- MOE
- Towada-Hachimantai National Park
- Let’s visit the Hachimantai area!
- Facilities
- Amihari Visitor Center
Amihari Visitor Center
The gateway to the south of Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Amihari Visitor Center
In the vast Japanese beech and virgin forest of Maries' fir, Asiatic Black Bears and Japanese Serows are seen around, a marshland among mountains filled with tranquil water, and an alpine plants blooming in wild volcanic gravels. The Amihari that is the entrance to the native nature, it is the starting point of each mountaineering path leading to Mt.Akita-Komagatake region through Mt. Iwate and Mt. Eboshidake, and Mt. Hachimantai region through Mt. Mitsuishi. At Amihari Visitor Center, you can enjoy exhibits and images on the nature of the National Park Mt. Iwate area, and our staff will kindly advise you about walking and climbing courses suitable for your purpose and physical condition.
We have a nature experience program that the wide range of age groups can participate in every season, so please feel free to drop in.
DATA
| Business hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
|---|---|
| Usage charge | Free |
| Closed | Summer (April - October) No closing days Winter (November - March) Every Tuesday & New Year's Holiday (December 29 - January 3) |
| Supported foreign language | Commentary text for exhibit (English, Chinese, Korean) Information (English) |
| Postal address | Amihari-Onsen, 1-2 Nagayama Komatsukura, Shizukuishi Town, Iwate Country , Iwate Prefecture |
| Tel | 019-693-3777 |
| Website (URL) | http://amihari17.ec-net.jp/ |
Wandering through the forest of Amihari
The forest of deciduous broad-leaved trees, mainly of Japanese beech, Mizunara Oak and Erman’s Birch, is spreading in front of the Amihari Visitor Center located at an altitude of about 760 m. Many animals and plants live in the rich forest, and you can enjoy a walk while feeling the breath. After a refreshing in the forest bath, a hot spring bath is also recommended!
Himebotaru Firefly Ovservation
One of the boasts of the forest of Amihari is that a Himebotaru firefly is inhabited. The firefly is a landfall firefly, and its larvae grows by eating Bekkomaimai Snails and Spike awlsnail on decayed trees. It is quite difficult to see the appearance with a strong light, but only you can see around July 10th, and it is a short nostalgic poetry of the night limited from one week to ten days. At the visitor center, we conduct the Himebotaru Firefly Observation Meeting about a week of every years
Exploring with snowshoes on
Soon after leaves fall, the woods are fully covered with snow. At the peak time, the height of snow exceeds even 2 meters. With your snowshoes or s oval-shaped snowshoes (Wakanjiki) on, it is best to enjoy tracing the footprints of animals and observing the winter buds that are only available during this season. You can walk into the bamboo forest freely, where you can not to enter usually though. A walking without guideposts is also exciting. Snowshoes are available for rent in the visitor center.
- From Morioka station, get on Iwate Prefectural Transportation Bus (Iwate-ken Kotsu) (get off at Onsenkan-mae Bus Stop)
- Automobile (a 40-car parking lot)