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Go deep into the heart of Akita Prefecture via the Tazawako and Nairiku Lines where a kaleidoscope of autumn colors and natural beauty await.
A rumble echoes across remote peaks draped in autumn splendor so Our journey takes us from iwate prefecture to neighboring akita prefecture then we’ll steer north to explore settlements deep in the heart of the mountains We chance upon secluded hot springs that relieve weary travelers We experience traditional crafts born out of a mountain lifestyle in harmony with nature is We join traditional hunters to track bear through alpine forests People live every day and thanks for the mountain deity’s blessings Far from city lights we discover the true glory of the night sky Train crews the rails that connect mountain hamlets and discover the natural bounty of akita prefecture Our journey starts at morioka in iwate prefecture morioka station is a two-hour shinkansen ride north from tokyo freshly harvested local fall produce greets us inside line bound for akita prefecture So Wow [Applause] The line stretches 75.6 kilometers between iwate and akita prefectures The rails are set wide to allow shinkansen from tokyo bound for akita to travel the same tracks Since this is a single track line it’s not uncommon to wait at times for shinkansen to pass Our train speeds through pastoral scenery as we climb into the old mountains The towering range divides iwate from akita with peaks topping 2 000 meters Through the craggy peaks we cruise towards akita The tazawako line opened in 1966 driven by potent local ambition to boost interaction between the two prefectures Engineers surmounted enormous difficulties to construct the tunnel piercing the heart of the mountain range huh Hmm Foreign near the station lies the natural wonder that lent the line and stationed their name lake tazawa Nestled among the peaks the lake stretches 20 kilometers in circumference The cobalt waters however conceal its true expanse a depth that approaches half a kilometer A thriving population of japanese beach stretches along the shoreline weaving through the cathedral of autumn hughes we delve deeper into the mountains Soon we come across neuto onsen a 300 year old hot spring resort consisting of seven inns at the base of mount newton This inn once hosted samurai lords and government officials it later bustled with farmers soothing their weary bodies after the fall harvest today it entices visitors to escape the clamour of the city and soak in its secluded waters You The open air bath is a favorite Rich in sulfur and sodium its milky waters melt away fatigue It feels great to become one with the natural surroundings the inn’s famed cuisine gives the seasonal tsukune imo a leading role the yams pulp is incredibly sticky quiet [Laughter] the chef forms the sticky paste into balls and stews them in a miso based broth Thanks Me [Applause] foreign foreign The station was designed to resemble a samurai residence This town has long been the region’s center of politics and commerce through its center runs a street lined with samurai residences Six are preserved as cultural properties my [Applause] each residence rests within a spacious garden planted with pines maples and other trees a diversity of species in the garden signified prosperity Ishiguro residents the oldest of the surviving residences was built 200 years ago Is foreign Kakunodate also preserves the traditional craft samurai sponsored Kabazaiku production first started more than 200 years ago tea caddies for storing tea leaves are representative of this art They are crafted from the bark of native cherry tree species which grow in the mountains the technique preserves the bark’s character so each is unique They harvest the bark one sheet at a time in the summer This doesn’t kill the tree which regenerates within a few years In the trade for 50 years ketoku akio is the latest craftsman in a long lineage He has received national commendations for his preeminent technique shaving down the bark surface produces a beautiful luster foreign Since kabazaiku are made from natural material the color luster and character of each item is unpredictable Back at kakunodate station we transfer to the akita nairiku line this 94.2 kilometer line connects communities scattered through the mountains foreign foreign uh The train is an unelectrified diesel which carries roughly 500 people per day In the past most passengers were commuters but as the population has aged most passengers are tourists fluffy akita dogs play peek-a-boo with tourists from behind seats and above luggage racks The train line slices through rugged highlands which received heavy snowfall When winter arrives these rustic scenes are buried in snow Foreign Greets visitors Matagi hunters make their living tracking prey like bear they have maintained their unique rituals and beliefs since ancient times Today there are 36 matagi in the region one is 74 year old suzuki hideo he has made his life in the mountains since the age of 15. Deep in the mountains bear meat was a precious food source bare gall bladder was also used in medicine where it is ground to a powder The bears are hunted on mount moriyoshi a sacred peak over 1400 meters tall Before climbing the mountain mataki stopped to pay their respects to the mountain’s deity as offering they bring a dried fish known as or devil late fall to early spring sometimes a hunt lasts days as they match wits with bears and may end up with nothing matagi mask their footfalls so as not to
Alert prey to their presence foreign tuned into their surroundings they search for signs of bear they sensed the tracks these withered branches were snapped by a bear climbing the tree in search of food other signs are more explicit after five hours of trekking no bears in sight
If the hunt is a success matagi hold a ritual to thank the mountain deity the mountains along the akita nairiku line once brought the region economic prosperity The ani mines supplied gold silver and copper miners pulled more copper here than anywhere in japan the japan national railway’s aniai line transported both miners and ore However the railway faced closure when the mines shut down in 1970 residents fought to preserve the vital lifeline for this mountainous region and in 1984 local investment gave it new life as the akita nairiku line [Applause] happy a gaggle of witches arrives to accost the station master Bye Oh Among the precipitous peaks nearby new inhabitants are forging a life in the mountains 38 moved his family from tokyo 10 years ago to his ancestral home to live closer to nature and older residents this tree makes a good herbal tea foreign Four years ago oriyama renovated his grandparents home and opened it as a guest house Guests even travel from abroad to experience centuries-old mountain life Oriyama brews tea from the leaves and branches he just harvested This traditional herbal tea relaxes the body Generations have used wild mountain plants to brew such teaspoons Nightfall in the mountains brings a pleasure impossible in the city Foreign Back at aniai station we board a new train built especially for sightseeing its windows give passengers an expansive view of the scenery and an attendant expounds on the points of interest as the train rolls past The station was renovated in 2021 a mysterious circle lies embedded in the waiting room floor enigmatic design mimics the isedotai stone circles located five minutes away on foot they are thought to be the remains of a prehistoric settlement Civil engineers discovered the site which consists of four circles when surveying routes for road work During the jomon period 4 000 years ago this area was inhabited by hunter-gatherers The name jomon derives from the distinct rope patterns found on their pottery the culture crafted figures from clay as well Clay mushrooms and wild boar provide evidence of abundant food sources in the nearby forests The circles crown a hillock with a commanding view of the surrounding area quite my in 2021 the iserotai ruins were included in the unesco world heritage designated jomon prehistoric sites in northern japan The akita nairiku line’s new train dubbed the akita jomon also debuted in 2021 Images of jomon period items decorate every corner of its interior Our journey through the late autumn countryside draws to a close 160 kilometers from where it began at morioka station hi jesus The people of akita retain a deep appreciation for the gifts of nature and still strive to live in harmony with their surroundings The area and the railroad will soon be blanketed in white