Shirakami-Sanchi

Shirakami-Sanchi protects what is left of the beech forest that once covered northern Japan: a roadless block of mountains on the border of Aomori and Akita, listed by UNESCO in 1993 for the intactness of that ecosystem rather than for any single feature. The strictly protected core is closed to casual walking and needs a permit and route notice. What most visitors see is the buffer zone, which is generous enough: the trail to Anmon Falls, a chain of three cascades up a stream bed, and the Juniko lakes near the coast, where Aoike holds a blue so saturated that people assume it has been treated. Bears, serows and black woodpeckers live here.

What you actually see

• Anmon Falls trail - a stream-bed walk to three cascades through old beech forest.
• Aoike at Juniko - a small pond of improbably intense blue near the coast.
• The beech canopy - mossy trunks, deep leaf litter and very little undergrowth.
• The Gono Line - the coastal railway that skirts the range on its way south.

When to go

Snow closes the approach roads well into spring, so the practical season runs from June to late October. New beech leaves in June give the best light in the forest, while October colour is the busiest time. Summer brings humidity and insects. Check trail status before driving out, as the Anmon route closes after heavy rain.

Honest expectations

The World Heritage part is largely off limits, and visitors expecting a headline sight often leave underwhelmed: this is forest, not scenery with a viewpoint. The Anmon trail crosses the stream repeatedly and soaks boots. Public transport is minimal and the two main access areas are far apart by road. Bears are present and the warnings are serious.

Nearby

Hirosaki with its castle park, the Tsugaru coast and Lake Towada to the east.