Ebisu Circuit – revered as a drift racing paradise – is visited every year by lots of international tourists. Ebisu Circuit’s ‘Drift Taxi’ experience lets you ride as a passenger in a special drifting car while a professional Drift School Teacher speeds around the circuit!
| Website | http://www.ebisu-circuit.com/2019top/english3.pdf |
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| Contact | Ebisu Circuit (+81) 243-24-2972 info@ebisu-circuit.com |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Access | Sawamatsukura, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 964-0088 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 15 min from the Nihonmatsu I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway. |
At Marusei Orchard, you can enjoy seasonal fruit picking as well as beautiful rural views. You can even treat yourself to delicious sweet treats made using fresh fruit at their onsite cafe! (The cafe menu changes by season) See more information about fruit picking in Fukushima City here.
The only Japan Racing Association racecourse in the Tohoku region. Enjoy the excitement of the seasonal races held during Spring, Summer and Winter, as well as the traditional Tanabata Prize in July. The racecourse also has other areas for enjoying yourself, including a children's play area and athletic facilities, making it a great place to come with the family.
There are records of Shirakawa Daruma (Japanese traditional dolls) being sold as far back as the feudal reign of the Niwa Domain in 1627. Current Shirakawa Daruma are known as “Shirakawa Tsurugame Shochikubai Daruma.” The faces of these dolls are painted to incorporate various animals and plants, with the eyebrows representing cranes, the mustache representing a turtle, the ears representing pines and plum trees, and the beard representing bamboo or pine trees. All of these images are thought to bring good luck. The daruma is known to be a very classical, lucky talisman, started by Matsudaira Sadanobu, the lord of Shirakawa, when he hired the renowned painter Tani Buncho to paint the now famous face on the daruma doll. Once every year a large Shirakawa Daruma Market is held to celebrate and sell the beloved daruma dolls. You can paint your own daruma at the two daruma workshops in town!
Mt. Adatara is actually made up of multiple active volcanoes that form a broad mountain. It last erupted in 1996. Poems in the book Chieko-sho by Kotaro Takamura (1883-1956) helped make the mountain famous. The summit of Mt. Adatara stands at an altitude of 1700 m, stretcheing about 9 kilometers in a north to south direction. Views of Mt. Adatara are lovely in and of themselves, but the views that visitors have of the surrounding area once they reach the summit are breathtaking. Chosen as one of Japan’s top 100 mountains, as well as one of the top 100 mountains for flowers, a viewspot at an altitude of 1300 m can be accessed by gondola lift. This means that it is relatively easy to climb even for beginners. On summer evenings, a light-up event inspired by the Milky Way and the flowers of Mt. Adatara is held, gracing those scaling the mountain by gondola lift with a spectacular view. In autumn, visitors are afforded a stunning view of autumn leaves making it a popular place for scenic momiji-gari (autumn leaf viewing). Kurogane-goya Mountain Lodge is a rest stop for visitors (it even serves as lodging for those on long hikes). Stay here overnight to sample the lodge's famous curry, which is reserved for overnight guests only. The lodge’s public hot spring facility uses naturally-sourced, cloudy hot spring water. Even if you aren’t staying, why not enjoy a quick dip to relax your muscles after a hike?
The Adatara Kogen Ski Resort is located about halfway up the eastern side of Mt. Adatara, one of the One Hundred Famous Mountains of Japan. Powder-snowed slopes extending from an altitude of 950 meters to 1,350 meters offer superb enjoyment to everyone from beginners to advanced skiers. The well-equipped facilities include a high-speed 6-passenger gondola, a quad chairlift, three T-bar lifts, a ski center, and three restaurants. In addition, a 1,000 meter-long slope perfect for families has opened recently and there is also a snowboarding park (one-make jump, rails and boxes) as well as a newly-opened nursery room inside the restaurant Rendezvous. The open-air hot spring bath at the Fujikyu Hotel, located just in front of the ski slopes and with water piped directly from the hot spring source, will refresh you after skiing.
The Bandai-Azuma Skyline is one of the top cycling routes of Japan! The route brings cyclists through dense green forests to volcanic terrain and sweeping views of Fukushima city and the volcanic peak of Mt. Kofuji, or “Little Fuji”. In autumn this course is warmed by vibrant autumn leaves, that make for a magical ride! Fukushima has routes for cyclists of all levels! Click here for more information about Cycling Courses and Events in Fukushima! (Click here to read our blog about cycling the scenic Bandai-Azuma Skyline!)
Mt. Ryozen is a spiritual, historic mountain with beautiful scenery. Since the Muromachi Period, Ryozen Temple has been used as a training grounds for Buddhist monks. Apparently, monks-in-training used to tie themselves to cliff-edges as part of their training in self-discipline! Hikers can park at the Mt. Ryozen Trailhead Parking Lot.
Grandee Hatoriko Ski Resort offers many runs with relatively gentle slopes allowing beginners and families to safely ski down from the top of the mountain. The main slope also has a snow park, allowing visitors to show off their best tricks and jumps. Waves, mini-kickers and other equipment can also be found on the courses letting you get a bit of practice during your runs. Grandee also offers two conveyor belt lifts, so even ski and snowboard beginners can improve quickly. The beginner area is also separated with a net, making it safe even for small children.