Heading to Norikura Kogen to See a Frozen Waterfall…
Even Though I’d Heard There Was No Snow…
On the second day of my Matsumoto trip, I headed up into the mountains by car. My destination was Norikura Kogen. I had signed up for an optional snowshoe hiking tour, but it was canceled because there wasn’t any snow, though I was told I could still go if I didn’t mind that.
So I wasn’t expecting snowfall at all, but as I drove on, the snow kept getting deeper and deeper.
Zengoro Falls Is About a 15-Minute Walk
What I wanted to see in Norikura Kogen was Zengoro Falls frozen over. If you park in the dedicated Zengoro Falls parking lot, it takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the waterfall from there.
The Footprints Were the Only Way I Knew This Was the Trail
After parking the car, I set off for the falls right away. But there was far more snow than I had expected, and the path was completely buried.
There were just barely enough footprints left to tell that the waterfall was further ahead.
I’d heard there was no snow, but thankfully I was wearing snow boots for the cold, so I was somehow able to keep going. There were also quite a few stairs and slopes along the way.
As I went down the stairs, I slipped and landed on my backside several times, which was pretty nerve-racking since I’ve fallen down stairs before and once ended up with an avulsion fracture in my leg.
Following that path, I eventually reached the river.
After crossing an enchanting snow-covered bridge, I could see the river, almost entirely covered in snow and ice.
And There It Was: Frozen Zengoro Falls
And beyond that, a magnificent waterfall appeared, about 70% frozen.
I’ve heard that in the depths of winter, all of the water freezes, but it was still a little early in the season, so some parts were still flowing.
That flowing water was beautiful too. I heard that in midwinter you can get much closer to the falls, but at this time of year there’s a risk the ground underfoot could crack and send you into the basin below, so this time I admired it from a distance.
If you climb the nearby stairs, you can view the falls from slightly above.
However, I slipped and landed on my backside again while going down the stairs, and I felt it was better not to push myself any further. Unless you have proper gear and feel very sure-footed, I wouldn’t recommend this route.
After seeing the falls, I headed back the way I had come.
I was worried that if more snow piled up and covered the footprints, I might not be able to find my way back, but luckily the tracks were still clearly visible!
Comments