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The
Tohokuregionhasanumberof resorts
that offer great snowconditions.
The main snow regions here include
Hakkoda inAomori; resortsclosetoMorioka
City, including Shizukuishi, Appi Kogen and
Hachimantai; the area around Zao Onsen
in Yamagata; and the Bandai town and Ina-
washiro town regions of Fukushima.
Although the Tohoku area is often,
maybetoooften, thoughtofasbeingtoofar
fromTokyotobeconvenient, theShinkansen
trains and expressways make it a good
alternative, especially for those interested
inbetter snowconditions and less crowds.
There are some excellent places to see
inTohoku and the region isworthexploring
for its snow-cappedmountains andwinter
activities.
The ski lifts at Zao Onsen have been
running since the 1920’s, making it one of
Japan’s oldest resort areas.
Appi Kogen in Iwate prefecture is one of
thenewer resorts in Japanandhasmodern
facilities, few lift linesanda lotof territoryto
ski or snowboard.
SnowWalls
Zao Echo Line Road:
This 26km-long
road crosses over the mountains of Zao,
connecting a plateau near Zao Onsen and
Togatta Onsen. The road is closed due to
heavysnowfromNovembertoApril,andyou
can see amazing 10m-high snow walls on
bothsideswhentheroadisreopenedinApril
or May. Along this road spread a number
Let it Snow!
of hiking trails that offer a good retreat in
summer andgreat foliageviews inautumn.
Hachimantai AspiteLine:
TheAspiteLine is
a27kmmountainsightseeingroadthatruns
throughTowada-HachimantaiNationalPark
straddlingIwateandAkita.Witharesthouse
at the peak, it is one of the best roads in
the country for a scenic drive, especially in
the fall when you can enjoy the panorama
of colourful beeches and maples at every
curve.TheAspiteLineisclosedduringwinter
duetoheavysnow, but in lateApril, theroad
is reopened with towering walls of snow
on both sides; the snow walls, can reach a
height of sixmetres in someplaces.
Did You Know?
About 9.21 million people live in the
Tohoku region. Sendai is the capital
city of Miyagi Prefecture, and is the
largest city in the Tohoku region. It
is also the second largest citynorth
of Tokyo and has a population of
onemillion.
The city is the centre of the To-
hoku region’s economy, and is the
base of the region’s logistics and
transportation. It relies upon retail
and services – the two industries
provide two thirds of the employ-
ment.
The snow corridor
along the Hachimantai
Aspite Line
APPI Kogen is one of the most
well-known resorts in the Tohoku
region and continues to be a top
spot for skiers and boarders alike