Mt. Hakkoda-san八甲田山

Volcanic eruptions responsible for phenomenal geography. Virgin forests, alpine plants, swamps, and marshes co-exist.

Mt. Hakkoda-san is the name given to a range of dormant volcanoes in central Aomori. The volcanoes consist of Kita (northern) Hakkoda, whose main peak is O-dake, and Minami (southern) Hakkoda, whose main peak is Kushi-ga-mine. The area is dotted with swamps and marshes left over from volcanic eruptions, and the virgin forest and alpine flora show off the beauty of the four seasons. There are many varieties of plants, and visitors can enjoy the changes as the altitude increases through the sub-alpine and alpine zones.

The most important points are Tashiro Marshland, a treasure trove of alpine plants, and Suiren-numa Swamp, an area of lakes and marshes where you can see beautiful mountains and alpine plants. Mt. Hakkoda-san also features fresh green plants in spring and orange- and gold-tinted leaves in autumn. There is a ropeway, on which you can enjoy the views of woodlands for 10 minutes, as well as other walkways where you can go for walks.

There are many other things to see in Mt. Hakkoda-san, such as the Jo-ga-kura Mountain Stream and the Jo-ga-kura-ohashi Bridge. In the surrounding area, there are several hot springs, such as the Suka-yu-onsen, Sarukura-onsen, and Yachi-onsen hot springs. In winter, you can enjoy skiing in a beautiful fantasy world of trees covered with snow and ice.