No opening hours or admission are shown: the sources we checked on 2026-09-13 were used for the route only. Check the official site
Our guide
The Oirase Gorge is the stretch of the Oirase River that runs about 14 km north-east from Nenokuchi, on the eastern shore of Lake Towada, to Yakeyama in Towada, Aomori. It lies within Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument.
Because it is a long, one-way stretch, the usual plan is to ride a bus to one point and walk. Our checked record says JR Bus Tōhoku runs without a change from Aomori, Shin-Aomori and Hachinohe stations to Towada-ko Yasumiya, stopping along the gorge and at Nenokuchi; from Misawa or Shichinohe-Towada, a local bus goes to Yakeyama, where you change to the JR bus. Check stops and times on JR Bus Tōhoku's website.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Oirase-keiryu — MaedaAkihiko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 阿修羅の流れ — Yuki Hashino · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 奥入瀬渓流 - panoramio (5) — Yoshio Kohara · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 奥入瀬渓流 - panoramio — Yoshio Kohara · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- OiraseValley5 — Ippukucho · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 2021 Oirase Mountain Stream 001 — Naokijp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- 2021 Oirase Mountain Stream, Chōshi Falls 001 — Naokijp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- ShiranunonoTaki — Ippukucho · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- SensujinoTaki — Ippukucho · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
What this place is
The Oirase Gorge (奥入瀬渓流) is the stretch of the Oirase River that runs about 14 km north-east from Nenokuchi, on the eastern shore of Lake Towada, to Yakeyama in Towada, Aomori Prefecture. It lies within Towada-Hachimantai National Park and is a nationally designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument.
Visitor information checked: 2026-09-13 · Towada-Hachimantai National Park Towada-ko Association: access
Background text translated from Japanese Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Lakes & falls
Getting there by public transport
- JR Bus Tōhoku runs without a change from Aomori, Shin-Aomori and Hachinohe stations to Towada-ko Yasumiya, stopping at points along the Oirase Gorge and at Nenokuchi — get off at one of them and walk the gorge.
- From Misawa or Shichinohe-Towada, take a local bus to Yakeyama and change there to the JR bus.
- Check stops and times on JR Bus Tōhoku’s website.
Route checked: 2026-09-13 · Towada-Hachimantai National Park Towada-ko Association: access · Timetables change — check the operator before you travel.
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