Autumn colors

On October 9th, hubby and I went to see autumn foliage at Mount Hakkoda. Mount Hakkoda is the name given to a range of dormant volcanic mountains located in Aomori city of Aomori prefecture. The volcanic mountains consist of Northern Hakkoda and Southern Hakkoda group. Visitors can enjoy the natural landscape that greatly varies with seasons. The area is dotted with wetlands and is carpeted by dense virgin forests of beech and Marines’ fir trees. Mount Hakkoda is famous for alpine vegetation and in autumn the mountain range is beautifully colored with the red, orange, and gold-tinted leaves of maples and rowans. Winter sports such as alpine skiing and snowshoe walks are also popular at Mount Hakkoda.

Mount Hakkoda is located 240 kilometers north-east of our home. We started from our home at about 7 am and it took us about 4.5 hours to reach there by our car. As we neared Mount Hakkoda, we started seeing beautiful colored foliage all around us. After about 4 hours of car ride we reach a bridge named Jogakura Bridge where there was a rest area nearby. Hubby stopped the car at the rest area and we walked along the bridge to observe the colorful autumn view of Mount Hakkoda. Jogakura Bridge connects two mountains of Hakkoda Mountain range. This bridge is the longest deck arch bridge in Japan which is 360 meters in length and 122 meters above Jogakura Stream. The bridge commands an impressive view of Jogakura Gorge and offers a bird’s view of Hakkoda Mountain range. The bridge is a scenic spot and the autumn colors looked wonderful here. The magnificent autumn colors seemed to be in harmony with the bridge. We spent 20 minutes enjoying the nature around us.

Autumn colors in Hakkoda Mountain range

Autumn colors in Hakkoda Mountain range

Jogakura Bridge and autumn colors

Jogakura Gorge

I am enjoying the autumn colors near Jogakura Bridge

Hubby standing at Jogakura Bridge

After enjoying the views around Jogakura Bridge, hubby drove another 6 kilometers through mountainous road and reached the western base of Mount Hakkoda. We enjoyed the spectacular view of forest trees covered with autumn colored leaves during our drive throughout this stretch of mountainous road. At the car parking area near the western base of the mountain range, we took a few photos of us standing next to red colored leaves.

Autumn colors along the mountainous road

Autumn colors along the mountainous road

Autumn colors along the mountainous road

Hubby standing at the western base of the mountain range

I am standing at the western base of the mountain range

There is a ropeway named Hakkoda Ropeway that runs from the western base of the mountain range to the top of Mount Tamoyachidake, which is one of the mountains of Northern Hakkoda Mountain group and is 1324 meters above sea level. The ropeway is an aerial tramway with two track cables. The ropeway travels a distance of 2.4 kilometers and takes about 10 minutes to reach the mountaintop. The gondola of the ropeway can carry 101 people at a time and travels at a speed of about 5 meters per second. There are only two stations for this ropeway. We travelled by this ropeway and enjoyed the wonderful autumn colors.

While entering Hakkoda Ropeway base station named Sanroku, we saw a gondola returning to the station right above us. Inside the base station, we bought tickets worth 1800 Yen per person as admission fee for the ropeway travel. That day there were a lot of visitors and we had to wait for almost 40 minutes to ride the ropeway. As soon as the gondola departed the base station, we started getting magnificent view all around us. An extensive forest spread below us and there was a fiery display of autumn colors on our entire way up to the mountaintop. We thoroughly enjoyed a 360 degree view from the ropeway, which was really grand and splendid. The vibrant colors cheered us up. I compiled a video of this ropeway travel from the base station up to Tamoyachidake mountaintop. On reaching the top, we took a few photos of the bright autumn colors from the gondola.

Ropeway gondola near Sanroku base station

Waiting at the platform of Sanroku base station to enter the gondola

A compiled video of our travel by ropeway from Sanroku base station to Tamoyachidake mountaintop

Bright autumn colors as viewed from the gondola at the mountaintop

After coming out of the mountaintop ropeway station named Sanchou, we took a few photos in front the station. Next, we went to the observation deck located at the rooftop of this station building. The construction of this rooftop deck was completed on September 27th, just two weeks before our visit. Prior to that, visitors had access only to an observation deck located inside the station building. From the rooftop observation deck, we got a beautiful and amazing view of autumn colors. The effect of color gradation was magnificent and unique, which simply took our breath away. The view was amazing and I found myself utterly transfixed by the majestic beauty of the autumn colors. The weather conditions kept changing dramatically at the mountaintop. It started raining when we were at the rooftop observation deck, and therefore we had some difficulty to optimize the camera settings to take photos. We enjoyed the beautiful stunning views from the deck for about 20 minutes.

I am standing in front of Sanchou ropeway station at the mountaintop

I am standing next to a map at the mountaintop that explains about the walking trails which is a popular activity at Mount Hakkoda

Stunning view from the rooftop observation deck

View from the observation deck

View from the observation deck

I am standing at the observation deck

Hubby standing at the observation deck

Bright colors as viewed from the observation deck

View from the observation deck

I am standing at the observation deck

View from the observation deck

Beautiful view from the observation deck

Afterwards, we went to a restaurant located inside the mountaintop ropeway station building and had hot coffee and corn soup. It was rather cold at the observation deck, and so the hot soup and coffee felt so good.

Hubby having hot coffee

It was so serene at the mountaintop and we felt relaxed and peaceful. After spending about 50 minutes at the mountaintop, we stood in the long queue of visitors waiting to take the ropeway for returning back to the base station. We had to wait for about 45 minutes to enter the gondola at the mountaintop station. Fortunately the rain stopped and the sun came out during our return trip. At Tamoyachidake mountaintop and the surrounding mountain ranges, we saw a fabulous display of autumn colored leaves of red, orange, and yellow mixed with a bit of green. Hubby took a few photos during the return trip. I compiled a video of the view from observation deck and the view from gondola of the ropeway during the return trip.

A compiled video of the view from the observation deck and the view from gondola of the ropeway during the return trip

View from the gondola during the return trip

View from the gondola

View from the gondola

View from the gondola

View from the gondola

View from the gondola

The gondola almost reached the ropeway base station. Cars parked at the parking area near the base station are seen.

It was very refreshing to view the autumn colors. It was about 3 pm when we reached the base station of the ropeway. Later hubby drove up to Hachinohe city in Aomori prefecture. Hachinohe is about 85 kilometers away from Mount Hakkoda and it took about 2.5 hours of car ride to reach the city. We enjoyed colorful autumn foliage along the mountainous road for almost an hour during this ride. We spent the night at a hotel in Hachinohe city. We reach the hotel at about 6 pm and had dinner at a nearby restaurant. We went to sleep at about 7.30 pm as hubby was tired due to driving almost the entire day. The next morning, we visited Hachinohe Fishery Museum about which I will write in the next post.