Shirakami-Sanchi is one of the largest remaining virgin beech forests in East Asia, a vast tract of mountains straddling the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures in northern Honshu. It joined the World Heritage list in 1993, one of Japan's first natural sites, and the core area is left almost untouched, with no roads or facilities. Siebold's beech, a species found only in Japan, dominates the forest, and it shelters black bears, Japanese serows, golden eagles and the black woodpecker. The trees are at their most beautiful in autumn, when they turn gold and copper, and in spring when the new leaves are a startling pale green.
People have lived around these mountains for thousands of years, and the region is dotted with Jomon sites, including stone circles in the Akita and Aomori countryside. The mountain villages have a tradition of matagi hunters, who hunted bears and other game in the forest under strict rules and rituals. Today the forest is a place for hiking, with trails on the periphery leading to waterfalls, lakes and viewpoints, the best known being the Juniko lakes on the western side and the Anmon falls on the northern side.
The southern approach, from Noshiro or Takanosu in Akita, follows river valleys into the hills on roads that become narrower and twistier as they climb. The western coast road along the Sea of Japan, on the Gono line side, is a superb ride, with rugged cliffs, fishing villages and views of the mountains rising inland. Roads inside the forest area are few and some are unpaved or closed in winter, which here lasts a long time, with heavy snow from December to April. Summer can be humid, and sudden heavy rain is common. Watch for wildlife on the road, especially at dusk.
Noshiro, with around fifty thousand people, is the nearest larger town on the Akita side and has fuel, supermarkets and restaurants, and Hirosaki is the main town on the Aomori side. Smaller villages around the edges have convenience stores and occasional petrol stations, but plan ahead. Pack water and snacks, choose a short trail to a waterfall or viewpoint, and spend an hour among the beeches. The silence and the green light under the canopy are quite something.