📅 Day 1 — Arrive Matsumoto
Arrive in Matsumoto and collect the campervan. Explore the striking black-and-white Matsumoto Castle, one of Japan's few original keeps, then walk the Nawate-dori and Nakamachi streets for craft shops, soba noodles and a first sense of the mountain atmosphere. Stay at a campsite on the edge of town with views toward the Northern Alps.
🚐 Drive time: — (pickup and orientation)
📅 Day 2 — Kamikochi Alpine Valley
Park the campervan at Sawando (private vehicles not allowed in Kamikochi) and take the shuttle bus into the valley. Run or hike the flat riverside trail from Kappa Bridge to Myojin Pond (10 km return), with turquoise water, old-growth forest and towering peaks on every side. Extend with a run up to Tokusawa for a longer day (20 km return). Return to the campervan and soak at Sawando Onsen.
🚐 Drive time: 45 min to Sawando
kamikochi-alpine-valley-guided-trail-run
📅 Day 3 — Shinhotaka Ropeway & Ridge Run
Drive to Shinhotaka Onsen and take the double-decker ropeway to 2156m for panoramic views across the Northern Alps. Run the ridgeline trail toward Nishihotakadake or choose a shorter loop through alpine meadows. Descend and reward yourself with a soak in one of the outdoor rotenburo (open-air baths) perched above the gorge.
🚐 Drive time: 1 h
📅 Day 4 — Takayama Rest Day & Sake Breweries
Drive to Takayama for a well-earned rest day. Explore the beautifully preserved Sanmachi Suji merchant district with its dark-wood townhouses, sake breweries and morning market. Sample Hida beef, try local sake flights, and wander the quiet backstreets. A gentle jog along the Miyagawa River in the early morning is a lovely way to keep legs moving without strain.
🚐 Drive time: 1 h 15 min
takayama-morning-market-sake-brewery-tour
📅 Day 5 — Takayama to Shirakawa-go & Toyama
Drive to the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go with its steep-roofed gasshō-zukuri farmhouses. Walk through the village and up to the Shiroyama viewpoint for the classic panorama. Continue northwest to Toyama on the coast, where fresh seafood from Toyama Bay awaits. Stay at a coastal campsite.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h 30 min (total)
📅 Day 6 — Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
One of Japan's most spectacular mountain crossings. Take the sequence of cable cars, ropeways and buses through the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, ascending to 2450m at Murodo where snow walls can tower above you even in summer. Run or hike the trail around Mikurigaike Pond with views of Tateyama's volcanic peaks and sulphurous hot springs. Return to the campervan in the afternoon.
🚐 Drive time: 1 h to Tateyama Station (+ alpine route transport)
📅 Day 7 — Kurobe Gorge & Hot Springs
Take the Kurobe Gorge Railway — a scenic narrow-gauge train through a deep V-shaped canyon of emerald water, red bridges and forested cliffs. At the end of the line, hike to Babadani Onsen or Meiken Onsen, remote hot springs accessible only on foot. This is a memorable combination of gorge scenery and wild bathing. Return to the campsite near Unazuki Onsen for an evening soak.
🚐 Drive time: 45 min to Unazuki
📅 Day 8 — Final Run & Return to Matsumoto
Choose a morning trail run near your overnight stop — riverbank paths near Toyama or forest trails in the foothills — then drive back to Matsumoto. If time allows, revisit the castle town for a final soba lunch and last-minute souvenirs. Return the campervan at the depot.
🚐 Drive time: 2 h 30 min
