Kamikochi and Magome bus reservations

I will be travelling from Matsumoto to Kamikochi via train / bus and staying the night and returning to Matsumoto the next day. I heard its suggested to get my return bus ticket once I get to Kamikochi – is this necessary, and I assume I have to choose the time I want to depart?

I am thinking to leave either early the next morning or in the afternoon depending on how much I see on the first day, so would it be possible to change my mind (ie I book the bus for the next morning and later decide to leave in the afternoon – is this possible?)

When are the peak times for the bus – I was thinking the 07:50 if morning or the 12:40 if afternoon?


Lastly after this I will head to Magome (train to Nakatsugawa then bus to Magome, hike to Tsumago , stay overnight then next day bus to Nagiso). For this route are there any other bus / train reservations that need to be made in advance (like booking the bus from Tsumago - Nagiso the night before etc? Or would it be safe to just turn up and get the bus.


Dates in question 4 / 5 October.

It is not possible to make seat reservations for the buses between Matsumoto and Kamikochi. Instead, when you want to return to Matsumoto, you go to the bus terminal and get your ticket. In case the next bus is full, you get assigned to a later one according to a first-come first-serve system with numbered tickets.

I would assume that on October weekdays, the capacity of the buses is sufficient.

For this route are there any other bus / train reservations that need to be made in advance

No, all the trains between Matsumoto and the Kiso Valley also carry non-reserved seating for those without seat reservations. And the local buses in the Kiso Valley are fully unreserved.