Bandai-Asahi National Park (磐梯朝日国立公園, Bandai Asahi Kokuritsu Kōen) is a national park located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū, Japan. The park covers parts of Fukushima Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, and Niigata Prefecture. It was established as a national park on September 5, 1950. The park covers 186,404 hectares, making it the third-largest national park in Japan. It includes three separate areas: the Dewasanzan-asahi Region, Iide Region, and Bandaiazuma-Inawashiro Region.
Dewasanzan-Asahi Region
The Dewasanzan-Asahi Region is the northernmost part of the park. The northern area includes the Three Mountains of Dewa, which are Mount Gassan, Mount Haguro, and Mount Yudono. These mountains are located near the center of Yamagata Prefecture. The southern part of the region is part of the Asahi Range. National Route 112 separates the Three Mountains of Dewa from the Asahi Range.
The name "Dewa" comes from the old name of the area, which includes parts of Yamagata and Akita Prefectures. The Three Mountains of Dewa divide two large flat areas in Yamagata Prefecture: the Shōnai Region to the west and the Yamagata Basin to the east. These mountains are considered holy in the Shugendō religion, and many people visit them to see shrines on the peaks or to learn about the practices of mountain ascetics. Most visitors are tourists, not followers of Shugendō. Mount Gassan is a type of volcano called a stratovolcano and reaches a height of 1,984 meters. The area includes wetlands, forests, and plants like usagi-giku (arnica unalaschcensis), as well as animals such as ermine and alpine accentor. The famous haiku poet Matsuo Bashō wrote a haiku at this site during his journey Oku no Hosomichi in 1689.
In winter, the area attracts skiers, and some people enjoy skiing until mid-July.
The Asahi Range is located on the border between Niigata and Yamagata Prefectures and is the northernmost part of the Echigo Range. The highest peak, Ōasahi Dake, is 1,870 meters tall and is listed among Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains. The range covers 60 kilometers from north to south and 30 kilometers from east to west. It is one of Japan’s snowiest places, with snow remaining on the ground even in summer. The mountains have deep canyons with alpine plants on ridges and forests of Japanese beech on lower slopes.
The Sagae River, known for its clear water, begins in Yamagata Prefecture. It flows from Ōasahi Dake toward the north and then turns east after passing Sagae Dam. National Highway Route 112 and the Yamagata Expressway run alongside the river. Sagae Dam is 112 meters tall and is the largest dam in the prefecture. It took 19 years to build after discussions about moving residents were resolved. The dam started operating in 1990. The Gassan Reservoir, covering 340 hectares, is home to fish like ayu, rainbow trout, and salvelinus. A large fountain near the reservoir can spray water up to 112 meters high. The fountain operates hourly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between April and November. The village of Sage is where the NHK TV drama series Oshin was filmed.
Japanese beech trees grow on the mountains up to 1,200 meters above sea level. Above this height, shrubs replace the trees. The area was declared a wildlife refuge in 1984 and is home to many animals, including Japanese dormice, Japanese serows, Asian black bears, golden eagles, mountain hawk-eagles, goshawks, and peregrine falcons.
Iide Region
The Iide Region is the southwestern part of the park.
The Iide mountain range is part of the northern section of the Echigo Range. The largest area of the range is called the Iide Massif. It is surrounded by the Arakawa River to the north, National Highway Route 121 to the east, the Agano River to the south, and the Echigo Plain to the east. On sunny days, you can see the Asahi Range, Mt. Azuma, the Aizu Basin, Mt. Nasu, and the Sea of Japan from the range. The highest peak is Mt. Dainichi, which is 2,128 meters tall. Other high peaks include Mt. Iide (2,105 meters), Mt. Eboshi (2,017 meters), Mt. Kitamata (2,025 meters), and Mt. Onishi (2,013 meters). The mountain range has trails on all four sides, but many peaks have large amounts of snow that stay all year. Because of this, some people call the area the Tōhoku Alps. The area is also known for its blooming alpine flowers. Mt. Iide is one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains.
Mt. Iide is also a sacred place for the Shugendō religion, which is practiced alongside the Three Mountains of Dewa. In 652, a religious leader named En no Ozunu began teaching on this mountain. Since then, many Yamabushi, who are monks who live in the mountains, have visited this place. During the Meiji period, a shrine on the mountain’s summit was worshipped by local people. Until the end of the Pacific War, climbing the mountain was not allowed for women. In the past, there was a local tradition that only men who climbed the mountain before the age of 15 were considered grown men.
Visitor centers
The Gassan Visitor Center is found in the Dewasanzan area. It takes one hour to reach by car from Sakata and forty minutes from Tsuruoka. By bus, take the Shōnai Kōtsu Bus that goes to the top of Mt. Haguro from JR Tsuruoka Station. Ride the bus for 50 minutes and stop at the Arasawa Temple. The center offers information about the region’s landscapes, geography, geology, flora, fauna, and environment. Inside the building, there are exhibits and a theater that shows slides.