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Oirase Gorge, Towada

4.7
#1 of 3,522 in Things to do in Tohoku
Must see · Water Body · Nature / Park
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Enjoy a relaxing hike through dense primeval forest along Oirase Gorge. As you walk or cycle along the 8-10 km (5-6 mi) trail, surrounded by white cedar, maple trees, and Japanese beech, you’ll see the stream crashing against moss-covered rocks poking out of the water. Various waterfalls of different shapes and sizes line the trail, including a 25 m (82 ft) high giant cascade. Amenities include simple restrooms and bicycle hire shops. Start your trip to Towada by creating a personalized itinerary on Inspirock.
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Oirase Gorge reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
1,063 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • Generally speaking, the Oirase Stream is hard to access by public transport during winter due to road closure, but the winter sight is awesome which is something I realy wanted to see. So I joined... 
    Generally speaking, the Oirase Stream is hard to access by public transport during winter due to road closure, but the winter sight is awesome which is something I realy wanted to see. So I joined...  more »
  • Plan before you go for the trip. Bus from Aomori allows you to stop at your prefered place so that you can hike up the stream. If you do not own a JR pass, it will be wise to buy the 5000yen pass... 
    Plan before you go for the trip. Bus from Aomori allows you to stop at your prefered place so that you can hike up the stream. If you do not own a JR pass, it will be wise to buy the 5000yen pass...  more »
Google
  • Oirase gorge is one of our favorite places in all of Japan. We’ve visited the gore two summers in a row! There has never been a greener place! The trees, the moss, wow! The forest and river are beautiful and even in the rain, this is a must see. We park at the northern parking area near the public restroom when we visit and start our walk from there. If you visit, take your time. This is not a 15 minute stop. Walk all the way, take pictures, listen to the river. It’s worth it.
  • The gorge itself was great, and luckily when I went the autumn colours was in full swing. I visited by taking the bus from Yasumiya JR Bus Towadako and stopped at Ishigedo as suggested by the staff in the hotel. He mentioned that it was prettier to walk up towards the lake than from the lake. During my visit they were encouraging people to take the bus instead of taking their own cars to the gorge to limit congestion. Once I visited I understood why. Despite being a weekday there were lots of cars and some of the drivers would just stop their cars wherever they please to take pictures, making it dangerous for other drivers to pass. If you are visiting, please take the bus or park responsibly.

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