登山

Mt. Bandai
One of Japan’s “top one hundred mountains” and a symbolic representative of Fukushima Prefecture. Starting points suitable even for relatively novice climbers are Happodai and Urabandai trailheads. Other trailheads are Kawakami with several hot springs in its vicinity, Shibuya (for more advanced climbers), Inawashiro and Okinajima.

Mt. Adatara
Famous from Kotaro Takamura’s “Portrait of Chieko” and one of a five-section range of volcanoes, Mt. Adatara stretches from the western part of Nihonmatsu City and rises up to a height of 1,700 m/5,570 ft. Climbing courses’ starting points include the Numajiri Onsen or the Bonari Green Line at the western side and the cable car from the Dake Onsen at the eastern side. The mountain’s summit offers some of Fukushima’s most spectacular views including those of the Nihonmatsu plain, the Bandai Plateau and the numerous mountains of the Azuma range.

自然散策

In the forest next to the lake, you can come across the Tenkyokaku Guesthouse, formerly the Okinajima detached villa of Prince Takamatsu/Nobuhito), as well as the Momijiyama viewing deck offering a sweeping view of the lake. During the winter, you can take ski lessons or join the locals in cross-country ski hikes or snowy nature observation tours. For some of the best views of Mt. Bandai, you could also try the 3.6 km cycling road stretching parallel to the north side of Lake Inawashiro; take a leisurely ride and enjoy the wind coming from the lake!

While on the subject of Lake Inawashiro, one of its best views is from the Showa no Mori, a park with red pines and broad-leaf trees. Other spots of interest in the park are the Future Plaza with its enormous sundial, the Rockery, a rock garden utilizing volcanic rocks and offering an overview of the alpine region’s vegetation and the National Tree-planting Ceremony Commemoration Monument; besides celebrating the 21st National Tree-planting Ceremony which was attended by the Emperor, the monument is at a location offering an unbroken view of Inawashiro.