After experiencing winter Hakkoda, I visited the Sannai Maruyama ruins.
The language spoken by the driver was like Japanese, but it was a little different from normal.
Mount Hakkoda (八甲田山, Hakkōdasan) is a set of volcanic peaks in Aomori Prefecture located between Aomori City and Lake Towada. Included among Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, Mount Hakkoda is known for its seasonal beauty which includes nature, hiking and famous hot springs. In addition, the 1585 meter high mountain is one of the first places in the Tohoku Region to develop autumn colors each year. The colors usually start appearing at the summit around late September and reach the base of the mountain by mid October.
The mountain is also famous for its deep snowfall, and, together with Zao ski resort in Yamagata Prefecture, is one of the only places in Japan that has the right conditions to form snow monsters (frozen trees). Mount Hakkoda’s heavy winters are also well known due to a 1902 training accident in which nearly 200 Japanese Imperial Army soldiers died when caught on the mountain during a blizzard.
These days, Mount Hakkoda’s snow has earned it a reputation as a snow paradise heralded by ski fanatics as one of the last undiscovered ski destinations left in Japan. A small resort, aptly named the Hakkoda Ski Resort, covers a good portion of Mount Hakkoda’s northern range and is known for its deep powder and ungroomed, mostly off-piste trails that are sought after by the hardcore powderhounds.
The slopes of Mount Hakkoda are also a popular outdoor destination outside of winter. The mountain’s uppermost slopes are easily accessible via the Hakkoda Ropeway, which travels to the top of Tamoyachidake, one of multiple peaks that make up Mount Hakkoda. A circular hiking trail leads from the upper ropeway station to a small marshland near the peak in about 45-60 minutes (round trip).
Additional hiking trails branch off the circular trail to Mount Hakkoda’s other peaks and down to its base. One popular trail leads down the mountain via Kenashitai, two marshlands connected by a steep set of stairs. From early to mid October, the shrubs and grasses of these marshes provide some outstanding autumn scenery.
The Sannai Maruyama Archaeological Site (三内丸山遺跡, Sannai Maruyama Iseki) is the largest and one of the most complete and best preserved Jomon Period (13000-300 BC) villages in Japan. Unearthed by accident while surveying land to build a community baseball field, the former Sannai Maruyama Village once included over 700 structures and dwellings including long houses, storage structures, roads, and trash and burial pits.
After the excavation and study of the site, the village was reburied with earth and a number of reconstructed pit dwellings, long houses and a large tower were built on top. Visitors can enter the reconstructions, some of which are quite large, as well as see a few of the original excavation sites around the grounds.
Adjacent to the excavation site stands the Jomon Jiyukan which exhibits objects excavated from the area and explains about the people who lived during the Jomon Period. It is also possible to try on Jomon period clothing, use tools of the era and try making handicrafts and toys. Typical food that the Sannai Maruyama villagers ate is served at a restaurant.
The Sannai Maruyama Archaeological Site, together with similar sites in Hokkaido, Iwate and Akita prefectures, is currently under consideration to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also, the site is easily visited in combination with nearby Aomori Museum of Art, which was designed in a style that imitates the excavation site.
Alo Japan.