Every day I have been travelling, I think "it can't get better than this, this is it - this is the peak" but today was on a whole new level. With the wise words of John Muir in my backpack, I endured 6 hours of public transport, a random 5000 yen bus and train fee and the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life.

It all started at 7am with a train ride through the mountains, overlooking the cities as I passed. Then I got on a bus at Shi-Shimagyama for 1.5 hours that literally wound through and up the Japanese alps, you couldn't look somewhere without seeing a tall cedar forest, or a crystal clear blue look or the highest mountains I've ever seen.

I arrived at Kamikochi in Chubusangaku national park, where no private cars are allowed and you can see the snow capped alp mounts cropping over the cedar forest from the wooden visitors centre. I ventured out and found a bridge as well as a view that literally took my breath away - a japanese man asked me if I was ok I was so stunned. The water was so clear that you could see every single rock being washed over by the fast paced water, and you could see the snow and glaciers making their way down the mountain and I don't have words for the pure, natural beauty that is there. I walked about 10km over the course of the day, my feet were tired but I saw expansive forest and walked by the river and saw lakes with mallards swimming gently on the top. I ate lunch at Lake Taisho, a still lake with water clear as day under the sun as I looked at the mountains and the peace that surrounded me. It was perfect, there was not a single imperfetion (except I didn't see a bear, despite the bear warnings everywhere). The weather was a cool 25 degrees as I was so high up (1500m!) and perfect, I know I have to go back some day.

I was entirely surrounded by wilderness in one way or another all day, and I feel refreshed and peaceful because of it - I am so grateful I followed my erratic ideas and have gone to all these places that aren't on the map and are hard to get to but are so wonderful. I'm tossing up whether or not to skip Togakushi Shrine tomorrow and go straight to Tokyo or not, we'll see how the day pans out! I can't believe I only have 3 more days, what I wouldn't give for another month of exploring this wilderness and myself. Either way, I've learnt a lot, and I miss cheese.

Until tomorrow (from Tokyo, and a very sad goodbye to Nagano)

xo Rach