autumn leaves | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2023-10-182023-10-29

Feel like you are a painter too, Mishaka pond

The pond that served as a motif in the painting “Green Echo” by Japanese artist Kaii Higashiyama.

(source: https://www.higashiyama-kaii.or.jp/)

Karamatsu pine trees change color with the seasons, and the tranquil surface of the water reflects them. It’s a very famous sight that everyone has seen it somewhere at least once, but when you go to the real site you will find out that it is actually an agricultural reservoir. Since the area is so cold that agar can form, there is a pond to warm up the water for agriculture.

misyaka pond (1)

misyaka pond (2)

misyaka pond (3)

misyaka pond (5)

misyaka pond (7)

misyaka pond (8)

misyaka pond (9)

misyaka pond (10)

misyaka pond (11)

misyaka pond (12)

misyaka pond (13)

Even when you go out first thing in the morning, photographers with super expensive telephoto lenses line up and take up space. That may not be interesting, but it’s definitely a sight you should see at least once.

misyaka pond (6)

Photography locations are limited to the west side of the pond, and in the afternoon the surface of the pond reflects light, making it unsuitable for photography. The best time to take photos is in the morning, because the pine forest on the east side of the pond acts as a light shield and prevents the early morning sunlight from directly reaching the water surface, making the water surface look like a mirror.

shirakoma pond0 cover photo — go back to itinerary

2021-10-312021-10-31

Yokokawa Valley with calm and peaceful Chourou Lake was a true discovery !

Ordinary people will go to Miyagi Zao Fox Village near here, but countryside lovers can’t pass Yokokawa Valley and Chourou Lake which are located on the foot of Mt.Zao.

The name of Zao comes from the fact that Zao Gongen, mountain religion, was separated from the Kinpusenji Temple in Yoshino, Nara, where cherry blossoms bloom all over the mountain. Before then, a part of the predecessor of this Zao name was called Mt. Fubousan, now which can be seen well from Yokokawa Valley and Chourou Lake. It is a mountain that has appeared in Japanese classics, and it means a mountain that you never forget in literary.

The idyllic view of Chourou Lake and the view of Mt. Fubousan from the longest suspension bridge in Tohoku will be a memory you will never forget.

Gallery (click photos)

yokokawa valley suspension bridge

yokokawa valley and mt.fubou

yokokawa valley damm lake

chourou lake2

yokokawa valley jizo

chourou lake3

2021-10-302021-10-29

Take a walk from the top to the bottom of Akiu Otaki Big Waterfall

As you enter the temple next to the Botanical Garden, you will find a place overlooking the famous Akiu Otaki Big Waterfall. Before that, there is something to write down. There is a store selling various herbs at the entrance. Among them was a tree of eye drops found in the real botanical picture book in the garden. ‘Tree of eye drops’ is just the name of tree. When the bark of the tree was boiled, it turned into a pink liquid, and drinking it helped with eye fatigue. I felt a bit bitter but healthy.

A trail extends to the bottom of the waterfall. The bottom of the waterfall was wider than I expected. I’ve come a long time ago, but at that time I had a narrower memory, but has it collapsed?
As the waterfall runs down east, if you try to take a picture, it will be backlight or strong shade unless it is early in the morning.

2021-10-262021-10-26

Akiu Botanical Garden only where delicate waterfalls can be seen

Although it is close to the border of Yamagata prefecture, I arrived in about 30 minutes from Sendai city due to the development of transportation.

The botanical gardens have wonderful flowers, fresh greenery and autumn leaves in each season(closed in winter), but in

addition there are two wonderful waterfalls that cannot be seen unless you enter here. A typical tourist will return home after seeing Akiu Otaki Big fall near here, but let’s step on the fallen leaves and find your wonderful autumn here.

Gallery (click photos)

akiu botanical garden entrance

akiu botanical garden

sudare waterfall

akiu botanical garden

mizore waterfall

akiu botanical garden

akiu botanical garden autumn leaves

2020-11-172020-11-16

too quiet and scared Nakanose Pond is the face that represents Geopark

I have never met such a spacious and refreshing scenery. But it’s amazing because the horrific volcanic activity in 1888(recently!) created this landscape. The collapse of the mountain body occurred on the Urabandai side due to the steam explosion as one of the volcanic activity, and rocks avalanche from the collapse dammed the river creating many lakes and ponds. On the viewpoint, the top of chunk of rock, you can imagine how Mt. Bandai collapsed and rocks avalanche rushed in the direction you were in to create lakes and ponds.

Geosite View (click photos)

nakanose pond left

nakanose pond right

Taking a walk, many chunks of rocks are recognized here and there and become a blindfold, so when you pass through it, the scenery suddenly changes and a bear may suddenly appear. That’s why a bear bell is indispensable if you are not enough bigger than a bear !

*)The Renge Pond walking and the Nakanose Pond walking are connected and enjoy quiet walking except for a bear.

Gallery (click photos)

renge pond parking

renge pond walking

renge pond

bear caution

tou no hetsuri shrine — Go back to itinerary

2020-11-162020-11-15

deep Nakatsugawa Valley with bright autumn leaves

The normal tourist overlooks here, but those who love the countryside cannot. You can enjoy the autumn colors even from the bridge, but for those with good legs, let’s go down the deep valley 15min for one way.

Gallery (click phtos)

nakatsugawa valley bridge

nakatsugawa valley under the bridge

nakatsugawa valley2

nakatsugawa valley4

nakatsugawa valley viewpoint

nakatsugawa valley5

Panoramic view of Onogawa and Akimoto Lake (click photos)

On the way to Nakatsugawa Valley, Bandai-Azuma Lake Line(road) runs along the ridge. The mountains colored in autumn colors looked like broccoli !

onogawa lake

onogawa lake broccoli

onogawa lake viewpoint

akimoto lake

2020-11-152020-11-15

Urabandai Goshiki-Numa Ponds(Five colors ponds) walk

‘Red Pond’ in literary among Goshiki-NumaPonds is not real red. The color of Hell Ponds in Beppu Hot spring (Oita prefecture) reproduces the color more faithfully. Five colors here mean that various colors can be found depending on the weather and season, etc. Its color is due to the reflection of particles of the melted mineral matter.

To save time, recommend to use a bus for one way. Return to Goshiki-Numa entrance / Urabandai-Kogen by bus (to Inawashiro / Kitakata for each) to pick up the parked car there. Check in advance a time table of bus available per about one hour. In case go forward to the other starting point taking a bus immediately after parking a car.

Gallery (click photos)

goshiki numa bishamon1

goshiki numa bishamon2

goshiki numa aka

goshiki numa midoro

goshiki numa benten

goshiki numa mountains

goshiki numa ruri

goshiki numa ao

goshiki numa yanagi1

goshiki numa yanagi2

goshiki numa map

2020-10-022020-10-04

Snoopy Waterfall, No Doubt !

It appears in front of you the moment you turn the promenade. There is no doubt that it looks snoopy no matter what you look at. I recognized this waterfall when watching TV program casually a few years ago. The official name is Miroku Waterfall, which come from Buddhist thought. Certainly, I felt that way because it suddenly appeared after turning the promenade.
I was planning to make a detour* on the way back from Lake Towada on 2nd day but the sunset was early in the deep mountains, so I gave up to stop by and next day challenged.

*)It is on the way down from Lake Towada to Iwate prefecture through the southside of Aomori prefecture. Entering from the main road**, it is at the end of a dead end road. No gas station nearby around Lake Towada. Be careful !

**)Takko Town is located along the main road. The garlic in Takko Town is famous for its quality, which makes it possible to revitalize the town.

miroku waterfall like snoopy

2020-09-282020-09-24

Matsukawa Valley near Hot Spring

columnar joint

On the way to Matsukawa Hot Spring village there is a local but famous attraction that tourists miss in the countryside.
Columnar joint with autumn colors decoration welcome you when getting off on the river. It is located on the east side across the river, so it would be better in the afternoon to take a photo of shining autumn colors with columnar joint under the sun. Near here the view from “the big bridge of forest ” is also recommended.

Surrounded by Mt.Hachimantai and Mt. Iwate, the Matsukawa basin is a countryside full of autumn colors. It is the best place to enjoy autumn in Tohoku.

matsukawa valley from the big bridge of forest

2020-09-262020-09-24

Autumn Leaves in Hachimantai

Main tourist area is the flat top of Hachimantai mountains with alpine plants and panoramic view around the tourist road named Hachimantai Aspite Line. The mountains are volcano formed by lava with low viscosity. That is why the top is flat. > > read more about volcano story

The origin of the name is told to come from God of battle luck ‘Hachiman-sama’. ‘Hachiman’ is a symbolic icon related to ‘Genji’ that created the first samurai society in Japan.

There are many hot springs in Machimantai volcano. Matsukawa hot spring village, very attractive one of them, is located in the south of Hachimantai and it seems to be floating on the forest sea, especially autumn colors sea. The big truss structure bridge, 5 mins abover the village, has been left due to the cancelation of the traverse road construction plan reflecting natural environment movement and now it fortunately became a great view point !