#005
[Winter Activities in the Tsugaru Area]
Juniko Lakes Winter Trekking Guide, Iwakisan Hyakuzawa Ski Resort, Stove Train, Del・sole
Activities to blow away the cold in the Tsugaru area in winter
Aomori Prefecture receives a lot of snowfall throughout the year. In the Tsugaru region, winter sports and other snow activities are popular. Don't let the snow or cold get in the way! Why not experience the fun that only a snowy country can offer at this time of year?
POINT1
Fukaura Town
Snow Hike around Lake Juniko
Snow hiking is one of the few activities that can be enjoyed in the snowy season in Shirakami-Sanchi. During the winter, when the access road to Lake Juniko is closed, 100 to 200 people visit, the majority of whom are from overseas. When the entire area is covered in snow and access to the mountain is limited, the forest is enveloped in deep silence. Starting from the Lake Juniko Visitor Center, you can take a stroll around the area for about three hours. Aoike Pond, known for its vivid cobalt blue, changes color to a deep black and never freezes over, even in the middle of winter. It's a rare experience to walk on the snow, step by step, wearing traditional snowshoes. You can also find animal footprints left in the snow and enjoy observing nature.
Facility information
- Contact us / Aone Shirakami Twelve Lakes
- Period: December to March
- Access: 5 minutes by car from JR Jūniko Station *Shuttle service available for tour participants.
- Duration: Approximately 3 hours
- Price: 16,500 yen per group (up to 6 people)
- Recommended age: 3rd grade and above. *Please wear warm clothing and boots (both waterproof), gloves, and a hat. Snowshoes, poles, and boots are available for free rental.
- Other / Reservation required
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POINT 2
Hirosaki City
Iwakisan Hyakuzawa Ski Resort
Located in the southwestern part of the Tsugaru Plain, Mt. Iwaki is affectionately known as "Tsugaru Fuji." Blessed with the natural, high-quality snow that only a snowy country can offer, Mt. Iwaki Hyakuzawa Ski Resort offers winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. Beginners and families are recommended to try the "Beginner's Course" and "Family Slope." Intermediate and advanced skiers can take the lifts further up the mountainside. The dynamic downhill course, stretching 2,000 meters in length, offers an exhilarating feeling of sliding down a course filled with openness. There are also mogul slopes and deep snow courses for experts. Snowboarding and snowscooting are permitted on all courses.
Facility information
- Contact Us / Iwakisan Hyakuzawa Ski Resort
- Address: Iwakisan National Forest, 32nd Forest Section, Hyakuzawa, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
- Period: Late December to early March *Depending on snow conditions
- Business hours: 10:00-17:00, night games available from 17:00-21:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
- Access: Approximately 50 minutes by free shuttle bus from JR Hirosaki Station
- Fees: Adult lift: 250 yen per ride, 2,600 yen for a one-day pass. *Skis, snowboards, clothing, and boots are available for rental at an additional cost.
- Closed days / Hours may change or the facility may be closed depending on the weather
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POINT3
Goshogawara City and Nakadomari Town
Tsugaru Railway Stove Train
The Stove Train began operating in December 1930, when the entire Tsugaru Railway line opened. Forced to suspend service temporarily due to wartime shortages, it resumed operation in 1947 and has remained a beloved tourist train connecting Goshogawara City and Nakadomari Town ever since. The passenger cars, exuding a retro Showa-era atmosphere, are fitted with two coal stoves. While enjoying grilled dried squid and pairing it with local sake, you'll be enveloped in the aroma of burning coal and the warmth of the stove. The endless snowy scenery seen from the train window and the Tsugaru dialect guided tour of the Tsugaru Peninsula by a Tsugaru Peninsula tourist attendant add to the traveler's sense of nostalgia. Even today, nostalgic train journeys remain deeply rooted in Oku-Tsugaru.
Facility information
- Contact Us / Tsugaru Railway Co., Ltd.
- Section / Tsugaru Railway Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station- Tsugaru-Nakasato Station
- Period: December to March, 3 round trips per day *2 round trips per day on December 1st and weekdays in December
- Access / Tsugaru Railway Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station is a 1-minute walk from JR Goshogawara Station
- Fare: Approximately 45 minutes one way from the first stop to the last stop. In addition to the fare basic fare ticket a stove train ticket of 1,000 yen is required.
- Closed days / May be suspended due to weather
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POINT4
Goshogawara City
Community Cafe Del・sole
If you're riding the Tsugaru Railway, why not take a break at the cafe across from Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station? Inside the shop, cookies sold on the stove train and local souvenirs are on display. The eat-in space offers an elaborate menu designed to help you learn about the region's beloved food culture and specialty products. The hospitality of the "Tsugaru mothers" and the local cuisine will warm your body and soul. In Tsugaru dialect, the expression for comfort is "nante mo azumashii."
Facility information
- Contact Us / Community Cafe Del・sole
- Address: 1F Tsugaru Railway Co., Ltd., 39 Omachi, Goshogawara City, Aomori Prefecture
- Business hours: 10:00-16:00 *Eat-in and take-out available until 15:00
- Access: 1 minute walk from JR Goshogawara Station
- Closed: Wednesdays, the first and third Sundays of every month. *Subject to change. Please check the official website.
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Some of the photographs used were provided with cooperation from the interview subjects.
Information in this article may be subject to change.