autumn leaves | Japanese Countryside Travel Notes

2020-09-242020-09-25

Morning walk at the foot of Hachimantai

walking 11explanation — explanation on the way

A walking tour with a guide (no charge) is held every morning at the hotel ‘Kyounso’ where we stayed at Matsukawa Hot Spring of Hachimantai. Extensive explanation and stories over one hour before breakfast made us feel rich nature of Hachimantai. The following stories, for example, are very attractive !

walking 14 water passage on the tree — find water passage on the beech tree surface

<Story 1> (photo 14)
Each beech tree is stored 8-tone water under the ground through the mechanism of the shape of a leaf and water passage on a trunk . So landslide or wildfires do not occur in the beech forest, and they are naturally digested even if they are bonfired or left in the forest. It would be an overstatement to not extinguish the bonfire.

<Story2>
Why is the beech tree growing straight and thick, but not suitable for building materials? It has the property that it cannot grow easily because it is covered with bamboo grass when it is small, and it grows all at once when the bamboo grass dies in about 50 years. As a result, the beech grows straight and large, creating a genuine beech forest like the Shirakami Mountains. Therefore, the center of the annual ring is dense (that is, hard), and the outside of the annual ring is sparse (that is, soft), so it is not suitable as a building material. It is the only building material used in the main hall of Yamadera, Rissyaku-Temple, in Yamagata Prefecture, so be sure to take a closer look before heading to the summit if you go there.

<Story3> (photo 9)
The raw material for Japanese paper is said to be Kozo-mitsumata, but glue is required to bond the fibers. It can be collected from the tree “Nori Utsuri”(see photo 9 below), as the name literary “glue transfer”.

<Story4> (photo 10)
The “Kuro-moji” tree (see photo 10 below) is a material for high-class toothpicks used when eating Japanese sweets in the tea ceremony. Kuro-moji tree is a relaxing fragrant tree and is said to relieve the tension of the tea ceremony.

<Story 5> (photo 13)
A maple designed for Canadian flag colors the forest as autumn leaves. The size of leaves in Japan are small and the Japanese name ‘KAEDE’ came from a flog(‘KAERU’)’s hand(‘TE’), ‘KAEru-no-T(D)E’.

<Story6> (photo 17)
“Honoki” (see photo 17 below) is a material that is neither hard nor soft. Therefore, it is used as a material for cutting boards that do not lack the teeth of kitchen knives and clogs (wooden shoes) with good cushioning.

I was told a lot of plant names and useful stories, but I couldn’t remember them because of the capacity of my brain.

Walking Route(click photo)

walking start

geothermal power generation

walking 1

walking 2

walking 3 plant explanation

walking 4

walking 5

walking 6 breech

walking 7 cloud

walking 8 moon

walking 9 Mori-Utsuri

walking 10 Kuromoji

walking 11 explanation

walking 12 branch

walking 13 maple

walking 14 water passage on the tree

walking 15 beech

walking 16

walking 17 Honoki

2020-09-222020-09-23

Oirase Valley in the rain

It rains! It rains! It rains! …….

Is there something like this? Even thought it’s the highlight of the tourist spot ! But few tourists and the roof of trees as an umbrella made us refreshing.

oirase valley waterfall 3 — oirase valley waterfall here and there

Surprisingly a few person walk* from Ishigedo to Choshi-Ohtaki for 4 hours. Walking road almost goes along the Oirase river and is flat like the flow. Let’s watch slowly calm flow and attractive waterfalls here and there. Choshi-Ohtaki(big waterfall) flown from Lake Towada welcome you at the goal. Coincidentally we saw the moment when part of the waterfall wall collapsed with explosive sound. I’m sure the wallrock broke along the columnar joints.

*)You can pick up a bus almost every hour at several bus stops on the way. If you use a rental car, it would be difficult to find out your parking space at Ishigedo in high season, especially weekend.
At Ishigedo, the cup of coffee using Oirase flesh water after long walk was full of bliss !

Highlight from Ishigedo to Choshi-Ohtaki(click photo)

oirase valley start

oirase valley small waterfall

oirase river 1

oirase valley 1

oirase valley waterfall 1

oirase valley waterfall 2

oirase river 2

oirase river 3

oirase river 4

small animal on the beech

big tree in the valley

oirase river 5

oirase valley waterfall 3

oirase river 6

choshi big waterfall arrival

choshi big waterfall upper

oirase river 7

Start Point

Goal Point

2020-09-202020-09-20

Tsuta Swamp

tsuta swamp approach

Many photographers visit Tsuta swamp for the bright red autumn leaves illuminated by the morning sun. Therefore, general vehicles are restricted from early morning except for the shuttle bus during this period. You’ll have to choose between booking the historical hotel near here or giving up on the relaxing breakfast at other hotels to get a shuttle bus. Fortunately or unfortunately, we enjoyed a calm and fresh walk in the light rain. The hotel will lend you an umbrella and boots.

tsuta swamp

tsuta swamp right

The bathtub of Tsuta Hot Spring is deep and is filled with overwhelming hot water. And don’t forget that there is a fresh hot spring right under the bathtub. You can directly receive the blessings of the earth with delicious dinner.

tsuta hot spring

keiran Shiromisojitate Kurumi at Tsuta Hot Spring

2020-09-182020-09-19

Hakkoda Mountains and swamps

The origin of the name Hakkoda Mountains seems to be that there are many shell-shaped peaks and marshes. Therefore, it is a very complicated terrain. So the next tragedy may have been born.
What comes to mind at Hakkoda Mountains is the 1902 distress of 200 people during the snow march training of the Japanese Army. It seems preparing for the war against Russia. Meanwhile, another unit was also training at the same time, and it is said that it passed through the distress scene but was kept secret.

suiren swamp at hakkoda in autumn

Most travelers look at the rugs of autumn colors on the Hakkoda ropeway, but those who love the countryside want to immerse themselves in a quiet place. The route going through from Sukayu hot spring to Tsuta hot spring, which is opposite side of the distress, is one of my favorite driving roads. Stopping by at Suiren swamp is strongly recommended because Mt.Hakkoda mountains reflect on the surface of the swamp on a sunny day and in the silence, wild birds and toads ! (big frogs) echo their voices in the distance. Hell swamp with strong acid water near Sukayu hot spring, the photo of which is indicated on the top of this blog page, is also charming.

suiren swamp at hakkoda in other season

2020-09-162020-09-15

Johgakura Bridge with spectacular view

johgakura bridge

If you travel connecting Shirakami mountains and Hakkoda mountains or Lake Towada, going through Jougakura bridge is highly recommended especially in autumn season. The color around the bridge changes into red.

autumn leaves from bridge

You can walk on the bridge safely after parking at the edge of it. But strong winds on the bridge take away heat from the body.

Look down like a bird at the middle of the bridge ! Deep valley 122m below the bridge is trying to swallow you. The river is so acidic that no fish can live in it.

bird eyes

There is Sukayu Onsen(Hot Spring), the bath of which is made of Hiba wood and can accommodate 1,000 people at a time, but it is also strongly acidic and it makes you tingle when you take a bath, so be careful of people with sensitive skin. It is famous for mixed bathing, but there is a place to take it individually in the back.

sukayu hot spring

2020-09-132020-09-13

Shirakami mountains (World Heritage)

It is easy to approach the entrance to World Heritage, but places inside where a tourist could reach by himself were limited. Furthermore ‘Anmon Fall’* was closed due to typhoon damages. You should chose between to be satisfied with a glance or to spend all day. Next time I would like to challenge with a guide.

*)There are many approach routes to the heart of Shirakami mountains. ’Twenty ponds walking course’ is easily accessible　from the sea side with public transportation and you can feel variety of nature.