The high ground of the Bandai-Azuma Skyline is a lunar landscape, and you reach it after the forest drops away and the road emerges onto bare, gravelly slopes of volcanic rock. Here, at around 1,600 metres, the Azuma volcanic group stands around you, with craters, steaming vents and scoured ridges, and the famous Mount Issaikyo, which still releases gas from its crater. On a clear day, the views stretch across the whole range and down to the plains. This is the highest and most exposed part of the road, with wind that can be fierce.
The area known as Jododaira is the main stop, with a visitor centre, a car park, and walking trails that lead to the crater rim. Short walks take you across the black cinders to viewpoints, and in early summer the slopes are covered with alpine flowers. Mountain climbers use this as a gateway to higher routes. The air is thin, cool and clean, and in summer it can be twenty degrees cooler than the city below.
The Skyline here is a pleasure on a motorbike. The road is smooth and wide, with open bends, long views and little traffic, apart from tourist buses and sightseeing cars. Heavy mist and strong winds can come with little warning, so the road can be hazardous in poor weather. Gas fumes sometimes affect the road near the vents, and warnings are posted. In winter, the road is closed by deep snow, and in spring the snow walls on both sides of the road are a famous sight.
The visitor centre has a small restaurant with simple meals, and vending machines are everywhere in Japan, selling hot coffee, even in remote places. Bring a windproof jacket, even in summer, and give the weather a chance to clear before you go on.