Not only Sakura season is popular in Japan, also the autumn colours in the Japanese Alps attract many visitors. We experienced this first hand when we were looking for an affordable hotel in Kamikochi. Fully booked hotels force us to move to Norikura Kogen, which we absolutely do not regret. It gave us the opportunity to also explore this village and taste possibly our best meal in eight months of travel: katsudon at Cafe Fukinoto.