Sightseeing courses
World Natural Heritage Shirakami Mountains, Iwaki Mountain, Shirakami promenade course
- Course details
The overall picture of World Natural Heritage “Shirakami mountains” can be viewed from the highest peak “Tsugaru Fuji, also called as Mount Iwaki”. You can easily experience mountain worship in Iwaki mountain, and also in the Shirakami promenade course, you can have a walk in the untouched buna primeval forest.
- The time required
6 hours
- Best season
Summer
- Sightseeing route
JR Hirosaki station, hotels inside Hirosaki—Apple Road—Shirakami Mountains visitor center—Dake Onsen(Matagi rice)—Mount Iwaki sky line— Shirakami promenade(promenade in the beech forest of the surrounding Shirakami Mountains area)—Ajigasawa, hotel
Introducing sightseeing spots
Hirosaki city, a city of an apple color, Apple road
- Points to see
Hirosaki has the no.1 apple production volume in Japan. You can see apple designs in various places and the town is colored with apples.
Why not head off to find your only apple.
Apples were brought into Japan in 1861～1864(Bunkyu period of the closing days of the Tokugawa regime).
It was first introduced into Hirosaki in 1875 by an American missionary who teached in Touougijuku school, and gave apples to their students on Christmas.
The annual harvesting volume of apples in Hirosaki city is 160 thousand tons. It occupies 20% of the total gross production and is No. 1 in Japan.
In Hirosaki city, 3 million 120 thousand apples trees are planted.
“Apple Road” is the road which runs along this apple field.
In the beginning of May, when the cherry blossoms begin to fall, the apples are rose pink flowers. In summer it is a little apple which bear fruit. In autumn the apples are ripened red. It is just like a scene in the movies to cheerfully pass through here.
The contrast with Mount Iwaki which shows a different face depending on the season is also wonderful.
Shirakami Visitor Center
- Points to see
The animals and plants which the beech forest had supported until today, the beech tree which is called “Mother earth”, “nature dam” taking part in humans from the ancient times, we introduce the beech forest entirely by a three-dimensional display and a large sized screen.
The large sized screen of 70mm, which is a world heritage “life shining forest” is worth seeing. - Information for visitors
visiting hours / 9:00～16:30
temporary closure / April～December The second Mondays, January～March Monday and Thursday (the following day after holidays)
Only viewing the large sized screen / Indivisuals 200 yen, Elementary and Junior highschool students 100 yen.
Mount Iwaki
- Points to see
Mount Iwaki is the highest peak in Aomori prefecture which is respected as a symbol of Tsugaru since ancient times.
Mount Iwaki is a compound volcano which rises in the Tsugaru plain. It is standing 1625m high.
The summit of the mountain has three peaks. Mount Genki and Mount Ukai are a part of somma, a bell shaped volcano in the center is Mount Iwaki.
People who live in Tsugaru, since their childhood they have viewed the “mountains” and felt the seasonal changes in the nature while growing up.
A visit to the mountain shrine
- Points to see
(Selected intangible folk cultural properties) From the midnight of July 30th in the lunar calender to August 1st early morning, to pray for gratefulness to the good harvest and welfare of one’s family, one aim’s at one’s purification by uniting with Mount Iwaki, the goshintai (worship house).
It is the most largest autumn festival in Tsugaru, which each village goes to worship the Mount Iwaki shrine(the summit of the mountain).
The abstinence from eating meet or fish before entering the mountains and considering white clothing form of importnace still leaves the esotheric culture influence.
Tsugaru Iwaki Skyline
- Points to see
It is the first toll road to be founded in Aomori prefecture, passing the beech trees of Mount Iwaki which grow, and passing the 69 twists, it climbes up to the 8th station.
From the terminous parking lot, matsumaezaki of Hokkaido. Gonzenzaki of Tsugaru peninsula, LakeJyusan, Shichiri Nagahama which describes a gentle arc can be viewed.
Furthermore, after changing to the lift, in 40 minutes walk, you can climb up to the mountain summit of Mount Iwaki. - Information for visitors
Open season / middle of April～end of October
open hours / 8:00～16:30
traffic charge / ordinary car 1800 yen
9th station lift / Adults 900 yen, Senior and junior high school students 700 yen, elementary school students 500 yen
Shirakami promenade
- Points to see
It takes 30 minutes by car driving south from the center of Ajigasawa town.
It is a 2800m promenade which is 20km in the near side of the world heritage area.
It is maintained for beginners and beech forest over 300 years old can be seen.
The area of the Shirakami promendade is a field mountain of the Tsugaru feudal lords period. It was protected until nowadays as an area which tree cuttings are forbidden, to secure the rice field water.
From the Meiji period, the land belonged to the country, and the trees beloned to the local people. It was protected until nowadays in this rare form. - Information for visitors
Days off / no holidays
open season and hours / 4/20～9/30 9:00～16:30, 10/1～10/31 9:00～15:30
Admission fee / Adults 500 yen, Elementary and Junior high school students 400 yen
Taxi fees
| taxi type | number of people who can ride | charge | number of cars | remarks | reservation and credit card settlements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| small size taxi | 4 people | 30,000 yen | 95 cars available |  |
|
| high class taxi | 4 people | 33,000 yen | 4 cars available | Origin, Crown, Alphard, Celsior | |
| jumbo taxi | 9 people | 36,000 yen | 9 cars available | HiAce | |
| small size privately booked bus | 21 people | 55,000 yen | 1 bus available | Liesse II | |
| medium sized privately booked bus | 40 people | 69,000 yen | 2 buses available | Aero ace, Melpha | |
| wheel chair sleeping car | 6 people | 36,000 yen | 6 cars available | 2 wheel chair passengers(1sleeping berth possible)+4 people | |
*taxisite plus is a service provided by the taxisite.
*Regarding the information and photos of sightseeing spots and facilities on the homepage, we do not guarantee the accuracy, reliability and integrity.
*For details of the sightseeing spots and facilities on our homepage (open hours, admission fee), please confirm on the official homepages respectively.
*Admission fee, entrance fee, the cost of food and drink, parking fee, toll road fee are not included in the charge. Customer must bear the actual expenses.
*If during the ride, customer changes the route or cancels the ride for personal reasons, customer must pay for the calculated amount which is applied by temporality charge from the beginning.
*At the sightseeing spots, if the time is extended under a special contract with the customer, customer must pay for the amount which is applied by temporality charge.
*There may be cases in which the driver is not fluent in English. We appreciate your understanding.
*A sightseeing taxi is a service which we drive you to the sightseeing facilities on our taxi according to the sightseeing courses decided in advance. It is not a service which a travel agency provides, therefore our driver will not provide comment on the sightseeing facilities and guide you. It is possible to drive you to the sightseeing facilities which are not on the sightseeing courses. If you would like to visit optional sightseeing facilities or sightseeing courses, please contact us from the e-mail inquiry form.
Reservations, inquiries about sightseeing taxi
For reservations and inquiries of sightseeing taxi, please contact the following telephone number or e-mail form.
TEL: 0172-33-3333