大正池（Taisho Pond）

Taisho Pond is a landscape made by a natural event that remains visible in its details. In 1915, an eruption of nearby Mount Yakedake dammed the Azusa River and formed the pond; its name comes from the Taisho era. The water, marsh edges and the surviving pale trunks of submerged trees give this stop a different character from a mountain summit: the view is about reflections, weather and the valley’s changing light. On a still morning, Hotaka peaks and Yakedake may appear on the surface, while mist often softens the outlines.

The pond lies along the flat walking corridor between the Taisho-ike bus stop and the Kamikochi resort centre. The official route description places it about 3.8 kilometres from Kappa Bridge by one riverside route, around 75 minutes on foot, and 4 kilometres/80 minutes by the other side; those estimates exclude long photo stops. It can be visited as a one-way walk toward the bridge instead of doubling back. Toilets are available nearby, but the riverbank and marsh are protected natural habitat: stay on marked paths and do not collect plants or feed wildlife.

Public visitor comments repeatedly mention the reflections, the withered trees and the calm before day-trippers arrive. The experience is weather-sensitive: clouds or wind can obscure the mirror effect, while autumn colour, early snow and summer vegetation change the scene. A few reviewers find the pond less dramatic in poor weather or notice how much its surface area has shrunk over time. That is useful context rather than a flaw in the walk—the pond was formed by volcanic debris, receives sediment from the mountainside and is maintained, so it is a living landscape, not a fixed postcard.

Access is seasonal: Alpico lists buses from Matsumoto to Kamikochi between 17 April and 15 November 2026, with no service from 16 November to 16 April. Direct National Park Liner buses leave Matsumoto Bus Terminal at 5:30 and 10:15 and need advance reservations; the alternative is train to Shin-Shimashima and then bus. Reserve the return bus as well, check the final departure, and carry layers even in summer.