Located in the heart of Northern Tohoku, Hachimantai is the perfect base to explore this region’s stunning scenery, centuries-old traditions and delicious food. By making Hachimantai your base, you don’t have to worry about multiple hotel bookings and transfers. With a range of accommodation options across the city to suit all tastes and budgets, simply unpack once in Hachimantai.
Asiatic black bears, known as tsuki-no-wa-guma in Japanese, inhabit the islands of Honshu and Shikoku including Hachimantai City. While naturally timid creatures, there has been an increase in bear sightings in recent years. Due care should be taken when entering or hiking in mountainous areas where these bears live.
Hachimantai’s comparatively mild northern summer is a great time to experience the city’s abundant nature with plenty to see and a range of outdoor activities to try. Here’s your insider guide to getting even more from your summer break in Hachimantai.
Hachimantai is a great destination for a driving holiday: With your own wheels you can wander off the beaten path and explore this natural wonderland at your own pace. We’ve brought together four of Hachimantai’s best driving routes so you can lose yourself in the gorgeous mountain scenery and friendly locales.
Take a drive into the mountains and experience the quality cuisine and rural hospitality of the Ashiro area. Here you can taste local ingredients at their source, learn about centuries old traditions and breathe in the fresh country air.
While snow lingers on the mountain tops, the warmer weather brings with it impressive blooms and the famous Hachimantai Dragon Eye phenomenon atop Kagami-numa Pond. No matter when you visit in spring, there’s something different to see. Here’s your insider guide to getting even more from your spring holiday to Hachimantai.
Enjoy a special experience with “Snowman Food”!
Indulge in adorable “Snowman Food” offered at stores in Hachimantai City, collect stamps, and stand a chance to win gift vouchers worth 1,000 yen usable in Hachimantai City through a lucky draw! Additionally, if you stay at accommodation facilities in Hachimantai City during this period and answer a questionnaire, you could win local specialty products or accommodation vouchers in a lottery!
Exciting Announcement! The clubhouse of Appi Kogen Tennis Club has undergone a transformation, and the Bakery Restaurant & Grocery Shop, , has finally opened its doors! Managed by Iwate Hotel and Resort, this establishment showcases delicious bread, local specialties, and handmade crafts. It’s a wonderful place where locals and tourists alike would love to gather. Situated in a pension village close to the Appi Kogen Ski Resort, the renovated clubhouse, beloved for years, now features a warm atmosphere with wooden interiors made from locally sourced red pine and cedar. Operating hours are from Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and on Sundays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Closed on Mondays. You can enjoy the sale of bread, as well as dine-in options, lunch, and dinner. Please join us and come visit! Shuttle buses are available from the hotel area.
The Nanataki Icefall in Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture, is known for its fantastic scenery created when the entire waterfall freezes over in winter. Snowshoe tours of the Nanataki Icefall are becoming popular.
Snowshoes are tools that make it easier to walk on snow. Even those who have never walked on snow-covered trails before can easily do so with snowshoes.
Snowshoe tours to the Nanataki Icefall are led by a guide who will show you the way.
Along the way, visitors can enjoy the beauty of nature, such as animal tracks and snow crystals. When you arrive at the Nanataki Icefall, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the icefall. The Nanataki Icefall, which is at its best during the frigid season, is a gigantic work of art created by nature in Hachimantai, with a 25-meter drop that is very spectacular. The Nanataki waterfall contains hot spring water, which makes the frozen waterfall appear bluish-white.
The guest chef will be Ryan Latino, the youngest chef to win two Michelin stars in Washington, DC.
Guests will be able to enjoy a course of Latino’s original and special cuisine using ingredients from the northeastern region of Japan.
In addition, from Monday, February 5 to Wednesday, February 7, a tour will be held to offer various experiences in the Northeast region. These include a tour of “Washio,” a sake brewery in Hachimantai City that has been in operation since the Edo period, and a visit to the workshop of Grand Seiko, a world-class Japanese mechanical wristwatch manufacturer. These tours are special in that they are not normally available to visitors.
This event is truly a dream come true, allowing visitors to experience the food and culture of the Northern Tohoku region through all five senses.
