Day 21 - Hiking From Yakeyama Village Through The Scenic Oirase Gorge Trail To Lake Towada - Hot Springs Walking Tour Of Northern Japan
Day 21 - Hiking From Yakeyama Village Through The Scenic Oirase Gorge Trail To Lake Towada - Hot Springs Walking Tour Of Northern Japan
Sometimes life surprises us with unexpected blessings.
Today was one of those days.
When I planned the pilgrimage, I saw that today’s walk was along the river and through the Oirase Gorge, and that there were many waterfalls marked on the map.
I made a note that it would be a very scenic walk.
But what I didn’t know is that the Oirase Gorge (奥入瀬渓流, Oirase Keiryū) is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural areas in northern Japan.
Located within the Towada-Hachimantai National Park, it is famous for its scenic river walk, waterfalls, moss-covered rocks, and lush forest that changes dramatically with the seasons.
This beautiful hiking path is between Yakeyama and Lake Towada (Towadako).
It is about 14 kilometers in length with an elevation gain of about
200 meters, if you were to start at za Lake Towada and walk up to Yakeyama River.
We were walking down from Yakeyama to the lake, walking against the flow of the Oirase River, which flows from the lake through the gorge, creating dozens of waterfalls and rapids along the way.
We were served a delicious breakfast in our guesthouse, after having had a very restful night’s sleep.
We had no food for lunch, except for the chocolate and two bananas we bought yesterday, but I did pack some hot tea in our thermos.
The weather was chilly all day today, chilly enough to wear our winter coats and a balaclava all day, and Jules also wore his gloves, but it was not as cold as it was yesterday.
It was supposed to rain until about 11 am, but with the exception of some very occasional drizzle, we remained dry all day.
We began walking at 7:45 in the morning.
The Oirase Gorge Trail is one of Japan’s most famous and photogenic hiking paths.
There were many steps, log stairs and uphills as we walked along the river.
Most hikers and photographers come with huge cameras.
They either drive to their starting point or take the bus from Towada lake that runs on the hour in the high season.
After about six kilometers of walking, where we saw no people at all on the river path, we came to a very busy visitor center, which had displays explaining how the river and waterfalls were formed, restrooms, drinks and food available.
The visitor center is called Ishigedo (石ヶ戸), and it is a scenic area with unique rock formations and a large rest house, which is a popular starting or ending point for those hiking the gorge.
There were many tour buses for those who do not hike at all, but just stopped to take photos, then take their bus to the next site along the river.
Jules wanted to move on, but I made us stay just long enough to eat a few pieces of chocolate, and to drink a cup of hot tea.
We sat on chairs outside, not wanting to take off our coats and then needing to put them back on again.
From that point on, there were people all along the river path until we reached the lake.
Not too many hikers did the whole path, but we did see a tour group of Americans who were hiking to the lake.
The highlights along the path were:
The Samidare Falls (三乱の流れ) - a beautiful multi-stream cascade surrounded by moss and forest.
The Choshi Otaki (銚子大滝) - The largest and most famous waterfall in the gorge (about 7 meters high and 20 meters wide).
The Kumoi Falls (雲井の滝) - A tall, elegant waterfall deep in the forest.
The Ashura Rapids (阿修羅の流れ) - A powerful section of the river, often photographed for its dramatic water flow.
There were bus stops and rest spots along the way, for those who only wanted to walk a part of the trail and return to their car or bus easily.
The gorge is known for its soft light filtering through the trees, for its misty waterfalls, and vibrant green mosses.
The autumn colors (mid to late October) are world-famous, with reflections of the trees, rocks and sky in the clear water.
Since it was Autumn (October), we saw the beginning of brilliant fall colors, as the river is known to be one of Japan’s most famous autumn foliage spots.
During winter, the road is often closed or difficult to access due to heavy snow, but some accessible parts can be seen on guided snowshoe tours.
We walked a bit faster as we neared Tawada lake, wanting to make sure that we caught the 1:30 PM boat to Yasumiya.
Yasumiya means “a resting place,” and it is aptly named because there are restaurants, guesthouses and hotels for the tourists.
We made it to the town by the lake in plenty of time for the boat.
I was feeling pretty tired, mostly from having to rush to make it in time.
There was already a big line of people waiting for the big boat.
The day was cold and very cloudy, and the lake was covered in mist.
We didn’t think that it would be a very scenic boat ride.
We went over to the local shop which was also the bus station, and asked if there was a bus going to Yasumiya.
The nice lady told me that indeed there was a bus leaving at the same time as the boat.
It took only ten minutes instead of the fifty minutes that the boat would take, and it would cost roughly half the price.
We decided to take the bus.
While waiting for the bus, we bought a grilled “Kiritanpo.”
Kiritanpo is a traditional specialty of Akita Prefecture in northern Japan.
It is made by pounding cooked rice, wrapping it around a skewer, and then grilling it over an open fire and brushing it with a sweet and salty miso paste.
Kiritanpo is also eaten in a hot pot (nabe), which includes other ingredients like green onions and mushrooms.
After we got to Yasumiya we walked over to our Onsen hotel.
We had to wait in the lobby until 3 pm, when they started check-ins. The hotel had a big lobby and the staff gladly filled my thermos with hot tea.
We reflected on the day.
The walk today, was challenging.
Despite going down in elevation, we had climbed up and down many hills and walked fast, which was tiring.
But it was so beautiful….
it was also so rare to have a full day’s hike in such stunning surroundings.
Jules said that along with the changing of the seasons walks through the Hakkoda mountains into Yachi Onsen, these were the three most stunning walks of our entire pilgrimage so far.
He added that they were three of the most beautiful nature walks that he has ever walked.
After we checked in, we changed into our yukatas and went for a soak in the hot springs.
The hot spring baths were wonderful and the mineral content in lake Towada is described as a “sodium-calcium sulfate‐chloride‐bicarbonate spring”.
The claim is that these waters provide therapeutic efficacy for neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue recovery, poor circulation, chronic skin diseases, burns, etc.
The hotel was busy with customers and tour groups, and it took us awhile to find our specific dining room for dinner.
After being turned away from two dining rooms, we finally were seated for a lavish dinner featuring local specialties and seasonal ingredients.
I was asleep before I could even say good night…
With love and peace,
Tali
Walked today - 17 km.
Total walked to date - 315 km.
