We’re considering including the Lake Towada area (specifically the lake and Oirase Gorge) in our fall Tohoku itinerary, and would appreciate advice on some specific questions:
- Are Lake Towada and Oirase Gorge worth the considerable effort that seems to be entailed in getting there (for example, perhaps there are other equally impressive koyo viewing locations elsewhere in Tohoku that are easier to access)? Oirase Gorge looks very nice, but the videos I’ve seen of the fall foliage from the boat tours look a bit underwhelming. An additional complication is that we would be there around the same date as peak foliage last year, so if it’s even a little earlier this year I would expect that most of the trees would be bare, which would make the detour rather pointless.
- Is seeing the lake and Oirase Gorge feasible via public transport, or would a rental car be much more convenient?
- Where is the most convenient place to stay? Is the very small town around JR Bus Towadako Station (I assume the town is also Towadako) the best option, or are there reasonable alternatives nearby?
by kulahleudoti