Kamikochi is a high mountain valley approximately 18 kilometers in length. The average elevation of the valley floor ranges between roughly 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level at the south end and roughly 1,600 m (5,200 ft) at the northern tip.
Kamikochi is located in the Hida Mountains, the “Northern Alps” of the Japanese Alps. The surrounding mountains reach 3,190 m (10,470 ft). Kamikochi is bordered on its northern end by Mount Hotaka, and on its southern end by Mount Yake, an active volcano.
The Azusa River flows the length of the valley, filling Lake Taisho at the base of Mt. Yake. Lake Taisho received its name because it was formed by the eruption of Mt. Yake in 1915, which was part of the Taisho period in Japan.
Because of the relatively flat topography of the Kamikochi Valley, marshes and ponds are a common feature, including the Takezawa Marsh, Tashiro Pond, and Myojin Pond. As the waters are mainly from melted snow runoff or underground aquifers, the water temperature is cold, even in the height of summer. The Tokusawa area at the far northern end of the valley served as a grazing area for horses and cattle until 1934, when the area was completely integrated into the park.
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