Shirakami Sanchi mountain range

A little known but stunning national park in northern Tohoku ideal for hiking and bird watching.

Shirakami Sanchi is a huge mountain range stretching across the boarder between Akita and Aomori Prefectures. It's home to one of the last remaining virgin beech forests in East Asia and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. Little known by Western tourists and even the Japanese themselves, the region is a staggering maze of steep mountains and ravines, lakes and waterfalls. 87 bird varieties live here including black woodpecker and golden eagles, as well as the Japanese serow which is a kind of goat-antelope. There's a huge range of hiking on offer here; whether you take the gentle trail to the Anmon Waterfalls or tackle the challenging course to the summit of Shirakami-dake, this national park has breathtaking scenery for all to enjoy.

Shirakami Sanchi is easily accessible by local train from the castle town of Hirosaki.