Hachimantai
八幡平 · Volcanic onsen plateau on the Iwate-Akita border, with the late-spring Dragon Eye snow ring
Hachimantai sits in Towada-Hachimantai National Park on a volcanic plateau between 1,000 and 1,600 meters, straddling the Iwate-Akita border. Four small ryokan strips spread across the slopes: Toshichi at 1,400 meters is the highest hot spring in Tohoku, Goshogake on the Akita side runs a 2-kilometer boardwalk past mud volcanoes and sulfur vents, Fukenoyu has the area's oldest spring opened 400 years ago, and Matsukawa is the most rustic and remote on the Iwate side. The Hachimantai Aspite Line crosses the summit between mid-April and early November, with the late-spring snow corridor a draw. The Hachimantai Dragon Eye, a circular pattern in the snowmelt around Kagami-numa pond, opens for about a week in late May.
What Hachimantai is known for
Top-rated in Hachimantai
Tamagawa Onsen
4.4onsen
Tamagawa Onsen has the highest flow rate of any hot spring in Japan, at 9,000 liters per minute, and its pH of 1.2 makes it the most acidic.
Goshogake
4.4onsen
Geothermal area in the Hachimantai highlands with bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and rustic hot spring lodges.
Toshichi Onsen Kyounso
4.4onsen
Tohoku's highest-altitude onsen featuring primitive, bubbling mud baths.
Hachimantai Aspite Line
4.4landmark
The Hachimantai Aspite Line is a mountain road at 1,613 meters spanning Iwate and Akita.
Nanataki Falls
4.5nature
Beautiful natural area in Iwate with stunning views and tranquil surroundings.
The Appi Beech Forest of Hachimantai
4.2nature
Some 100 hectares of natural beech forest can be found in the Appi highlands of Hachimantai in northern Iwate.
Kagami-numa pond (Hachimantai Dragon Eye)
4.3landmark
Volcanic pond transforms into a 'dragon eye' each May when snowmelt creates a blue pupil surrounded by white.
Matsukawa Onsen
4.3onsen
Matsukawa Onsen is a hot-spring town located near its namesake river within the Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
Plan a trip to Hachimantai
Build a personalized itinerary with the best of Hachimantai.