Originally Posted by
hailstorm
I've managed to get three nights at Imperial Kamikochi in August. Is that too long? Seems like there's not all that much to do there but enjoy the scenery. Does the hotel itself even have an onsen of its own?
What sort of hike are we talking about to get to the various ryokan in the area? Greater than 5 km a day?
The other ryokan in the area are all in the same general lower valley, so walking distance. As for hiking, if you like hiking, you can do day hikes in the area and come back to the hotel, as opposed to ending up in some non-luxury hut up in the mountains. Many people will do multiple-day treks going from point to point, staying at huts or small inns along the way. Staying at the Imperial is over the top compared to the standard mode of roughing it.