All-Seasons Route

The first half of this route takes you through tranquil Japanese farmlands and hill country, while the second half is comprised of many winding roads located deep in the mountains.
You'll pass some top sightseeing spots along this very enjoyable touring route. The rich natural heritage of Fukushima Prefectures offers beauty in all seasons, whether the trees and fields are dressed in the green of spring and summer, or the gold of fall.

Just before reaching Natsui Station, you'll ride along a pleasant valley road.

After proceeding from Natsui Station, you'll cross the Mobatako Dam, and will arrive at Nanko Park. Nanko Park is known as being the oldest park in Japan. It is also very close to Suirakuen Japanese gardens.

After leaving Nanko Park, and traveling for around 15 km, past villages and fields, you'll find yourself joining onto mountain roads. The road to Lake Hatori is a winding and exhilarating one, which is known as "Shirakawa Hatori Lake Line".

On the road from Lake Hatori, you will pass through Futamata Onsen deep in the mountains.

From Futamata Onsen, you'll start on the road to To-no-Hetsuri Crags.

As you ride on from To-no-hetsuri Crags, you'll begin to be greeted with the scenic Japanese countryside, and you will start to feel like you have travelled back in time to an old, more rural Japan.
This change in scenery marks your proximity to Ouchi-juku, which is a popular sightseeing spot.

After passing along a dam, you'll take twisting and turning roads through the mountains. Once you emerge from the mountains, you'll be treated to broad rural vistas on both sides of the road. You will continue directly through this rural scenery and eventually enter Aizu-Wakamatsu City, which is home to your next stop: Tsurugajo Castle.

After leaving Tsurugajo Castle, passing Sazaedo Temple, and riding out of the city, you'll be treated to more splendid rural vistas with beautiful, quintessentially Japanese scenery. Whether green in summer, or golden in fall, the rice paddies you can see from this road make for fantastic views.

The road from Bannai Shokudo to the Goshiki-numa Ponds, which are well-known for their five-coloured lakes, is full of twists and turns - making it very popular with riders.

The renowned sightseeing road Mt. Bandai Gold Line stands out even among the many great touring roads that Fukushima Prefecture has to offer. This road connects Sankodai with Tenkyokaku (you're next destination), and provides crystal-clear view of Lake Inawashiro, one of Japan's biggest lakes. There are many other mountains and lakes to discover along the way.

The first part of the route from Goshiki-numa Ponds to Marusei Orchard involves touring along the Bandai Azuma Lake Line, which is famous among Japanese motorcyclists.
As the name implies, this road is surrounded by mountains and passes by lakes.

After passing Tatsusawa Fudo Falls, a lovely waterfall in the mountains, you'll join onto the Bandai Azuma Skyline.

As you emerge from the mountains, you are greeted with a rugged, rocky landscape rare throughout the whole of Japan.
Volcanic gas is emitted in this region, and when concentrations of gas are high, access to the area is closed. In the event of the road being closed off, use Google Maps to find a detour to the final stop of this route, Marusei Orchard, and look forward to touring the Bandai Azuma Skyline during another visit.