NATURE VIEWING
From late December to mid March snow begins to fall and covers the area in a glistening silver and white blanket. Colder winter days and nights begin to freeze the waterfalls and rivers, icicles cling to branches.
Each day and each year the scene changes and no year or day is the same just like no snowflake is the same.
Take a snowshoe tour to the top of the volcano for a view over the glistening mountains.
New life is breathed into the mountains and can be seen with the blooming of the plum blossoms and daffodils followed by lush cherry blossoms. The cherry trees in Kannabe tend to bloom later than down in the lower altitudes as the mountains stay cooler. The peak cherry blossom is different each year and depends on that season’s conditions but you can generally view them from early or mid April to late April. There are some breeds of cherry trees that tend to bloom later and they are a darker pink with fuller buds, known as Yaezakura.
Then, in mid or early June venture out into the evening to see if you can spot some fireflies. The clean waters and environment make for an ideal firefly viewing experience.
Forests are lush and green. Many families head to Kannabe to enjoy the outdoors, such as hiking, camping, star watching and more.
Hike along a trail that was formed by the hardening of lava that flowed from the area’s volcano. It will take you through green forests, along a calm river, past and under waterfalls.
At night set up camp outside and counts the stars. One of the perk of being away from all the city lights is that you get to see the stars shine even brighter. Keep an eye out for shooting stars and even possibly a chance to see the milky way.
Cooler temps make for great hiking conditions. There is a long public holiday in the autumn that a lot of locals take advantage of to go camping and hiking. It is also during this time of the year where the mountain foliage begins to change colors. You can see vibrant oranges and red, and golden leaves start to cover the mountains. The average viewing time is usually from mid November and points of interest to check out are the ginkgo trees near Yutorogi Onsen and various fall foliage along the hiking trails.
Around mid October the sides of the volcano glisten with Japanese pampas or silver grass. Around the same time the apple orchards welcome visitors to come and pick all the apples they can for a small fee.
