[Aomori] The full season starts in June! World Heritage Shirakami-Sanchi & Amphibious Bus and Dam Tour!! [2026 GW]

Signs of the end of the trip, and a rainy "Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour"?!

Leaving Hirosaki behind, our fun Aomori trip is finally nearing its end. Tomorrow, we head to our final destination, the World Natural Heritage site "Shirakami-Sanchi" from the Aomori side!

The place where we stayed in our car that night was
"Roadside Station Tsugaru Shirakami Beach Nishimeya". This roadside station is also surprisingly well-maintained, and we are truly grateful for it.

Our main purpose for using this as a base was to participate in the"Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour" where you can ride an amphibious bus around Lake Tsugaru Shirakami!

• In 2026, it runs from April 29th to September 23rd

• Advance reservations are recommended, but if there are vacancies on the day, you can sign up until 15 minutes before departure

However, there was one thing I was worried about.
This amphibious bus is anopen-air model with no window glass.Raincoats are essential in rainy weather, and sincethere is no air conditioning, cold weather protection is indispensable.

The weather the previous night was rainy, and on top of that, there was even a slightly strong wind blowing. I fell asleep praying, "Hmm, I hope it clears up by tomorrow..."

But the next morning, my fears were confirmed in the worst way.
Outside, there was spectacular strong wind and rain!

Although this bus operates even in the rain, after much deliberation...

"In this heavy rain, the view might not be that great after all..."

I decided, and this time I had to tearfully give up on participating. What a pity! This has also been designated as one of my"tourist spots to carry over to next time".

By the way, across the road from the roadside station is the "Shirakami-Sanchi Visitor Center", where you can see deep exhibits and videos about Shirakami-Sanchi.

I added this to my homework list for next time, vowing that when I try the "Nishimeya Dam Lake Tour" again, I will definitely go see this as a set!

The wisdom of women born in the harsh northern country.
Limited "Nishi-Kogin" Montbell T-shirt

Although I gave up on the tour, I decided to enjoy some shopping at the roadside station since I was there!

And there, I had a wonderful encounter.

I discovered alimited edition design T-shirt from the "Roadside Station Tsugaru Shirakami Beach Nishimeya Montbell Corner"! Printed on this T-shirt is a pattern inspired by Aomori's proud traditional craft,"Kogin-zashi".

The history of "Kogin-zashi" dates back to the Edo period. At that time, Tsugaru farmers were not allowed to wear cotton clothing and had no choice but to layer cold hemp garments to endure the cold. So, the women in the farming villages began to finely embroider the gaps in the hemp cloth with cotton thread to increase heat retention and reinforce the fabric. Kogin-zashi is a "product of women's wisdom," both desperate and beautiful, created to survive the harsh nature of the north.

Interestingly, Kogin-zashi mainly developed in three regions of the Tsugaru area, and each region has different characteristics.

• Higashi (East) Kogin: Characterized by repeating small patterns to make the whole look like a large pattern, and indigo dyeing.

• Nishi (West) Kogin: Several horizontal stripes are placed on the shoulder area, and the pattern changes at the boundary of those horizontal stripes.

• Mishima Kogin: Three thick horizontal stripes are placed on the chest and back.

This Nishimeya Village is an area where the tradition of "Nishi-Kogin" remains strong. Because of this, the limited-edition T-shirts also follow that very same Nishi-Kogin design!

Furthermore, some Kogin-zashi patterns are said to contain the meaning of "warding off evil". While modern Montbell T-shirts are printed, perhaps they also contain a modern outdoor wish to "avoid meeting bears in the mountains" as a charm against evil.

A new travel companion released by a long-established Hirosaki shop: "Bear Skin Key Strap"

Furthermore, I discovered a very rare product using "bear skin" inside the building. It is crafted by "

Kameya Leather Shop", a long-established leather goods store in Hirosaki founded in the Meiji era. Surprisingly, they do not sell online at all, making this a super rare item that can only be obtained at their physical store in Hirosaki and places like this. When I heard it was wild bear skin, I thought, "Is it stiff?", but when I actually touched it, I was surprised to find it was softer and more supple than I imagined, and it seemed like it would fit well in the hand! After much deliberation, I got a key strap.

During my travels, I always carry my keys attached to my pants' belt loop, and this supple bear leather fits gently with the movement of my pants and body, making it a perfect match! It is already playing a major role as my "new travel companion"♪

This has also become a shop I definitely want to visit in person next time I go to Hirosaki.

Off to the World Natural Heritage site! ...Or so I thought,
a surprise collapse of the wooden path!?

After enjoying my shopping, I finally drive my car toward the main event, a stroll through the "Shirakami-Sanchi," which is registered as a World Natural Heritage site!

First, I aim for the "Shirakami-Sanchi Tourist Information Center (Aqua Green Village ANMON)."

The road leading here, between Sunagose (Tsugaru Shirakami Lake) and ANMON, just opened on Friday, April 24th. However, the official website has a notice saying, "Passage is possible up to the entrance of the Beech Forest Trail." It doesn't look like I can go very far, but I decided to head there for now.

By the way, from the sound of "World Heritage Shirakami-Sanchi," I braced myself for a very rugged mountain road, but contrary to my expectations, I was surprised to find the road was very beautifully paved! Furthermore, construction of a new road to make it even easier to drive was also underway.

And so, I arrived at the "Shirakami-Sanchi Tourist Information Center"! (*The adjacent Aqua Green Village ANMON facility itself was still closed for the winter.) To understand the current situation in detail, I decided to ask the staff at the information center.

Then, a shocking fact was revealed. Usually, the roads and the beech forest trails are fully open by Golden Week, but this year the amount of snow was extraordinary, and the wooden path of the beech forest trail collapsed under the weight of the snow...! I was stunned, thinking, "As expected, the severity of Aomori's great nature is on a different level..." However, the staff said, "Last year, the road itself collapsed and was closed, so compared to that, it's much better this year just being able to drive up to here!" (So that's why the road was so well maintained—it was thanks to that restoration work!). I started to feel down, thinking, "Then, I won't be able to experience the nature of the World Heritage area at all this time...", but apparently, the area beyond the "World Heritage" sign right near the information center is already within the registered area!

I want to at least feel the atmosphere with my own skin! So, I decided to walk as far as I could, aiming for the entrance of the walking trail.

The collapsed entrance and the freezing cold Shirakami water

After walking for about 5 minutes, I found that sign by the riverside.

The moment I took a step, thinking, "Off to the heart of the World Natural Heritage site!", what appeared right before my eyes was the entrance to the walking trail and the sight of the wooden path that had slid down part of the slope.

This... is definitely not going to be possible...!

It was truly a shutdown by Mother Nature, as if to say, "Now! To the World Natural Heritage site!!" (laughs). I witnessed the overwhelming rawness of nature, where human power cannot reach.

By the way, right next to the entrance, there was a water station where you could draw spring water from the Shirakami-Sanchi mountains. When I touched it with my hand, it was so cold that I couldn't help but exclaim, "Whoa, that's cooooold!!"

Although I couldn't venture deep into the virgin beech forest this time, I felt the condensed richness of Shirakami's nature in that single cold drop.

This place is also officially designated as a perfect destination for a comeback trip!

Perhaps the high threshold of this sacred place, which doesn't let you go deep inside easily, is part of the charm of a World Natural Heritage site.

📌 Important notes for sightseeing in Shirakami-Sanchi!

Here are some important points I learned locally for sightseeing in Shirakami-Sanchi!

• "Road and boardwalk collapses due to snow" are common in Shirakami-Sanchi!

• The progress of snowmelt and the time required for repairs vary completely from year to year!

• If you definitely want to walk through the beech forest, it is best to plan your trip after June begins◎.

• Before entering the mountains, be sure to check the latest restoration information on the official website, etc.!!

🔽 Click here to check the latest information 🔽

📢 Happy update!

According to the latest information, walking on the beech forest trail (short course) finally resumed on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 8:30 AM! Furthermore, the long course is also expected to be open for walking within May!!
*Accommodation at the center house, camping/cottages, etc., is scheduled to open from July, and there will be no restaurant or hot spring operations for the 2026 fiscal year.

Finally, the beautiful full sightseeing season for Shirakami-Sanchi is about to begin!

I was baptized by nature this time and couldn't go deep inside, but if you have walked through the fresh green beech forest before, or are planning to go, I would love for you to share your thoughts in the comments!