To our customers visiting during Silver Week and the autumn foliage season weekends:

The Silver Week and the weekends during the autumn foliage season are times when Norikura Plateau is bustling with many visitors.
To ensure everyone enjoys the experience, please review the following points beforehand.

To all users of the Norikura-dake Tatamihira shuttle bus:

All shuttle buses from Norikura Kogen to Norikura-dake Tatamihira are operating.Reservations preferredThat's how it is.
Especially during busy periods like Silver Week and weekends in the autumn foliage season, the buses may be fully booked with advance reservations, and it may not be possible to board without a reservation.
Unlike two years ago, you can no longer expect to get on just by waiting in line.

In advanceAlpico Transportation websiteorNorikura Mountain Summit Route Reservation Center 0570-055-588Please make your reservation during our reception hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM).

Also, when making a reservationPlease be sure to book both your outbound and return flights.If you only book the outbound flight, it may be difficult to descend the mountain if the return flight is fully booked.

If you are unsure of how long you will be staying in Tatamihira, please book a time when you are certain you will be able to board the bus.
If you are able to take an earlier flight than the one you booked, you can be transferred to that flight if there are seats available.
(Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your request depending on the situation, such as during peak hours or just before departure.)
On the other hand, if you miss your flight, subsequent flights tend to be more fully booked.

Please take the above points into careful consideration before booking your bus.

To customers considering taking a taxi:

Starting this year, there are no taxis permanently stationed at Norikura Plateau. If you require a taxi, you will need to call the Sawado Joint Dispatch Center.0263-93-3336 (Reservations not accepted)
Please note that the Sawando Joint Dispatch Center handles transportation from the Sawando area towards Kamikochi, and if there are many passengers going to Kamikochi, it may take a very long time to dispatch a vehicle to Norikura Kogen.

During the three-day weekend in July, the wait time for a taxi to Kamikochi is about two hours, and in such cases, it may take an additional 30 minutes to an hour to get a taxi to Norikura Kogen.

During Silver Week, it is expected that taxis will be extremely difficult to use, so please be sure to make a bus reservation if you are traveling to the Tatamidaira area.

About parking

The parking lot at Norikura Kogen Tourist Center may be full by the time you arrive.

Those planning to transfer to the shuttle busThis articlePlease refer to the information provided and use the parking lots around the tourist center or the Yamaboshi parking lot.
If you park at the Yamaboshi parking lot and board the bus at the adjacent "Norikura Ski Resort" (formerly Suzuran) bus stop, you can change your boarding bus stop if you have a reservation through the tourist center. Please inform the bus attendant of the change when you board.

To everyone visiting Kamikochi

During Silver Week and the long weekend in October, Kamikochi and the shuttle bus transfer parking area may become extremely crowded.
The parking lot may fill up early in the morning, causing traffic congestion on National Route 158, and potentially resulting in wait times of several hours for buses or taxis. Please allow ample time for your journey.

You can check the congestion status of the Sawando parking lot via live camera on the following website.

https://chubusangaku.jp/ja/plan/parkingfeed/
As a guideline for judging congestion, if the municipal Sawando No. 1 parking lot (temporary) is opened and nearly full, you can consider it to be quite crowded.

To customers traveling by bus from Kamikochi to Norikura Plateau

Customers traveling from Kamikochi to Norikura Plateau by bus can use our convenient reservation-priority transfer bus service.
By making a reservation in advance, you can board the bus in Kamikochi without any waiting time and smoothly transfer to the bus bound for Norikura Kogen at Sawando Bus Terminal.
For more details, please check the website of Alpico Kotsu, the company that operates the buses.

https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/kamikochi/sirahone_noritsugi

Please also enjoy strolling around the highlands.

While many visitors head to Tatamidaira on Mt. Norikura or Kamikochi, not many explore Norikura Plateau. However, it boasts a well-maintained network of walking trails connecting waterfalls, grasslands, and ponds, offering everything from casual strolls to more challenging 2-5 hour courses. You can enjoy these activities without needing to take a shuttle bus.

You can also take a stroll from the Yamaboshi parking lot or the Ichinose Grassland parking lot.