The Goshiki-numa ponds of Urabandai are a cluster of five volcanic lakes at the foot of Mt. Bandai. When Mt. Bandai erupted in 1888, Goshiki-numa - which translates as "Five-Colored Ponds - were formed. In actuality dozens of lakes were created due to the 1888 eruption, but the Goshiki-numa Ponds are the most famous. It was thanks to the eruption that the lakes each took on rich color; the various minerals found in each lake give them a unique color and create a mystical aura.
The colors of the Goshiki-numa Ponds also change throughout the year depending on weather and time of day, a truly mysterious phenomenon. The lakes have become a popular tourist destination. The five main lakes are Bishamon, Aka, Ao, Benten, and Midoro, and their colors range from a lime green to deep turquoise to a topaz blue. A scenic walking route guides visitors around the ponds. At 3.6 km in length, this walking route - which will take you past many of the ethereal colors - takes about 70 minutes to complete.
If you’d like a view of all five lakes at once, why not take the 4 km walking trail from Bishamon-numa (largest of the five lakes) up to nearby Lake Hibara. Alternatively, if hiking is not on your itinerary, enjoy a simple rowboat out on Bishamon-numa. It’s especially lovely in autumn as the color of the autumn leaves reflects on the deep green surface of the lake. In winter, there are even snowshoe trekking tours offered. The color of the lakes looks particularly vivid in winter, seeing as the minerals in some of the lakes stop them from freezing over, meaning you can see their colors contrasted with the white of the snow.
Be sure to stop by the Urabandai Visitor Center, which is a large and well-equipped facility. You can find great information here about tours as well as the various geography, wildlife, and even the history of the area. It’s a great chance to learn more about the ecosystem that makes up the Goshiki-numa Ponds.
| Website | https://www.urabandai-inf.com/en/ |
|---|---|
| Contact |
Urabandai Tourism Association (+81) 241-32-2349 staff1@urabandai-inf.com |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Parking | Available |
| Access | 1093 Ken-ga-mine, Hibara, Kita-Shiobara Village, Yama County, Fukushima Pref. 969-2701 View directions |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By Car: 30 min drive from Inawashiro Bandaikogen I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway. By Train: Take the JR Ban-etsu West Line to Inawashiro Station. From there, take the Bandai Toto Bus bound for Urabandai Kogen-eki, and get off at Goshikinuma Iriguchi bus stop (五色沼入口バス停). The bus takes 35 min to reach the Goshiki-numa Ponds. |
This trip highlights some of the best Fukushima has to offer and is perfect for those looking to get the most out of the prefecture in a limited time. Take in castles, nature, traditional villages, and more as you treat yourself to local styles of soba and ramen along the way. Renting a car is a ...
Spend a couple of beautiful days admiring the colors of autumn in Fukushima from the comfort of your car. You will love zooming around the prefecture and seeing all that autumn has to offer. With some of the best autumn vistas in the prefecture right outside your window, be sure to have your came...
Summer is the perfect time to take a hike around the incredible the Goshiki-numa Ponds in Urabandai. The range of colours which can be seen in the water of the picturesque lakes and ponds of this area has given it the name ‘Goshiki-numa’, meaning ‘Five Coloured Ponds’. ...
Active Resorts Urabandai is a sophisticated hot spring hotel located in the beautiful Bandai-Asahi National Park. The hotel is well connected to a variety of great tourist spots; being an only eight-minute walk from Goshiki-numa Ponds (a cluster of five volcanic lakes, each with its own distincti...
The Urabandai highlands of northern Fukushima Prefecture, are situated at an altitude of 800 meters and surrounded by Mt. Bandai, Mt. Adatara, and Mt. Azuma. The highlands were created by Mt. Bandai erupting in 1888. Urabandai is part of Bandai Asahi National Park and offers a variety o...
This museum, which opened in June 1999, is located a short walk from the Goshiki-numa Ponds, which is one of the most scenic spots in Fukushima Prefecture. Morohashi Museum of Modert Art houses a collection of about 350 of the works of Salvador Dali, the master Spanish surrealist artist, inclu...
Come be surrounded by Mother Nature, enjoy ice fishing, and eat delicious, fresh smelt in Urabandai! During November and December, smelt fishing is done from on board a traditional Japanese houseboat. From January through March, it can be enjoyed atop the ice. The houseboats and the rental hou...
Established over 1,300 years ago, Higashiyama Onsen is a well-known retreat area in Aizu-Wakamatsu City. The recognized historical onsen town is said to have been founded by the Buddhist priest Gyōki. According to legend, he found the area by following a bird with three legs, an auspicious and my...
Fruit Land Kita-Aizu is the name of the JA Aizu West Agriculture Center. Fruit Land Kita-Aizu serves as a local hub giving information on a number of nearby orchards in Kita-Aizu Town, Aizu-Wakamatsu City. The orchards that make up Fruit Land Kita-Aizu provide visitors with delicious fruit-pickin...
The akabeko legend started at Enzoji Temple in Yanaizu Town, in the Aizu region. The construction of this temple began in the year 807, but due to a huge earthquake at the end of the seventeenth century, repair work begun in 1617. It was during the reconstruction of the temple that the akabe...
Nanokamachi-dori Street is a quaint shopping street with an olde-worlde atmosphere, located in central Aizu-Wakamatsu City. There is a mix of western-style buildings, and traditional Japanese architecture, including Japanese-style storehouses and wooden town houses, from the Taisho Period (1912-1...