Matsumoto Beneath the Clouds

What?
Mount Gotenyama (御殿山) in Matsumoto City (松本市) has a peak elevation of 885 meters. This easy hike offers a path passing 2 historic shrines and an observation deck with a sweeping view of the city and the surrounding valley. Pushing on to the summit is a hike of around 40 minutes, while the nearby Asama Onsen (浅間温泉) area can serve to refresh the body and mind.
Where?
Located in Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture (長野県), we used our car to access the trailhead next to the Gotenyama Tenmangu Shrine. There is however a bus from Matsumoto Station that goes to Asama Onsen which is a 10 minute walk to the starting point of the hike.
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Matsumoto is a city in a basin surrounded by mammoth mountains. Whichever way you look, they’re there. It’s a Walhalla for hikers in Japan who want to tackle the country’s higher peaks.
On the other hand, it often happens that, even though the city itself is relatively free of clouds and rain, the weather gods are wreaking havoc in that same Walhalla.

On those days, you can either stay at home or choose to climb one of the many lower mountains. Especially around the Japanese Alps, these smaller peaks are more or less ignored due to the presence of their loftier neighbors. But they have the advantage of not being battered by torrential rains and of sitting beneath the cloud deck, still offering a decent view of the city and the valley it lies in.

And so, my buddies and I set off for the virtually unknown Mount Goten, near Matsumoto’s more famous onsen district, Asama Onsen.
It’s so unknown that my friend, who had already climbed it once, completely missed the trailhead and we had to backtrack before finally starting the hike. We were already 30 minutes in. After backtracking, we soon got on the right path: a little wild and overgrown, yet easy to tread. A small bridge and unspoiled nature were the highlights until we arrived at the mountain’s viewing platform. Even though we were far from tired — it’s really an easy hike — we sat down and enjoyed the view. It was cloudy, so the spectacular vista of the Alps as depicted on the sign was nowhere to be seen, but the peculiar game of light and clouds above the city made for a wholly different enjoyment.

While not really what's on the sign, the view was beautiful anyway.

Matsumoto through the trees.

Truth be told, if you climb this mountain for the views, you’d better turn around here. We pressed on for the top, but it’s about as unspectacular as things get: just a stone next to a forestry path… bummer.
As a sucker for loop hikes, I led us down a different trail back to the trailhead. This side was much more overgrown and at points slippery. There were a few nice rock formations, but nothing spectacular. Eventually, we exited the forest in Asama Onsen. We passed the oldest onsen of Matsumoto, and while entering and soaking in the healing water might have been a valid option, we instead went to eat soba in a seemingly authentic restaurant before checking into our hotel and heading out to watch a game of my favorite football team.

Mount Goten is not a place you need to include in your travel schedule. However, if you’re in Matsumoto near Asama Onsen and fancy a short walk in nature, there’s nothing wrong with hiking its little trails.
And even in cloudy weather, Matsumoto’s vistas are great from any angle — whether it’s the viewing platform on this small peak, the terrace of your hotel, or the seats in Matsumoto Yamaga FC’s quaint stadium.