, and Shiga Kogen. By late October, the colors began moving down to the Nikko lake area, though my trip there was just slightly ahead of the absolute peak.
📅 Trip Sections & Logs
Here are the logs and journals for the different segments of the trip:
| Date | Scope & Highlights | Log / Blog Link |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12 | Alpine Route: Crossing Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route | 🏔️ Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route |
| Oct 13 | Toyama: Fugan Canal Kansui Park, Takaoka Zuiryuji Temple | ⚓ Toyama & Takaoka |
| Oct 15 | Nagano: Zenkoji Temple and city base | ⛩️ Nagano City |
| Oct 17 | Shiga Kogen: Highland ponds & Yokoteyama peak | 🍁 Shiga Kogen Highlands |
| Oct 18 | Matsumoto: Matsumoto Castle & City Museum of Art | 🏰 Matsumoto Castle Town |
| Oct 18 | Togakushi: Togakushi Shrine Cedar Forest walk | 🌲 Togakushi Shrines |
| Oct 19 | Kamikochi: Autumn hiking in the valley | 🏔️ Kamikochi Valley |
| Oct 22 | Nikko Day 1: Toshogu Shrine & heritage temples | ⛩️ Nikko: Temples |
| Oct 23 - 24 | Nikko Days 2 - 3: Chuzenji Lake, Kegon Falls & Senjogahara (Lake Area) | 🌊 Nikko: Lake Area |
🏨 Accommodations
- Toyama Chitetsu Hotel (Oct 11 - 13)
- Sotetsu Fresa Inn Nagano-Zenkojiguchi (Oct 13 - 18)
- Tabino Hotel Lit Matsumoto (Oct 18 - 20)
- Toyoko Inn Tokyo Akiba Asakusabashi-eki Higashi-guchi (Oct 20 - 22)
- Nikko Station Hotel Classic (Oct 22 - 25)
