Fukushima
Japan Long Trail Walker
“Bandai, Azuma, Adatara VOLCANO TRAIL”
Volcanoes, Hot Springs, and Bonsai
Soaking in the Energy of Earth and Time: A Mountain Journey
Bandai, Azuma, Adatara VOLCANO TRAIL, Fukushima prefecture
The Bandai-Asahi National Park spans across Fukushima, Yamagata, and Niigata Prefectures, encompassing the Dewa Sanzan mountains, the Asahi and Iide mountain ranges, Mt. Bandai, and Lake Inawashiro. A new long-distance trail is being developed in the park’s Bandai–Azuma–Inawashiro area. The Bandai–Azuma–Adatara Volcano Trail links the three active volcanoes of the same name with a series of scattered lakes and ponds. On this trip, we hiked a portion of the trail known as the ATA Route, a mountain journey that winds through volcanic terrain, steamy hot springs, and even an unexpected encounter with the refined world of bonsai.
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