Goshikinuma and Urabandai Nature Course

Goshikinuma is a group of ponds born from the eruption of Mount Bandai. This one-day course through the Urabandai highlands walks past mysterious waters that shift between blue and green with the angle of the light.

Course Route

9:00 Start at Bishamonnuma Begin the trail at Bishamonnuma, the largest of the ponds. Its emerald-green surface glows in the morning light.

10:00 Stroll the pond group Follow the nature path past Akanuma, Midoronuma, and Rurinuma, each pond showing a different shade.

11:30 Finish at Yanaginuma Reach Yanaginuma, the end of the roughly 3.6 kilometer trail. Breathe the forest air by the quiet water.

13:00 Highland lunch in Urabandai Have lunch at a highland diner or cafe and rest with a view of Mount Bandai.

Highlights

The surface of each pond in its own color and the view of the rugged blast crater of Mount Bandai ahead are truly striking.

Access and Tips

Take a local bus from Inawashiro Station to the Urabandai highlands. The trail runs one way, which makes it hard to lose your way, so walking it through rather than back and forth is recommended.

A Quick Tip

The trail has ups and downs, so trekking shoes are reassuring. In the fresh green and autumn seasons the water colors grow even more vivid.