Towada-Hachimantai National Park

Towada-Hachimantai National Park (十和田八幡平国立公園) [1] is a large national park in the Tohoku region of Japan, straddling the prefectures of Akita, Aomori and Iwate. Famously scenic, the park encompasses Lake Towada (Japan's deepest), the Oirase Valley (famous for its fall colors), the Hakkoda mountain range and the plateau of Hachimantai.

Culture and History

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

The winter in the northern mountains is harsh, and virtually all transport, accommodations etc are shut down between November and April.

Travel to Towada-Hachimantai National Park - Visa Requirements

Towada-Hachimantai National Park covers a very large area, and can be tackled from a number of different directions.

For access to the northern side of the park (Lake Towada, the Oirase Valley, Hakkoda Mountains, Sukayu Onsen), the nearest major city is Aomori, from where you can take buses (1-2 hours). There are also direct buses from Hachinohe and Morioka (both 2.5 hours).

For access to the central areas of the park, the JR Hanawa Line (花輪線) crosses the northern side of the Hachimantai Plateau, traveling from Odate in the west to Koma in the east, with through services on the private Iwate Ginga Railway (IGRいわて銀河鉄道) to Morioka. Note that the IGR is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

For the southernmost parts of the part, the JR Tazawako Line (田沢湖線) travels along the south edge of the Hachimantai Plateau, from Morioka to Daisen.

Fees/Permits

Tours and Getting around Towada-Hachimantai National Park

Towada-Hachimantai National Park tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Lake Towada (十和田湖 Towada-ko) is Japan's largest volcanic caldera lake and also the country's deepest lake. The area nearby is dotted with dense forests and waterfalls, and is the top tourist draw in all Tohoku.

• The Oirase River (奥入瀬川 Oirase-gawa) drains out of Lake Towada. The upper reaches, known as literally as the Oirase Stream (奥入瀬渓流 Oirase-keiryu) or as the Oirase Gorge, are famously scenic.

• Hachimantai Plateau (八幡平) is located south of Lake Towada and bridges the central areas of Akita prefecture and Iwate prefecture. It is an area of ancient volcanic activity, and the entire plateau is dotted with boiling mud pools, steam and smoke vents and hot springs.

Towada-Hachimantai National Park city tours

There are countless hot springs in the park, especially on Hachimantai Plateau. The best known include Sukayu Onsen (酸ヶ湯温泉), Goshogake Onsen (後生掛温泉) and Toshichi Onsen (藤七温泉)

Towada-Hachimantai National Park souvenirs and shopping

Towada-Hachimantai National Park Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Towada-Hachimantai National Park nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Towada-Hachimantai National Park cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Get out

This page was last edited by Jani Patokallio. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license