Towada-Hachimantai National Park

This magnificent national park stretches across the mountainous regions of Aomori, Iwate, and Akita Prefectures. It consists of two major areas: the Towada-Hakkoda area, which includes the famous Oirase Stream, Lake Towada, and Mount Hakkoda, and the Hachimantai area, which includes Mount Iwate and Mount Akita Komagatake.

The Towada/Hakkoda area is home to some of Japan's most scenic spots, including Oirase Stream, where visitors can easily enjoy a walk along the clear mountain stream, Lake Towada, Japan's only double caldera lake with a mysterious appearance, and Mount Hakkoda, known for its beautiful juhyo (rime).

The Hakkoda area is one of the most volcanic regions in Japan. The famous Aspite Line, a snow corridor that straddles Iwate and Akita, is open to traffic from late April to mid-May, when the driveway is open to traffic, and visitors can view snow walls as high as 8 meters. Mt. Iwate, also known as Nanbu Fuji and loved by local residents and mountaineering enthusiasts nationwide, and the rare alpine flora that grows in clusters on Akita Komagatake, an active volcano at 1,637 meters above sea level.

Both areas offer wonderful seasonal scenery, including fresh greenery in spring, fields of flowers in early summer, autumn leaves in fall, and snowy landscapes in winter, so that visitors can experience new impressions no matter what season they visit. The variety of hot springs, a blessing of the volcano, is also an attraction.