This shining golden waterfall appears in the midst of Urabandai's harsh winter. The water, containing sulfur and iron, freezes one layer after another, creating a frozen fall which shines a unique golden colour - giving it the name 'Yellow Falls'. Urabandai Tourist Association recommends that those wishing to trek to the falls should do so only as part of a guided tour, as the trail is not clear in winter.
| Website | https://www.urabandai-inf.com/en/?page_id=24946 |
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| Contact | Urabandai Tourist Association (+81) 241-32-2349 |
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| Parking | Parking available at Urabandai Ski Resort |
| Related info | Best season: From the end of January to the beginning of March <a href="https://www.urabandai-inf.com/en/?page_id=24946">See here for information on recommended snow shoe trekking guides.</a> |
| Access | 1170-5 Obudairayama, Hibara, Kitashiobara Village, Yama District, Fukushima Pref. 969-2701 View directions |
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| Getting there | The instructions are below are to Urabandai Ski Resort (the closest facility to Yellow Falls) By Car: 30 min from the Inawashiro-Bandaikogen I.C. exit off the Ban-etsu Expressway By Train: 15 min bus ride from Inawashiro Station (JR Ban-etsu West Line). Get off at Kyuka-mura Urabandai (休暇村裏磐梯) bus stop. Alternatively, take a taxi from Inawashiro Station (will take 30 min). |
You can try out the Mugenkyo no Watashi River Crossing on the Tadami River for a unique Japanese experience! Sit back, and enjoy the beautiful views as you make your way from one side of the Tadami River to the other. The boat trips are around 15 minutes per way, and run between Hayato Onsen pier and the Mifuke area.Booking & More Information
Local farmers and agricultural associations offer a variety of authentic agricultural experiences, and are all waiting to provide you an unforgettable experience with a range of activities tailored for families, friends, schools, and company outings. Visitors can join farmers for a one-day farm experience, while taking in the beautiful nature of the Aizu region.
Experience canoeing at Lake Hibara, one of Urabandai’s largest lakes! Outdoor Sports Club Bacss offers a range of fun tours and activities centred around Lake Hibara that you can join with family and friends, including trekking, canoeing and fishing.
Suzutake workshop tours began in the 1950s as a way of providing families with a chance to learn about the history and artistry of lacquerware. Even today, visitors are able to actually see artisans at work at three key stages of the Aizu lacquerware making process: 1) applying a base layer of unrefined lacquer or astringent liquid to wood; 2) adding additional layers of lacquer in a desired style, and 3) adding hand-drawn delicate designs ('makie') using either colored lacquer or gold and silver power (a technique called 'Sunken gold makie'). Visitors can also take part in a makie-painting experience.
Takatsue Ski Area boasts a 360° spectacular view. As well as being a wonderful place to enjoy Aizu's winter landscapes, this ski area also offers snowcat ride experiences.
Have fun skiing on high-quality, natural powder snow at Aizu Kogen Takatsue Ski Resort.From the summit of the slopes, a vertical drop height of 1650 m gives visitors a 360-degree panoramic view over the mountains. Aizu Kogen Takatsue offers a variety of courses, allowing skiers of all levels to enjoy the resort to the full.There are other snow activities that don’t involve skiing, such as the Takatsue Snow Cat Tour. In this tour, run by Aizu Astoria Hotel, you are taken by snowcat all the way to the summit of the slopes, where you can enjoy the picture-perfect view.
With its high-quality powder snow, Hoshino Resorts Nekoma is perfect for all levels of experience, especially for full-fledged skiers. The Freestyle Park is popular among snowboarders on account of its rich variety of terrain features.The resort was formed in 2023 by combining two previous resorts, one on each side of Mt. Nekomadake, with the building of a connecting ski lift. This allows visitors to use both resorts -- a huge area with over 30 courses -- on a single ski pass.Ski passes can be bought from reception (south area shown here), and cashless payments are accepted.The plaza on the south side also features a ski rental shop, a large restaurant (11:00am - 2:00pm weekdays, 10:30am - 2:30pm weekends), ski goods store, and several smaller restaurants and cafes. There is some luggage storage on the 2nd floor and a rest area overlooking the ski lifts.See here for Aizu Ski Japan's page about Hoshino Resorts Nekoma.Typical day pass cost: Adult: 5200 yen Junior and senior high school students: 3800 yen Elementary school students: 2500 yen*Discounts are available for early booking, both for day passes and season passes. Visit the official website for updated prices.
Mt. Nishi-Azuma is a 2035m tall mountain that can be accessed from Fukushima Prefecture’s Kitashiobara Village.During the coldest points of winter, it is possible to find frozen “snow monsters” up on the mountain. Of course the snow monsters are not really monsters, these are trees that have endured blizzards and collected snow until they became covered with a thick frost!From the Grandeco Snow Resort’s Gondola Station, you transfer to a ski lift, and from there it is 3 hours on foot to reach this viewpoint. Especially in the snow, the mountains can be difficult to navigate, so you must climb together with a guide in winter. If you are interested in visiting here, please contact us!