The sound of water, changing its expression from a gentle murmur to a rushing roar. The air is cool and moist, filled with the deep, rich scent of moss. From the primeval beech and maple forest overhead, sunlight filters through, sparkling on the water's surface. Oirase Stream, located in Towada-Hachimantai National Park in Aomori Prefecture, is a "living museum of nature" that quietly and richly fills the senses of its visitors.

This gorge, created by the Oirase River—the only river flowing out of Lake Towada—over approximately 14 kilometers, is characterized by a succession of large and small waterfalls, varied water flows, and a lush carpet of moss covering rocks and fallen trees. The autumn foliage, when the entire mountain is dyed in fiery reds and yellows, and the winter "hyobaku" (frozen waterfalls), when the severe cold freezes everything and creates sculptures of blue ice, are breathtakingly beautiful.

This guide is your manual to becoming the best appreciator of this museum. Most of Oirase Stream is designated as a National Special Place of Scenic Beauty, a Natural Monument, and a "Special Protection Zone" of the national park, a sanctuary that must be protected with the utmost strictness. The manners introduced here are not just rules, but the responsibilities and promises entrusted to us, the visitors, to minimize our impact on nature as a member of this delicate and precious ecosystem.

Now, take off your headphones and look away from your smartphone screen. Let's begin a journey to listen deeply with your ears, eyes, and skin to the poem of water that Oirase奏でる.

How was this exceptionally beautiful gorge created? The background lies in the activity of a giant volcano and the passion of the people who introduced and protected it.

The mother of Oirase Stream is Lake Towada, formed by volcanic activity that began about 200,000 years ago. Water accumulated in the caldera created by a massive eruption to form the lake, and the Oirase Stream began when one part of the caldera wall collapsed. Over long years, the flowing water deeply eroded the relatively soft rock bed formed from solidified volcanic ejecta, creating the present-day cliffs, strange rock formations, and countless waterfalls.

In the Meiji era, it was the writer Keigetsu Omachi who spread the beauty of Oirase Stream and Lake Towada to the world. He deeply loved this land and energetically introduced its charms in his travelogues. The words he left behind, "If you live, live in Japan; if you play, play at Towada; if you walk, walk the three and a half ri of Oirase" (a ri is about 4km), are very famous and have invited many people to this land. His achievements became a major driving force for its later designation as a national park.

Oirase Stream has also been selected as one of "Japan's Precious Moss Forests," with about 300 of the 1,800 moss species in Japan confirmed here. Why does such a rich variety of moss grow here? It's because the conditions optimal for moss growth—a humid environment along the stream, moderate sunlight created by the primeval beech forest, and clear, cool water—have miraculously come together. The sight of everything, from rocks to tree trunks and fallen logs, covered in a green velvet is another main attraction of Oirase.

To reduce the environmental impact, measures such as restricting private car traffic (during specific periods and sections) and promoting eco-tours using electric vehicles are being implemented at Oirase Stream. In addition, the charm of winter, which was previously considered the off-season, has been gaining particular attention in recent years. Tours guided by specialists to see the frozen waterfalls and icicles, as well as light-up events, are held, evolving it into a year-round destination.

A 14km long stream. It's important to plan where and how to walk.

• Local Bus (Recommended): From JR Aomori Station or JR Hachinohe Station, the JR Bus Tohoku "Oirase-go" and "Mizuumi-go" run to Lake Towada (service may be suspended or reduced in winter). Being able to get on and off freely at major bus stops along the stream makes it convenient to plan a one-way walk. Using a free pass is a good value.
• Rental Car: Offers high flexibility, but expect heavy traffic during the autumn foliage season. Be sure to check for traffic restrictions in advance. Driving in winter requires extreme proficiency on snowy roads.

Oirase Stream changes its character slightly in its upper, middle, and lower reaches.

• Upstream (Choshi Otaki Waterfall to Nenokuchi): The flow is relatively calm, featuring the highlight, the 20m-wide "Choshi Otaki Waterfall."
• Midstream (Kumoi no Taki Waterfall to Choshi Otaki Waterfall): This is the area with the most highlights, including the rapid and dynamic "Ashura no Nagare" (Ashura Stream).
• Downstream (Yakeyama to Kumoi no Taki Waterfall): The flow is gentle, perfect for a leisurely stroll.
• Recommended Route: Utilize the bus according to your physical fitness. The most popular is a 2-3 hour course starting from the "Ishigedo" bus stop in the midstream area, passing "Kumoi no Taki" and "Ashura no Nagare," to "Choshi Otaki."

• Autumn (Mid to Late Oct): Peak foliage season. Although the path is well-maintained, it can be slippery with fallen leaves, so trekking shoes are ideal. It gets cold in the mornings and evenings, so a fleece or a light down jacket is essential.
• Winter (Dec to Feb): A sub-zero world. In addition to full winter gear (like ski wear), a hat, gloves, and a neck warmer are absolutely necessary. The path is completely frozen, so consider that walking is impossible without crampons or chain spikes for your shoes.

In this sanctuary, each and every one of us is a guardian of nature.

In the dead of winter, the waterfalls and seeping cliff faces of Oirase freeze completely, becoming giant pillars of ice "hyobaku" and countless "tsurara" (icicles). The sight of these glowing blue in the sunlight is a breathtaking view that can only be seen in winter. A nighttime light-up tour promises an even more fantastical experience.

Around Oirase, there are wonderful hot springs dotted at the foot of the Hakkoda Mountains. From the secret spring "Tsuta Onsen," where the source gushes up from the bottom of the bath, to "Sukayu Onsen," known for its giant mixed-gender wooden bath called the "sennin-buro" (thousand-person bath), these are the perfect places to warm your chilled body after a stream walk.

• Morning: Take a bus from Hachinohe or Aomori Station to Oirase Stream. Get off at "Ishigedo" and start walking.
• Noon: Walk towards "Choshi Otaki," passing "Ashura no Nagare," "Kumoi no Taki," etc. Have a light meal at a rest stop along the stream.
• Afternoon: After seeing "Choshi Otaki," walk to the end point "Nenokuchi," then take a bus to the shore of Lake Towada. After a brief view of the lake, head back by bus.

• Days 1:
  〇Afternoon: Arrive at Oirase Stream. Check into a resort hotel along the stream.
  〇Until Evening: Stroll around the hotel and enjoy observing the moss.
  〇Night: Soak slowly in the onsen and savor a dinner made with local ingredients.
  
• Days 2:
  〇Morning: Take a walk along the stream in the refreshing early morning air.
  〇Forenoon: Use the bus to hike a section you couldn't walk the previous day.
  〇Noon: Lunch at a restaurant along the stream.
  〇Afternoon: Head towards the Hakkoda area by bus, stopping by a secret onsen like Tsuta Onsen before heading home.

• Days 1: Stay at a hotel in the Oirase area. Participate in a frozen waterfall light-up tour at night.
• Days 2: In the morning, go on a snow hike along the winter stream with a professional nature guide, wearing crampons. Enjoy the art of ice, which looks different during the day and at night, before heading home.

What you take home from your trip to Oirase Stream is not just the spectacular photos captured by your camera. It is your own "sensitivity to nature," sharpened by listening to the murmur of the stream, the songs of birds, and the sound of the wind rustling the trees, by being amazed at the tiny world of moss, and by feeling the coldness of the water and the scent of the forest on your skin.

The time spent quietly as a part of nature in this sanctuary-like place will re-sharpen our senses, which may have become a little dull in our information-overloaded daily lives. That sharpened sensitivity is the most precious souvenir of this journey, and it will be a force to enrich your tomorrow.