Kamikōchi

Walter Weston, a British Anglican missionary, is credited through his writing with sparking interest in recreational mountaineering in Japan and also with lobbying to preserve the Kamikōchi area.

Each year in June, the Weston Festival is celebrated at Kamikochi in recognition of his contribution to the conservation of the Northern Japan Alps.

The naming of the Kappa-Bashi, the narrow pedestrian suspension bridge over the Azusa River mentioned in the novel predates the book's publication.

The origin of the naming of the bridge is uncertain, but is more commonly thought to refer to Kappa, mythical water deities said to inhabit Japan's mountain streams and rivers.

Park facilities include two camping areas, a number of hotels (western-style and traditional Japanese ryokan), a post office, a tourist information center and some souvenir shops, mainly located between the bus and taxi terminal and Kappa-bashi bridge.

As the entire Kamikochi valley is protected as part of the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park, road access is only granted to shuttle buses, taxis, and forestry and maintenance workers' vehicles.

The journey to the center of the park from Matsumoto Station by rail and shuttle bus takes approximately 1 hour 50 minutes.