Kamikochi Highlands Start Welcoming Tourists in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture; Ceremony to Pray for Safety Held to Mark Occasion

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Alp horn players perform during the ceremony to open mountains of the Kamikochi highland in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, on Sunday.

A ceremony marking the start of tourist season at the Kamikochi highlands was held in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, on Sunday. Climbers and sightseers prayed for safety on the mountains amid the sounds of alphorns. This year marked the 55th such ceremony, which was blessed with fine weather, giving clear views of the Hotaka mountain range and Mt. Yakedake.