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National Park in Tōhoku, Japan
Photo: Yasu (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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You can take a boat tour from Yasumiya (休屋) around Lake Towada (45 minutes) or to Nenokuchi (50 minutes). Both cruises have a recorded guide (in Japanese) and show the beautiful rugged coast around the lake. Between late April and late November only.
十和田湖
Lake Towada, or Towada-ko, is Honshu's largest volcanic caldera lake and also the country's third deepest lake. The area nearby is dotted with dense forests and waterfalls, and is the top tourist draw in all Tohoku.
奥入瀬川
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, featuring constant-flowing water since this is the drain of Lake Towada, and numerous waterfalls.
八幡平
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.
十和田湖冬物語
This annual February festival features fireworks every evening, light displays, snow sculptures, food stalls and hot wine. You can drink in an igloo bar where drinks are served in glasses made of ice. Many local inns and hotels offer shuttle service to and from the festival site.
十和田湖バックパッカーズ
A new backpackers hostel in a former guest house near the shore of Lake Towada. Run by a very friendly host and his grand-daughter, it has dormitory rooms, double and family rooms, and camping grounds. There is a common kitchen and showers, and free Wi-Fi. They offer scooters for rent and use of bicycles are complimentary. Note that when they're open in colder months (e.g. October), an oil heater may be desired in your room—they ask an additional ¥500 nightly for this. Little no English spoken, but they are exceedingly welcoming. Payment by cash only.
酸ヶ湯温泉
One of the most famous old onsen in the area. The exterior and interior are of wood, and the main bath, though large, will unlikely hold up to 1000 people as it is famously claimed. The water is white and is reputedly good to treat reuma. The whole onsen smells of sulfur from the water, which adds to the charm once you get used to it. The large bath is open 24 hours and is one of the few remaining mixed-sex baths (be warned!), except 08:00-09:00 and 20:00-21:00 when it is female-only. It is near a nice short walk that takes you to a termal-heated wooded bench. Serious hikers can relax in this onsen after walking the Hakoda mountain. Rooms are Japanese style, and food is served in the room, ryokan style. Alternatively you can stay for a longer period and cook your own food in the cooking facilities.
蔦温泉旅館
Hot spring inn with a gorgeous rustic wooden bath. There are claims that people have been bathing at this hot spring since 1147. Day use is OK too.
By bus
From north of the park, JR Bus Tohoku runs the Lake Towada Sightseeing Bus on two routes: the "Mizuumi" from Aomori to Towadako, running the full route in about 3 hours; the "Oirase" from Hachinohe…
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Aomori · International · AOJ
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