16:00 JST, July 15, 2024
Kirigamine, a highland area in Nagano Prefecture, offers a variety of refreshing hiking experiences on gentle slopes, with colorful wildflowers scattered across marshes and stunning views of the Japanese Alps and Mount Fuji.
Kirigamine is part of a quasi-national park at an altitude of over 1,500 metres, consisting of three swamps, rolling mountains and vast grasslands. With average temperatures in July of only 20 C, temperatures in the park are cooler than those at its foot.
The name “kirigamine” — Japanese for “misty peaks” — appears to be inspired by the unique weather there. The area is blanketed in fog for many days each year, with the record for most consecutive foggy days at nearly 300, according to the Kirigamine Nature Conservation Center.
In early July, the hills take on a yellowish hue, with Nikko-kisuge, or broad-leaved dwarf daylily, attracting many visitors eager to take photos of the brightly colored flowers against the blue sky and white clouds. Various wildflowers bloom until October. Walking through the snow in winter is also a pleasant experience.
Hiking in general is a very popular activity in the area, as is paragliding in some areas. There are many trails available, including one with a lift to the highest peak, Mt. Kuruma (1,925 meters), and another that extends over the hills and around the marshes, offering a 15-kilometer walk.
There are several mountain huts offering accommodation.
In recent years, deer – and their insatiable appetite for the native wild plants in the marshes – have become a serious threat to the area, so steel fences and gates have been installed to keep them out.
To reach Kirigamine, public bus services are available from JR Chino and JR Kamisuwa stations.