Trekking in Shirakami Mountains

Remote, foreboding and untouched, the forested Shirakami-Sanchi mountains hold the last virgin remains of the cool-temperate forest of beech trees that once covered the hills and mountain slopes of northern Japan. A UNESCO World Heritage Site acclaimed for its universal value, Shirakami-Sanchi is the home of the black bear, the goat-antelope known as the Japanese serow, and 87 species of birds. A picturesque drive brings you to the Shirakami Mountain Visitor's Center, where you'll see exhibits detailing the more than 500 different kinds of plants and a variety of animals in the ecosystem followed by a box lunch at Aqua Green Village. Finally, trek through the verdant forest of wingnut and Japanese beech trees. Be on the lookout for the indigenous critters that call the forest home. You may see a golden eagle or a hawk soaring above you.