The mountain scenery seen from the train station and the rural village is lovely.

My Japanese sister brought me and my colleagues to see the remains of the Lava Flow from Mount Iwate. For the first time my colleagues and I see stretch of formation of solids lavas and you can see small pines trees growing from the solidy Lava... an amazing sight with the snow starting to melt at this time late April 2019...

Very pretty

Good chop

Iwate san is one of the most popular hiking areas in Tohoku. It is steep and quite challenging. Good hiking shoes and walking sticks are highly recommended as it gets very slippery because of the small rocks. There are 7 different trails. I used Yanagisawa trail which starts at Umagaeshi camp ground. There are three big parking lots where you can park hour car and get ready. There is cold tasty water fountain and bathrooms here. Yanagisawa is the most popular trail among the others. Approx. 5.5 km in total and 4hrs 25 min suggested ascending time. Descending is also very challenging and suggested time is 3hrs 15 min. I made it less then 6 hrs including the Ohachi meguri round walk at the top. Umagaeshi is 633 m high and the peak is 2038 m. So the altitude change is about 1400 m. The steepness start right away and continues all the way up. There are lots of places you can enjoy the view if the weather is nice. On the 8th station there is a big hut and natural water fountain. Very relaxing place and best place for taking break. It is around 2000 yen per night including sheets etc. The guy was very friendly. After a short break I decided to make the peak first and come back here for a longer break. From the point it is not very challenging except a short distance to climb the hill. Use the right to climb the hill and left to round the loop at the top. This will be easier. After the 2.5 station the route is split into two. The right one is the new road which is a bit longer but goes through the forest. It is more shady. The old road is open, there is not much trees and very rocky. You can enjoy the view but I found this one more challenging since it was slippery. I went up from the new road and down from the old one. There were beautiful flowers on the way. I posted here. It was totally fun and great hiking. Hope this comment is helpful.

The crown jewel in the long string of magnificent mountain experiences available in Iwate! On a nice day the views are simply epic!

Picturesque views all around the mountains and volcanoes, well worth a visit if it's a sunny day.

Located in Iwate Prefecture, Appi Kogen Ski Resort, is one of the country’s top ski destinations, often compared to resorts in Hokkaido due to its high-quality, dry powder snow. It features 21 runs with a good mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced slopes, as well as long runs up to 5.5 km. Pros: • Excellent Snow Quality – Light and dry powder similar to Hokkaido. • Long, Well-Groomed Runs – Great for cruising and ideal for intermediate skiers. • Fewer Crowds – Compared to popular resorts like Niseko or Hakuba. • Modern Facilities – Good accommodation options, onsen, and dining. Cons: • Limited Après-Ski Scene – Quiet nightlife, more family-friendly. • Weather Can Be Harsh – Occasionally strong winds and cold temperatures. • Less Off-Piste Terrain – Not the best for extreme backcountry riders. Overall Verdict: We had a great time and the resort is a fantastic choice for those who prioritise high-quality snow, well-maintained slopes, and a quieter, more relaxed ski experience. Best suited for those looking for a less commercial resort compared to Niseko.

Despite early suspension of gondola and chair lifts up the hill top due to 4-5m/s strong wind on our last day of skiing, APPI is one of the best ski resorts in Tohoku region for intermediate and advanced skiers; especially, on sunny day, ones can enjoy those miles long non-stop scenic runs from hill top to bottom. However, catering wasn’t ideal comparing to resorts like Zao Onsen.

APPI Kogen Ski Resort is great, but the slopes are a bit too challenging. I nearly gave myself a heart attack — felt like I was racing to the bottom of the mountain!

Awesome resort! I rented my gear through appi and it was quick efficient and not too expensive. Pass is slightly more expensive than other ski spots nearby but this resort is awesome! There is a beginners area that’s a great place to learn and the gondola is really nice. Employees are nice. Food is good. They have decent gift shops and a spot to buy snowboards and skis and accessories.

The BIGGEST ski resort in north east region of Japan, how good is that? The only downside is that their lifts go pretty slow, with people falling when they get off you usually spend more time on the chairlifts than going downhill 😭some slopes are too flat in certain areas so you might stop in the middle.

It’s April and powder keeps coming. Tree run has powder up to my waist. I had so much fun riding here. The hotel is dated, somewhat clean. i ask to change room because mine smells like old carpet. But they are very hard to talk to and not willing to do anything about it. Instead, they brought in room refresher. :( What a miss opportunity. It could be a Top notch resort with such amazing snow and good views from each room. If they can only update the furnish a little bit. I am more than happy to offer them free design services to exchange family ski vacation. I have 20 years of architecture/ interior design practice in New York. Transform this place is so easy and inexpensive because the bone is good. Bar is in wrong location, no wonder there is no one there. Another miss opportunity to create business and provide social place. Restaurants are decent. Although they listed many options, lots of food are coming from the same place. So variety is not so great. Outdoor onsen is really nice and beautiful. You will have view of mountain in front of you. Water is good with no smell. Ski runs are supper nice. I love the black diamond that stretch to red and green in one straight shot-3km. You can go so fast, so fun. Tree runs are good, but trees are not so big like other resort. However, powder is so good that beats anything. Free shuttle from airport is also amazing. I can’t believe they sent a 20 person shuttle bus just for me. So overall, it’s excellent and I definitely coming back.

This review will include the slopes and the restaurants. Appi ski resort is the only one I know. For that it is hard for me to compare it with other ski resorts. I like it here. From what I have gathered the resort is smaller compared to European ones. But everyone I heard really thinks the snow there is some of the best they have tried. I would recommend to come after New Years Eve for a couple of reasons. During that time the slopes get quite busy, and you will have to wait to get in the lifts. Also at that time there are still many slopes closed. We are now in the third week of January and all of them are open. Including the snow park. This one is fun, with jumps and boxes, it is located at the bottom. During weekdays (at the moment), there is almost nobody on the slopes. Which gives you a lot of space to practice safely. You will find groomed slopes and a couple of ungroomed and tree runs. If you stay there for a longtime you might grow bored of the slopes. There are quite some possibilities for off-piste. There is a patrol which will actually take your pass away if caught. So it is probably better if you are using a day pass. That being said, my friend last year did a lot of off piste for weeks and never was bothered. Food wise there are 5 restaurants. Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Korean. All of them are Japanese style though. It doesn’t taste authentic. Italian one have edible pizza, but very tiny. Indian one was nothing special and rather expensive. Not much to say about the others beside the Japanese one selling ramen. That is probably the cheapest option. Taste good and the staff is nice. If you head out of the restaurant to get into the central area, you will find more food. Last year it was possible to get kebab, rather good. This year you will find Indian food. Proper Indian food. For 750Y you get a curry and a naan. Very tasty. This is the food you will also find in their restaurant located in Appikogen. Around this area you will also find stores that sell various products, food, gear,... I will attach some photos, bad quality but should give a wide sample of what you will find. The view from up there is not the prettiest I have ever seen but still, on a clear day, it’s beautiful. Enjoy and stay safe!

A smaller sized resort, but they had some nice tree and side country runs for those that wanted to get off piste. Good for a weekday with fresh snow - no crowds much pow. (Update 5 Feb 25: hit it on a deep powder day. Knee-deep in the trees - amazing. Adding a pic of the menu too. Tasty ramen.)

A very small resort but Fantastic services by lift operators. Great trees runs. Large lunch serving. Free shuttle bus to Hachimantai ski resort. Lift tickets a bit pricey for small resort like this.

Great little resort, just 3 double low speed chairs to get to the top. So it can take about 30min to get to the top from the bottom. Fantastic runs and awesome tree runs, your allowed to go in. Best tree skiing resort. Definitely worth a visit for a day

It is a fun ski field. But, it is definitely not for total beginners. Hachimantai Ski Resort proper is much better for learning on. There are no runs to warm up or learn on and the easiest run is for those who can already reliably slow themselves on a slope. That said my nine year old had no issues on his third day ever skiing (he snow plows a bit but can weave side to side doing it and straightens up on the clear bits). The upper slopes (third lift) are very steep and fast so make sure you can confidently turn before attempting. Not suitable for kids up there unless they can ski very very confidently. The run down from the second lift to the bottom however is great. There are lots of humps to play on and one of the runs has a section with a long rounded wall which was great fun. The restaurant is good. The ski rental is OK, but it's very small and takes some time, the equipment was fine though. The lifts are pretty basic chair lifts (one triple, two doubles) with no wind protection at all and fairly small and with a manual safety bar.

Shimomura ski area, is the best kept secret for ski area on Iwate's. A little high level but not crowded and great snow

Good snow condition ❄️❄️❄️ Not much people, chairlifts available only. But we had a good afternoon here 👍🏻😊

Great slopes for beginners and intermediates. Weather was grand, and just the right amount of powder when I went. Food court is a little small, but definitely recommend the pork cutlet curry; amazing.

I visited this mountain on May 5th. Around 80% of the mountain path was covered by snow but I didn’t use climbing irons although I brought them. You can reach the top of mountain for only 30 minutes so a part of visitors climbed with very casual wear. I recommend here to those who want to casually enjoy climbing and nice views!

Awesome here, good environment and nice autumn leaf spot.

I had a chance to hike Hachimantai on August 10,2020. I would like to share my experience for those who like to hike here I should say this hike one of the best hiking experience for me in terms of the beautiful scenery. The hike starts at Hachimantai Mountaintop Rest area. You get here through one of the best scenery driving roads( Hachimantai Aspet Line). There are lots of photo taking spots on the way. The parking area is not for free here. There is another one about 100 m. away and for free. You can park there. It just takes few minutes to get the trial head. There is a bathroom on the way as well. The path is very well maintained and there is not much ascending. It is covered either with straight woods or rocks and concrete. It is not challenging at all. I think it is suitable for kids. Although it was foggy the scenery was spectacular. There are many crater lakes which make you hike fun. In May when the snow starts melting one of these lakes Kagaminuma forms a shape which looks like a dragon eye. The peak is 1613 m. The total course takes around 1.5 hour. You can go fast to make it shorter but I recommend you take your time and enjoy the nature. There are mountain huts with gorgeous scenery. There is a connected trial to Mt. Gentamori if you like to challenge yourself even more. Overall it is an amazing hiking trial. Highly recommended. Extra tips: there are outdoor volcanic hot springs with natural trials nearby. Highly recommended if you have time. Check out Goshogake, onamemoto and Fukenoyu hot spring

Very nice hike in snow (late May!), with the guide offered when you ride the nature bus from Morioka Station. I understand Japanese but I guess it is okay if you don't understand, just follow him, but you need to let them know when you board the bus perhaps. They asked and the Taiwanese aren't quite aware of such service. Walked through all the important sights with him. The dragon eye wasn't quite stunning that day, but the other ponds (or literally the swamps) were very beautiful. Unluckily the visibility wasn't that high but could still see nearer mountains.

Easily one of the most accessible mountain hiking areas in Iwate, just 20 minutes from the carpark over flat terrain and your already being treated with fantastic sights.

so cool

Come before the busy season it is peaceful and beautiful

By Japanese standards, the food here is not bad but not exceptional or outstanding.

(Translated by Google) Appi Premium Pork was so delicious! I don't like pork, but the fatty meat was delicious, and I ate it along with Ichimakomari from Iwate Prefecture. It comes with sauce, but it's even more delicious with salt and pepper! ! The sashimi was beautiful and had a good taste. Orders were basically made from a tablet. There were times when there was a mismatch between the order and what was being delivered, so I had to ask an employee to confirm that the order had arrived. Perhaps most of them were part-time workers, but they just carried the meals and didn't give any explanations about the meals. Restrooms are outside, not inside the store. Although this hotel has a lot of children, it was quiet and comfortable for adults! (Original) 安比プレミアムポークが凄く美味しかったです！ 豚肉が苦手なのですが、脂身も美味しく、岩手県産の一目惚れと一緒にパクパク食べちゃいました。 タレが付いていますが、塩胡椒貰うとさらに美味しいです！！ 刺身も綺麗ですし、良い味でした。 注文は基本タブレットからでした。 オーダーと運んでくるものが行き違いがあったりと、従業員からオーダーが来ているか確認を受けることもありました。 バイトの方が多いのか、食事は運ぶだけで食事の説明など一切無かったです。 お手洗いは外で、店内にはありません。 子供が多いホテルですが、ここは静かで大人には過ごしやすかったです！

(Translated by Google) Japanese cuisine, the dining environment is good, the ingredients are fresh, and overall, it is a good Japanese cuisine. (Original) 日本料理，用餐環境不錯，食材有新鮮，整體而言，算不錯的日式料理。

(Translated by Google) We ordered the maesawa beef sukiyaki course and children’s set. The meals were delicious. Although not amazing in terms of quality, all the meals were delicious and the food quality was in place. It is in line with the positioning of this restaurant and deserves a five-star rating! (Original) 我們點了maesawa beef sukiyaki course 和children’s set ,餐點美味，在水準上，雖然沒有驚艷，但所有餐點都是具有水準的美味，食物水平有到位，就是符合這家餐廳的定位，值得五顆星評價！

(Translated by Google) I used it for breakfast. A Japanese set meal restaurant. The restaurant was not crowded and I was able to eat slowly. (Original) 朝食で利用しました。 和定食のお店。店内は混んでなくてゆっくり食事できました。

(Translated by Google) It's not that it's not delicious, but I don't recommend it. It's a shame because I had high expectations. (Original) 美味しく無いわけでは無いが勧めない。期待値が高かったので残念。

(Translated by Google) If you use the Appi VILLA 3 meal coupon to book a set meal, you need to pay an additional 1,188 yen. If you don't want to, you can get a discount of 2,500 yen. The restaurant must be booked in advance. Everything from appetizers to main meals was good, and the beef was very tender. But 1/3 of the travelers had diarrhea after returning... (Original) 使用安比VILLA 3餐券預定套餐需要再補1188日圓，如不想的話就是折抵2500，餐廳須提前預訂。前菜到主餐都很不錯，牛肉很嫩。但同行者有1/3回去後拉肚子....

A small farm with a market selling plants, seeds and flowers. Beside that, a cafe selling pasta, pastries and cakes for one to take five... most enjoyable is feeding the rabbit and alpaka at a cost of 100yen per pack.

A wonderful little place to bring your children! There are three main areas that are open year round; a petting zoo with alpaca, rabbits, and goats, a green house where you can buy plants, seeds, and garden accessories, and a cafe with souvenirs, ice cream, and some food. There are more areas on the opposite side of the road but they are closed in winter. There are changing tables for small children in the women's bathroom and in the handicap bathroom and there is also an extremely clean and relaxing nursing room. One thing that disappointed me was I was kind of hoping with a name like "Salad Farm" that the cafe would have a variety of salads or vegetable/vegetarian dishes but that was not the case.

Love to feed the rabbits Onsentamago is cheap and delicious

A great family place, they have a great restaurant, good ice cream, pastas and Japanese food. Best of all, they have a petting zoo with alpacas.

Wonderful place with great many selections

Petting zoo is my favourite activity here!

(Translated by Google) Winter illuminations and the season of fresh greenery From November 20th, an illumination event will be held only on weekends and holidays. Even in November, the temperature is only about 2 degrees, so we recommend going in winter gear. The entrance fee is 300 yen, but it is not expensive as it includes a drink. The only four types of drinks are coffee, tea, cocoa, and orange juice. However, be careful as the cocoa sells out quickly. There are some areas where the ground gets muddy, so it may be a good idea to wear non-slip shoes. In the season of fresh greenery in May, the weather becomes warm and it is a pleasant place to take a leisurely stroll in the clear weather. Adults pay 500 yen at the entrance. The main attraction is alpacas, but you will also be greeted by cats, aquariums with goldfish, rabbits, goats, ponies, and more. There is also strawberry picking, but be careful as it is fully booked until May. If you come here, we recommend buying seasoned eggs. They cost 450 yen for 10 eggs, but they are the most popular item. (Original) 冬のイルミネーションと新緑の季節 11月20日から土日祝限定でイルミネーションのイベントをやっています。11月でも気温は２度くらいしかなく真冬の装備で行く事をオススメ。入場料300円かかりますがドリンク付きなので高くはないです。コーヒー、紅茶、ココア、オレンジジュースの四種類しかないのはご愛敬。ただしココアはすぐに売り切れますので要注意。 一部に足元がぬかるむ場所が有るので滑りにくい靴で行くのがいいかも。 ５月の新緑の季節は暖かい気候になり晴天の中でノンビリ散策するには気持ちの良い場所です。入口で大人500円支払います。メインはアルパカですが猫、金魚などのアクアリウム、ウサギ、やぎ、ポニーなどが出迎えてくれます。イチゴ狩りもありますが５月までの完全予約なので要注意。ここに来たら味玉を買うのがオススメ。10個450円ですが一番の人気商品です。

(Translated by Google) The dining environment was filled with smoke and the service was unprofessional. Water was not served at the beginning. The soup for the set meal was also delayed. The newly replaced grilling net turned the ingredients black as soon as they were grilled (the ingredients were not burnt). It was quite a bad dining experience. (Original) 用餐環境煙霧瀰漫，服務不專業，一開始沒送水上來 套餐的湯也遲遲不上 新換的烤網一烤食材就黑掉(食材並未燒焦) 相當不OK的一次用餐體驗

Try Karaage (Fried Chicken) and Korean BBQ, they are so good. All kinds of deep-fried dishes here are super crispy. The price for this quality is unbelievable. It must be worthy to pay more than ¥1000!

The food is delicious here. I had fried chicken with rice, miso and veggies. Menu is in all Japanese though

(Translated by Google) This is the most famous restaurant in Osara. The specialty is the "pork steak set meal" Thick Tochucha pork covered in rich soy sauce is placed on a hot iron plate! The tender and chewy steak is exquisite. However, it is so popular that it may exceed the store's capacity at lunchtime, so we recommend visiting when you have time or avoiding lunchtime. (Original) 大更で一番有名な食事処です。 名物は何と言っても「豚ステーキ定食」 熱々の鉄板の上に濃厚な醤油ダレを纏った肉厚の杜仲茶ポークがドンと乗っています！ 柔らかく食べごたえのあるステーキは絶品ですよ。 ただ、人気すぎて、昼時は店のキャパを超える場合があるので、時間に余裕があるとき、又は昼時回避をオススメします♪

(Translated by Google) I went there after learning about it from my sister. The restaurant fills up immediately after opening. There is a lot of food and it is very delicious. The landlady is very kind. The rice in the photo is a large serving. (Original) 姉から教えてもらい行きました。開店直後すぐに満席になります。料理も多め、とても美味しいです。女将さんがとても親切です。写真のご飯は大盛りです。

(Translated by Google) This restaurant uses locally produced, brand-name "Duzhong Tea Pork." The menu includes rice bowls, ramen, and set meals. As the name suggests, the pork they use is pork that has been fattened with powdered Duzhong tea mixed into its feed, which is said to have the potential to help prevent lifestyle-related diseases and maintain collagen! The meat is also raised in a stress-free environment where music is played, so it has no odor and is very tender, so be sure to give it a try! 😋🎶 (Original) 地元で生産され、ブランド豚で知られている｢杜仲茶ポーク｣を使用しているお店です。 丼物、ラーメン、定食といったメニューがあります。 使用されている豚肉は名前にある通り、杜仲茶を粉末にし飼料に混ぜ肥育した豚肉で、生活習慣病やコラーゲンを維持出来るような効果が期待出来るそう！ また、音楽などを聞かせストレスのない肥育環境で育ったお肉は臭みが無く柔らかい肉質なので是非、ご賞味あれ😋🎶

(Translated by Google) I ate at this restaurant with a client during a business trip to Iwate. I walked in, sat at a table, and checked the menu. I was interested in the dochu tea pork, but decided to order the 900 yen fried chicken set meal. The fried chicken set meal that was served consisted of five large pieces of fried chicken... quite filling. The fried chicken was hot and juicy, with a delicious seasoning, and went perfectly with rice. Being an older man, I was struggling after the fourth piece, so I asked my companion to try one, but the small side dishes and miso soup were also delicious. (Original) 岩手出張中、お客さんと食事したお店です。 店内に入りテーブル席に座り、メニュー確認。 杜仲茶ポークも気になりましたが、鶏唐揚げ定食900円を注文しました。 配膳された唐揚げ定食は大きな唐揚げが5つ… なかなかのボリューム感。 唐揚げは熱々でジューシー、下味も美味しくご飯との相性バッチリ。おじさんなので4個目で苦しくなり、同行者に一つ食べてもらいましたが小鉢、味噌汁も美味しく良かったです。

(Translated by Google) Miso char siu noodles 950 yen. I recommend the mini yakiniku bowl set for 350 yen. The noodles are thin, so you have to eat them quickly or they will get soggy. The miso ramen does not contain char siu, but it does have a lot of vegetables. I wish the miso had more depth. There is a raised floor, so it is safe for families with small children. All the pork is made with tochu tea. (Original) 味噌チャーシュー麺950円。ミニ焼肉丼350円のセットがおすすめ。麺が細めなので、早く食べないと伸びます。味噌ラーメンにはチャーシューが入っていませんが、野菜は多め。味噌にもう少し深みが欲しいか。小上がりがあるので小さな子供がいる家庭も安心。豚肉は全て杜仲茶ポークのこだわり。

Accessibility: Great. Dedicated parking, decent hours. Customer Experience: Good. Nothing too standout. They deliver, though it's probably meant for workplace delivery, not home delivery. Food: Great. Kokage has a pretty unique flavor. While many of their dishes are typical examples of Washoku (Japanese-style), they arrange or season them a little differently than you might expect. They also have a unique dishes from southeast Asia. Prices: Great. Prices are on the lower end for the amount of food you get.

Nice simple but tasty food. The price range is reasonable and the food menu have enough variety. The staff is smiley and nice. Only minus point is that the table was a little sticky (but otherwise clean)

Delicious sweets in cozy atmosphere. I tried Ammitsu, a Japanese parfait. The combination of sweet beans and ice cream is so delicious. This is close to Hachimantai Ski Resort where you can go by bus. A13 is the bus number that goes to Kokage and the ski resort.

We visited this cafe for a quick snack and coffee. It has good snacks like cake and fruit dishes as well as an interesting atmosphere inside

The only reason

We order Lamb set and omelette. My husband say this is the best rice he had.

(Translated by Google) I stopped by for the first time to fill my stomach before enjoying the autumn leaves on the Aspite Line in Hachimantai, and it was delicious. I would like to come back again and again. There is ample parking in front of the store. I think campervans would be fine too. I can see that this is a store loved by locals. (Original) 八幡平のアスピーテラインの紅葉楽しむ前に腹ごしらえのために初めて寄りましたが、とても美味しかったです。何度でも来たいと思います。駐車場は、店舗前で充分な台数が停めれます。キャンピングカーも大丈夫かと思います。地元の方々に愛されるお店なんだなぁと感じました。