Hibara Lake - Journey to Aizu 🇯🇵

On the early morning of October 18, 2025, the temperature was a cool 15 degrees Celsius, overcast with a blanket of clouds, but not cold enough. We bid farewell to our accommodation on Lake Hibara, Urabandai Lake Resort. The lake was a natural landscape, the autumn colors showing off, their reds, oranges, and yellows flowing freely and without any arrangement. It was truly beautiful.

🌳 Bandai-Asahi Park: The Heart of Tohoku
The route from Hibara to Aizu-Wakamatsu City is a quiet road, surrounded by tall trees, resembling a natural wall. There are small parking areas at intervals for resting.

• The walking trail around Lake Hibara is over 13 kilometers long. You can choose to walk only short sections, such as from Hibara Campground to Nagamine Peninsula, or take the quiet Dokkonuma Pond Trail, a small pond hidden in the forest.

• The entire area is located in Bandai-Asahi National Park, one of Japan's oldest and most diverse national parks. It covers three major prefectures (Fukushima, Yamagata, and Niigata).

• Urabandai is a region formed by the massive eruption of Mount Bandai in 1888, creating new land and numerous lakes rich in mountain minerals.

• Caution: Entry to the area is free, but some trails, particularly during autumn, when bears are actively foraging, require caution and a bell if venturing further into the trail.

We parked in an inconspicuous spot, with only a vast expanse of water in front of us. The fog had not yet cleared, and the trees lining the road were a vibrant orange contrast with the green. We grabbed our cameras to capture the moment we were standing there.

We then drove to Aizu, a city known for its red-tiled castle. And the legend of the samurai hero Byakkotai, which the Japanese still cherish, is not far away.

📍 Route: Urabandai Lake Resort → Hibara Lake Circle → Aizu-Wakamatsu

#HibaraLake #Urabandai #AizuWakamatsu #JapanAutumn #QuietJourney #OrdinaryGoodEnough

Post by Mr. Choon | Nov 1, 2025