Inawashiro lies at the foot of Mount Bandai, on the northern shore of the lake that shares its name, in Fukushima Prefecture. The lake, the fourth largest in Japan, is a wide sheet of clear water, and it is known for its colour, an unusually deep blue, partly because the water is slightly acidic and low in nutrients. In winter, whooper swans arrive from Siberia and gather near the shore, and with the snow-covered cone of Bandai above them, it is one of the great winter scenes in northern Honshu.
The town has a few notable claims. Hideyo Noguchi, the bacteriologist who became world-famous in the early twentieth century for his research on yellow fever and syphilis, was born in a farmhouse here, and a museum recalls his life. The old farmer's house of the era, with its central hearth, is preserved. Bandai itself erupted catastrophically in 1888, when the north face collapsed and flattened villages, and the debris created the lakes and marshes of the Urabandai plateau, among them the colourful Goshiki-numa ponds. The scars are visible on the mountain's shape.
For motorcyclists, Inawashiro is a gateway. The Bandai-Azuma Skyline, a high mountain road that climbs from Fukushima toward the Azuma range, passes through volcanic landscape with steaming vents and grand views, and it is among the best-known roads in Tohoku. It is closed in winter, usually from November until April, so check dates, and in summer the weather can switch from sun to fog in minutes. The Bandai Gold Line and the roads around Lake Hibara are also very good, with fine bends and scenery.
Inawashiro has stations, shops and cafes, and it is the sensible place to refill before the mountains. Aizu, to the west, is known for its castle, its lacquerware and its cold noodles. Try the local ramen, Kitakata style, a short drive away, or a bowl of soba. Lake views at dusk, with lights on the water, close a long day well.