Mossy rocks
In the stream.
lumoplank — CC0 · Chi King — CC BY 2.0 · Naokijp — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daderot — CC0 · Daderot — CC0
Oirase Gorge is a clear stream running between moss-covered rocks through dense beech and maple forest. The water churns white over the rocks, then calms into green pools, small waterfalls spill from the gorge walls, and the forest turns red and gold in autumn. The gorge runs about 14 km from Nenokuchi, where the water leaves Lake Towada, down to Yakeyama at the foot of Mount Hakkoda, dropping only about 200 m along the way, so it flows gently. Lake Towada is a caldera formed some 200,000 years ago, and the stream formed when part of its rim collapsed. Its largest waterfall, Choshi Otaki, is about 7 m high and 20 m wide. The gorge lies in a national park and is a designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty. You walk a level path along the stream, using the bus to return or skip a section, and stop at the waterfalls. The middle of the gorge is about 25 km in a straight line west of Towada. The road is closed by snow from about November to April.
In the stream.
On the walls.
In October.
Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Aomori Prefecture
Yes, or part of it with the bus.
Mid-October for autumn colour.