Kurobe

What to bring: Drinks and snacks, waterproof shoes, waterproof jacket, umbrella, hat, phone cross-body strap, backpack, wet wipes. We went on a small tour with our Alpan guide, just 11 of us. It started at 8:00 AM and ended at 1:30 PM. First, don't go to the snow wall; go to the pond first and walk as far as you can. You can see everything at the snow wall in about 25 minutes round trip. You can see the pond with melted ice, the hot springs in the distance, and if you're lucky, even the mascot bird. The bird poses well, so you can comfortably take photos. Although it was a very quick tour, I'm satisfied. I'm thinking of going again personally during the upcoming winter season. Alpan guides are the best! If you get an Alpan guide, your trip will be much easier.

The tour guide for this group was from Hong Kong. Sheila, our guide, was very thoughtful. She reminded us that the bus ride would be long and advised us to buy food at a convenience store to eat if we got hungry. The trip was very comfortable, and the tour bus was spacious with plenty of room, so it didn't feel crowded. Every 2 to 3 hours, there was a rest stop where we could buy snacks and use the restroom. On the first day, we visited Kamikochi. The itinerary was well-planned, and we got to see all the intended sights. The weather that day was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold. The scenery in Kamikochi is beautiful and well worth a visit; I recommend it to everyone. Our first night's accommodation was a hot spring ryokan in Hakuba Onsen. The buffet was delicious, with a wide variety of food. On the second day, we went to Tateyama Kurobe. Unfortunately, the weather was bad, and the Snow Valley was closed, which gives us a reason to visit again in the future. We returned to Tokyo around 7 PM after the trip concluded. Our guide, Sheila, also recommended some good restaurants to try in Tokyo. We followed her advice and went to a beef tongue restaurant, which was quite tasty. We are very grateful to our guide for providing us with such an enjoyable two-day, one-night trip.

"We had an amazing experience visiting Shirakawago and the Snow Wall! Everything was well organized, and the trip was smooth from start to finish. Shirakawago was absolutely beautiful with its traditional village scenery, and the Snow Wall was truly breathtaking — The atmosphere, views, and memories made this trip unforgettable. Thank you for the wonderful and great arrangement. Highly recommended! The break stops along the way were great, giving us time to rest, clean toilet stop, and make the trip more enjoyable. The accommodation was also very good — clean, comfortable, and pleasant after a long day of traveling.

The itinerary was rich and well-timed. Itinerary: On the first day, we had a relaxed 3-hour hike, followed by a buffet dinner and hot spring bath at the hotel. I recommend setting aside time to grab a bite near Kappa Bridge. The second day primarily involved taking various modes of transportation up the mountain and enjoying the scenery. The entire trip was comfortable and easy to complete. Accommodation: We were arranged to stay at the Hakuba Tokyu Resort, a hot spring hotel. It was a bit old but comfortable, and both dinner and breakfast were delicious. Tour Guide: The only minor drawback was that the tour guide didn't pay much attention to the guests, and communication could be improved. Meeting points were not communicated clearly or were changed arbitrarily. For example, on several occasions, we were told to wait at a shop entrance, but the guide would then just get on the tour bus themselves.

We are very grateful to the tour group for still running the tour even though it was just my wife and me! Throughout the trip, our guides, Liam and Michael, diligently shared information about the attractions and helped us take photos! They also allowed us to experience the beautiful natural scenery of Kurobe Gorge and the unforgettable Shomyo Falls! We hope to have the opportunity to visit various historical sites and natural landscapes with the guides again in the future!