【How to Avoid Traffic】Enjoying the scenic drive on the "Venus Line" is stress-free before 9 AM

During the long holiday, you want to go out somewhere, but you want to avoid traffic and crowds. So, using the Venus Line in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture as an example, here's some useful information. It seems that the time of day is indeed effective for a stress-free drive. Will waking up early pay off?

Drive to the Venus Line, where beautiful scenery spreads out

The Venus Line, located at an average altitude of 1400m, is a 75.2 km drive course that connects Chino City in Nagano Prefecture to the Utsukushigahara Plateau. It is a popular spot where you can enjoy some of the most beautiful highland scenery in the country for free.

Especially near the summit, it is said to be the tree line where trees do not grow, and vast grasslands like those seen in movies spread out before you, showcasing a beautiful contrast created by nature, with a bright blue sky meeting the ridgelines.

Before 9 o'clock, the Venus Line is empty

As a popular driving route, there are times when you must be prepared for traffic congestion, and during long holidays, it is not uncommon for parking lots with good views to be full.

However, on this day, arriving unexpectedly early in the morning, the parking lot was surprisingly empty. From Lake Shirakaba to here, there were hardly any cars in front, and by the time I arrived at the Fog Peak Fujimidai Observatory parking lot before 9 o'clock, there were only a few cars besides mine.

The car park at the top of Venus Line, known as Kurumayama Shoulder, is close to wetlands and hiking courses, making it a busy location at all times. On this day, nearly 20 cars can be seen.

The fact that the restaurant here opens at 8:30 might contribute to the higher number of cars compared to other places. However, as there are no cars on the road, we were able to drive comfortably without any traffic jams.

We arrived at the Kiri-Kita Venus Line free parking lot, one of the busy points that concludes the Venus Line.

This place was still empty, and we hardly saw any new cars coming up from below. I wanted to have a meal somewhere as I felt a bit hungry, but most shops in the vicinity were not open by 9:00.

To head to another spot from Kirigamine, we returned along the way we came. We could see cars coming from the direction of Lake Shirakaba at regular intervals, so around 9:30, it seemed like traffic began to increase.

Based on the conditions of the day, it seems that for a comfortable drive on the Venus Line, the time before 9:00 AM might be best.

After enjoying a comfortable drive on the Venus Line, we headed to the next place.

Before heading to the next spot, we took a break at Lake Megami. We could see people on the lake with Saps and rowing boats, which looked pleasant. In this area, wherever you go, the sky and greenery are beautiful, providing a refreshing feeling. We encountered more breathtaking views afterwards, but I would like to cover that in the next article.

Interviews and text by Kazuma Tanaka

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