Kamikochi in autumn, with snow already on the peaks. Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
- Take the Nohi Bus from Takayama to Hirayu Onsen and change there for Kamikochi: about 1 hour 30 minutes in all, with no reservations. A connecting ticket is ¥3,000 one way or ¥5,800 return, valid 7 days.
- The buses run from April 17 to November 15, 2026. From November 16 the road to Kamikochi is closed for winter until mid-April, and there is no bus.
- A day trip works: the 7:00 bus from Takayama connects at Hirayu for Kamikochi, and the last bus from Hirayu back to Takayama leaves at 17:30.
Buy the return connecting ticket, leave on an early bus and head back by mid-afternoon.
The connecting ticket covers Takayama – Hirayu Onsen and Hirayu Onsen – Kamikochi, both ways, for ¥5,800, and stays valid for 7 days.
The Kamikochi buses run every 30 minutes, but the last bus from Hirayu to Takayama leaves at 17:30, so plan to leave Kamikochi by 16:30.
- 1Via Hirayu OnsenAbout 1 hr 30 min; ¥3,000 one way
- 2SeasonApr 17 – Nov 15, 2026
- 3ReservationsNone; all seats unreserved
Kamikochi is a mountain valley in the Northern Alps that you cannot drive into: private cars stop at the Kama Tunnel all year. From Takayama you reach it by Nohi Bus, changing once at Hirayu Onsen, and you can be back in Takayama the same evening. The catch is the season. The buses run only from April 17 to November 15, 2026, and the road is closed all winter.
Times, fares and dates below come from Nohi Bus, Alpico, Nagano Prefecture and the Kamikochi official website, checked October 15–21, 2026. For Takayama itself, see my Takayama without a car guide.
Takayama to Kamikochi at a glance
| Takayama → Kamikochi | |
|---|---|
| Buses | Nohi Bus, change at Hirayu Onsen |
| Time | about 1 hr 30 min |
| Fare | ¥3,000 one way; ¥5,800 return (7 days) |
| Reservations | None; all seats unreserved |
| Season | Apr 17 – Nov 15, 2026 |
| Winter | Road closed Nov 16 – mid-April |
When you can go (and when you can't)
The 2026 season runs from April 17 to November 15. Nohi Bus and Alpico both run their Kamikochi buses for those dates, and the Kamikochi official website says the season ends with a closing ceremony on November 15, 2026.
From November 16, Nagano Prefecture closes the road into Kamikochi for winter until mid-April. If your trip falls between November 16 and the reopening in spring, you cannot reach Kamikochi by bus from Takayama or anywhere else. The 2027 opening date was not on the prefecture's page when I checked; in 2026 the buses started on April 17.
The last Kamikochi buses of 2026 run on November 15. Between November 16 and spring, Kamikochi is not a day trip from Takayama by any bus.
How to get from Takayama to Kamikochi
Takayama → Hirayu Onsen → Kamikochi
- Nohi Bus from the Nohi Bus Center in Takayama to Hirayu Onsen, 53–58 min on the timetable I checked.
- Get off at Hirayu Onsen and change to the Kamikochi bus, about 25 min to Kamikochi.
- About 1 hr 30 min in all; ¥3,000 one way or ¥5,800 return with the connecting ticket.
Nohi Bus tells passengers from Takayama to get off at Hirayu Onsen and change there; the same goes on the way back. Between Hirayu and Kamikochi the buses run every 30 minutes, on the hour and the half hour:
| Direction | First | Last |
|---|---|---|
| Hirayu Onsen → Kamikochi | 5:00 | 17:00 |
| Kamikochi → Hirayu Onsen | 7:00 | 17:30 |
The 5:00 and 5:30 buses from Hirayu run only on set days, and neither runs in November. From Takayama to Hirayu, Nohi Bus runs about one bus an hour. The 6:00 from Takayama runs only from July 19 to August 24; on other days the first bus, at 7:00, reaches Hirayu at 7:58. The 8:00 to Kamikochi leaves 2 minutes later, so plan on the 8:30.
Tickets
Nohi Bus sells a connecting ticket that covers both legs:
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| One way, Takayama – Kamikochi | ¥3,000 | ¥1,500 |
| Return, Takayama – Kamikochi (7 days) | ¥5,800 | ¥2,900 |
| One way, Hirayu Onsen – Kamikochi | ¥1,500 | half |
| Return, Hirayu Onsen – Kamikochi | ¥2,800 | half |
Child fares are for elementary school age and under. All seats on the Kamikochi line are unreserved, and Nohi Bus does not take bookings, so you simply turn up.
Kamikochi day trip from Takayama: which buses to catch
| Leg | Bus |
|---|---|
| Takayama → Hirayu Onsen | 7:00 → 7:58 (6:00 → 6:53 from Jul 19 to Aug 24) |
| Hirayu Onsen → Kamikochi | 8:30 → 8:55 (7:00 → 7:25 after the 6:00) |
| Kamikochi → Hirayu Onsen | 16:30 → 16:55 (or earlier) |
| Hirayu Onsen → Takayama | 17:30 → 18:31 (last bus) |
Kamikochi to Takayama: the last bus back
The last bus from Hirayu Onsen to Takayama leaves at 17:30 and reaches the Nohi Bus Center at 18:31. On the timetable, the 17:00 bus from Kamikochi reaches Hirayu at 17:25, five minutes before it, and the 17:30 from Kamikochi reaches Hirayu at 17:55, too late. Nohi Bus warns that its buses on this road can run late, so a five-minute change is too tight to rely on: leave Kamikochi by 16:30.
Where to get off in Kamikochi
The Kamikochi bus stops at Nakanoyu, Taishoike, Teikoku Hotel-mae and Kamikochi, the terminal. The one-way fare from Hirayu is ¥1,500 to any of the last three. From the Kamikochi bus terminal, Kappa Bridge is about 6 minutes on foot (0.3 km). If you get off at Taishoike instead, the Kamikochi official website gives about 75 minutes on foot to Kappa Bridge along the right bank of the Azusa River, or about 80 minutes along the left bank.
Going on to Matsumoto instead
You do not have to go back to Takayama. Alpico runs buses between Kamikochi and Shin-Shimashima from April 17 to November 15, 2026; its timetable gives about 65 minutes from Shin-Shimashima to Kamikochi. The Alpico Kamikochi Line train takes about 30 minutes from Shin-Shimashima to Matsumoto. On Alpico's buses, passengers with a reservation board first; without one you can ride if there is a seat.
The other way to Matsumoto is the Nohi Bus highway bus from Hirayu Onsen (¥3,000, reservation needed). From Matsumoto, my Matsumoto to Hakuba guide covers the next leg north. For the whole corridor, see my Japanese Alps without a car guide and the 5- to 7-day Japanese Alps itinerary.
Luggage and a bath on the way back
On a day trip, leave big bags in Takayama. If you are going on to Matsumoto with a pack, carry it: I could not confirm lockers at the Kamikochi bus terminal. Coin lockers at Takayama Station (i-CAFE) and the Nohi Bus Center cost ¥400, ¥600 or ¥700 by size, take cash only and hold bags for up to 3 days, including the first day.
If you have time at Hirayu on the way back, Hirayu no Yu is a public bath open 6:00–21:00 (8:00–21:00 in winter) for a donation of about ¥300; it closes on irregular days, says the Okuhida Onsen tourism association.
- The 2027 date the road and buses reopen
- Coin lockers at the Kamikochi bus terminal
- How far Hirayu no Yu is from the Hirayu Onsen bus stop
How I checked this
- Read the Nohi Bus pages for the Kamikochi line and the Takayama – Hirayu buses, and Alpico's Kamikochi pages.
- Read Nagano Prefecture's page on the Kamikochi road and the Kamikochi official website for the season and walking times.
- Matched every value to a dated source; anything I could not confirm is listed above.
Getting to Takayama from Tokyo or Osaka
Nohi Bus highway bus from Shinjuku to Takayama, about 5 hours 45 minutes, reserved seats.
Tokaido Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Nagoya, then the limited express Hida, about 2 hours 20 to 30 minutes from Nagoya.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct bus from Takayama to Kamikochi?
No. Nohi Bus asks passengers from Takayama to get off at Hirayu Onsen and change to the Kamikochi bus. The whole trip takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, and one connecting ticket covers both buses.
Can I do Kamikochi as a day trip from Takayama?
Yes, from April 17 to November 15, 2026. The 7:00 bus from Takayama reaches Hirayu Onsen at 7:58; take the 8:30 bus from Hirayu, which reaches Kamikochi at 8:55. From July 19 to August 24, an earlier 6:00 bus from Takayama connects with the 7:00 from Hirayu. Coming back, the last bus from Hirayu to Takayama leaves at 17:30 and arrives at 18:31, so leave Kamikochi by 16:30.
Do I need to book the bus from Takayama to Kamikochi?
No, and you cannot. Nohi Bus says all seats on the Kamikochi line are unreserved and cannot be booked in advance.
How much is the bus from Takayama to Kamikochi?
Nohi Bus's connecting ticket costs ¥3,000 one way or ¥5,800 return for adults, half for children of elementary school age and under. The return ticket is valid for 7 days.
Can I go to Kamikochi in winter?
Not by bus. The last buses of 2026 run on November 15, and Nagano Prefecture closes the road from November 16 until mid-April.
Can I go from Kamikochi to Matsumoto instead of back to Takayama?
Yes. Alpico runs buses between Kamikochi and Shin-Shimashima from April 17 to November 15, 2026 (about 65 minutes on its timetable), and the Alpico Kamikochi Line train runs on to Matsumoto in about 30 minutes.
Sources
- Kamikochi line — Nohi Bus
- Takayama – Hirayu Onsen – Shinhotaka bus — Nohi Bus
- Kamikochi traffic restrictions and winter closure — Nagano Prefecture
- 2026 closing ceremony — Kamikochi official website
- Walking in Kamikochi — Kamikochi official website
- Car restrictions for Kamikochi — Kamikochi official website
- Kamikochi – Shin-Shimashima bus — Alpico Kotsu
- Kamikochi buses — Alpico Kotsu
- Kamikochi line fares (from April 17, 2026) — Alpico Kotsu
- Kamikochi line timetable — Alpico Kotsu
- Takayama – Matsumoto highway bus (English) — Nohi Bus
- Takayama – Shinjuku highway bus — Nohi Bus
- Hida Takayama (access) — JR Central
- Getting to Takayama — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Coin lockers and luggage services in Takayama — Hida Takayama Tourism
- Hirayu no Yu — Okuhida Onsen Tourism Association