Hachimantai Summit & Dragon Eye
八幡平・鏡沼
A volcanic plateau 1,613 m high. The Hachimantai Aspite Line has snow walls in spring, and when the snow melts at Kagami-numa, the 'Dragon's Eye' appears.
Hachimantai spans Iwate and Akita prefectures. The summit area is a gently sloping highland wetland dotted with many volcanic lakes and marshes. From late May to early June, snow melts around Kagami-numa, and the remaining snow in the center and the ring of lake water form a huge 'Dragon's Eye' that draws many visitors. The scenic Hachimantai Aspite Line usually opens from mid-April to early November, and in the early season you can drive between snow walls several meters high. From the summit parking lot, it's about a 20-minute walk to Kagami-numa. It is about 1.5–2 hours by car from Morioka. Summer route buses run, but the road is closed in winter.
Opening hours
About mid-April to early November (road open season)
Nearby sights
- Appi Kogen Ski Resort
- Mount Iwate
- Koiwai Farm
- Morioka Handi-Works Square
- Lake Gosho
- Tsunagi Onsen
- Ishikawa Takuboku Memorial Museum
- Takamatsu Pond