Aomori - Oirase Stream (Autumn)

Oirase Stream

In Autumn Time

In the previous post, we have write about Oirase Stream in Summer Time, while the green season with fresh green leaf’s give a cool atmosphere, at the autumn it has another amazing colors and different atmosphere with warm feeling of the orange-yellow leaf’s. So in this post we will write about the Oirase Stream in Autumn season.

Table of Contents

1 About Oirase Stream in Autumn
2 Access
3 Spots of Oirase Stream in Autumn
4 Information

About Oirase Stream in Autumn

The Oirase Gorge is one of the most beautiful river valleys in Japan, with vibrant and fast flowing water. The gorge extends over 14 km starts from the contrastively calm Lake Towada and end in Yakeyama mountain . The Oirase Gorge shows its beauty in different ways throughout the four seasons. However, the gorge is mostly known for its spectacular autumn foliage in the fall season. And we totally agree that Oirase Stream in autumn is the best !

The Oirase Gorge has an attractive atmosphere with about 13 different waterfalls and thick woods. Starting in October, the leaves of the trees begin to change to vibrant red and yellow, adding to the vivid green of the moss on the rocks, became to be a magnificent sight. The autumn colors peak every year around the end of October to the beginning of November.
(We for example, went in 31st of October 2020)

Access

As we did in summer, we again, rent a car and stopped on the sideroad for the spots we wanted to see.
In the autumn season, the roads were crowded than the summer time. many cars and many buses were passing in the small roads. So need to be careful!

Here is the options of the access to the Oirase Stream:
The 14 km walking path along Oirase Gorge starts from Ne-no-Kuchi (子の口) along the Lake Towada lakeside and end at Yakeyama mountain (焼山), . It is a easy-to-walk hiking trail. And the path is made to be accessible to cars too.
Walking –
To walk from Ne-no-Kuchi to Yakeyama (Oirase Keiryū-kan), it takes about 4-5 hours.
Rental bicycle –
In the both side of Oirase Gorge , Ne-no-Kuchi area and in Yakeyama mountain area there are rental bicycle. In bicycle the 14 km become about 2 hours journey . Which is recommended for whom want to enjoy themselves without pushing themselves too far.
Bus –
There is two option of buses.
JR Bus – Which goes through all the Oirase Gorge from Ne-no-Kuchi until Yakeyama Station.
A shuttle bus – Which goes only half way.
In Yakeyama area there a Hotel which from there the bus departure every one hour. The last stop is Kumoi-no-Taki-Waterfall , from there it need to walk to Ne-no-Kuchi (about 1 hour and half). The shuttle bus is free for hotel`s guests.
Car –
Along the walking area are various temporary parking spaces, so it’s fine to move between spots by car too.

If you go from Aomori station, There is direct but to the Yakeyama bus station. So from there you can choose if you want to use Jr Bus, Shuttle bus, bicycle or walk.

Spots of Oirase Stream in Autumn

Choshi Otaki Waterfall (銚子大滝)

The biggest view point in this area is the Chōshi-Ōtaki Waterfall, standing at a proud twenty meters wide and seven meters tall.

Samuzawa current (寒沢の流れ)

It is the current of a small river flowing into Oirase River at near Choshi waterfall.
As it flows on steep slope, it looks like a waterfall

Ashura current (阿修羅の流れ)

It is a rapid current of Oirase River.
“Ashura” is the fighting god in Buddhism.
This is the most popular spot in Oirase stream and the scenery is used as a typical place.

Samidare current (三乱の流れ)

It is a junction of Oirase River and the other river.
The rapid and slow currents are mixed.

Lunch @Ne-No-Kuchi Kohan Shokudo

Convenient place to eat lunch, in the Ne-No-Kuchi area near the Lake Towada. A nice place for traditional Japanese food with great view to Lake Towada .
We ordered a warm Soba and it was very delicious and good for the cozy weather.