A Snowshoe Winter Frolic
  • Adventure
  • Aizu Area
  • Winter

  • 2 destinations
  • One Day

Explore a winter wonderland in the Urabandai area. Not feeling up to skiing the slopes of Urabandai? Try a more casual activity that everyone can enjoy; snowshoe trekking through the wintery scenery of Urabandai in Aizu.

Take a taxi from Inawashiro Station to Moku-Moku Shizen Juku. It is here that your authentic snowshoe trekking tour will begin. Walk along the snowy paths and see sights not offered by other sightseeing tours in the area. See winter up close and even chance to walk upon frozen lakes or ponds—with the guidance of your travel guide. What sort of animal tracks will you be able to spot along the way as you trek through the fresh snow? Feel the uncharted course of Aizu wilderness.

Now that you have become accustomed to the Aizu winter, let’s try some skiing or snowboarding at Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Snow Park & Resort! With slopes for beginners or veterans, you will love everything that Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Snow Park & Resort has to offer.

There are a number of facilities that offer snowshoe trekking experiences in the Urabandai area.

Start

Inawashiro Station

Inawashiro Sta. to Moku-Moku Shizen Juku takes 1 hour by taxi.

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Snowshoe Trekking

  • Aizu Area
  • 180

Snowshoe trekking can even be enjoyed by those who are not athletic. You can walk on lakes or ponds. You can find the tracks of rabbits and squirrels in the forest. Let's enjoy a great variety of nature which can only be seen in winter in Urabandai.

It's a 20 min taxi ride from the Moku-Moku Shizen Juku office to Hoshino Resorts Snow Park & Resort.

View directions

Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain

  • Aizu Area
  • 180

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.

From Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Snow Park & Resort, take a 10 min taxi ride to Urabandai Lake Resort. From there, take a 45 min bus to reach Inawashiro Sta. Alternatively, take 30 min taxi ride straight to Inawashiro Sta. from the snow park.

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Finish

Inawashiro Station

Other Trips

Diamond Route (4 days 3 nights)
Diamond Route (4 days 3 nights)
Diamond Route (4 days 3 nights)
Adventure

Diamond Route (4 days 3 nights)

Have you ever wanted to take a cross-prefecture tour of Japan, from Tokyo to the impeccable countryside of Fukushima? Well, now is your chance to travel from the international hub of Tokyo and see what else Japan and—especially—Fukushima have to offer. Enjoy this cross-country tour of Japan any time of the year, over the span of a few days so that you can enjoy things at your pace. You’ll find life outside of Tokyo goes at a much slower pace. Start your trip from Tokyo Station and ride a short distance to Asakusa. See one of the busiest shrine-and-temple locations in Tokyo. You’ll love the bustling atmosphere and the street stalls with their many trinkets and souvenirs. Once you’ve finished in Asakusa, head out of the city and make your way for Tochigi Prefecture’s Nikko. Nikko is perhaps most famous for the three monkey statues that people equate with “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil”. You’ll see these wonderful statues and more while you stop over in Nikko. From there, travel north to Higashiyama Onsen and enjoy the sights form the train along the way. Higashiyama Onsen is Fukushima’s home to some truly great hot springs and Japanese-style inns. Soak up the hot waters and relax your tired muscles. At Tsuruga-jo Castle, you can walk the pristine gardens and enjoy the castle grounds. Be sure to make note of the red-roof tiles of the castle as well, this is the only castle in Japan that boasts having these deep-red tiles. Inside the castle keep, discover the history of the Aizu samurai through the many exhibits and displayed artifacts. Make your way to Nanokamachi-dori Street and admire the local architecture, which is quite different than that from the rest of the area. Search out local hidden gems along the narrow streets and find the perfect souvenir to take home. Enjoy your time in Tokyo, Tochigi, and Fukushima like never before with this route.  

Onsen & Sightseeing in Aizu by Train
Onsen & Sightseeing in Aizu by Train
Onsen & Sightseeing in Aizu by Train
Nature

Onsen & Sightseeing in Aizu by Train

Jump start your vacation in Fukushima’s Aizu region with this multi-day tour, which can be enjoyed at any time of year. These ideas make for great additions to already existing plans, or as a tour of their own. No matter how you decide to use this itinerary, you won’t be disappointed. Travel by train and local bus, or taxi, to enjoy Aizu to the fullest. Begin your adventure at Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (don’t forget to snap some pics of its bowing red akabeko cow out front) and use the local bus or taxi to make your way for Tsurugajo Castle. Walk through the gardens and grounds of this magnificent castle and marvel at the red-tile roof—the only one of its kind in all of Japan. Inside you can tour the castle keep and see the artifacts of Aizu, let history come to life before your eyes. From the castle, travel to Nanokamachi-dori Street; this quaint area has preserved its early-20th century architecture and is now home to souvenir boutiques and many diners and hidden gems. With that being enough for one day’s excitement, head over to Higashiyama Onsen and soak your travel aches away in the hot springs of Harataki ryokan, which even has its own hot spring source. You’ll love taking a dip in these hot, refreshing, and soothing waters—the outside open-air bath is especially recommended. The next day, why not head over to Ouchi-juku, here you can tour an authentic preserved Aizu village and try local cuisine. The whole area gets really busy in winter and, if you’re brave enough to face the cold, the snow festival is a popular event.  

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