[Matsumoto Sightseeing] Alps Park
When you look at the mountains in the distance every single day, it seems to be human nature to inevitably think,
“I want to get closer to those mountains.”
...
I am not particularly interested in mountain climbing, but I am no exception and have started thinking, “I want to enjoy the mountains a little closer.”
My options, since I cannot drive, are...
1. Go to Kamikochi (train + bus) 2. Alps Park (60-minute walk or bus twice a day or taxi)
So, I avoided Kamikochi during the peak holiday season and went to
Alps Parkon foot!
A 60-minute walk on flat ground is a pleasant stroll, but a 60-minute walk to a high place is
practically mountain climbing!
I let my guard down...
Did I take the wrong road? While passing through residential areas with normal slopes, I just kept climbing up the hill...
I dramatically related it to life, thinking, “So, when you overcome something difficult, there is a view you’ve never seen before waiting for you.”
Drenched in sweat, I finally arrived...
I will never go on foot again...
(But I might walk again to save on taxi fare...)
“Matsumoto City Alps Park”
http://toybox-net.jp/alpspark/
2455-11 Arigasaki, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
...It is located on the hills in the northwest of Matsumoto city, on the ridge north of Shiroyama Park. You can overlook the Northern Alps and Azumino to the west, and Utsukushigahara and Matsumoto city to the east. It is well-equipped with facilities such as the “Mountain and Nature Museum” with an observation deck, a small zoo called “Small Birds and Small Animals Forest,” and a “Dream Coaster” where you can slide down a forest course on a roller-equipped sled. It is loved by many citizens as a comprehensive recreational area surrounded by the nature of the mountains and fields. (From the official website)
You can see the Matsumoto city area, the Azumino area, and the Alps all at once.
There is a“Mountain and Nature Museum”
in the park, and from the observation deck on the 5th floor, you can see the magnificent Alps mountains in a 360-degree view.
(*Admission to the observation deck is free.)
The park is 71.1 hectares in size, so I couldn't possibly go around everything, but there is a
Picnic Plazaand something called aDream Coasterwhich is a roller-equipped sled, so it is perfect for families.
Even for an adult like me, it is a place where I can feel very refreshed just by looking at the refreshing scenery.
*Please note that there are only vending machines in the park and no place to buy meals!
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