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Day trip to Oirase / Towadako 2018/9/14 22:53
Please can someone advise if this is feasible for a day trip to Oirase Stream / Towadako

Take the 7.45 a.m. bus from Hachinohe to Ishigedo (according to schedule it arrives Ishigedo at 9.24 am)

Trek from Ishigedo to Nenokuchi (how long does this take?)

Take the ferry from Nenokuchi to Yasumiya (Towadako, last bus station)

3.20 pm - take the bus from Towadako to Hachinohe.

Many thanks
by Irene (guest)  

Re: Day trip to Oirase / Towadako 2018/9/23 02:32
Your time would be tight, but it's doable if you're in OK shape or don't have kids with you. The trail is uphill but only in a couple of places does it get steep and have steps put in.

Your bus arrives at Ishigedo at 9:24 am. A fast uphill walk to Nenoguchi would take 2.5 hours, getting to Nenoguchi around noon.

The ferry to Yasumiya leaves at 12:30 pm and arrives at 1:20 pm. This would leave you a couple of hours for lunch and to look around at the 2 statues and Towada Shrine. At a more realistic pace, taking a bit more time on the walk, you could take the 1:30 ferry to Yasumiya that arrives at 2:20 pm.

Ferry schedule & distance/time estimates along the Oirase trail:
http://www.toutetsu.co.jp/ship/pamphlet/english.pdf

I checked the time stamps on my photos and the last 2 times I did that walk, I took about 4 hours between Ishigedo and Nenoguchi, taking my time, walking to the side waterfalls, and taking pictures, but I was staying in Yasumiya, so I wasn't worried about getting to a bus by a specific time. There's not that much in Yasumiya to see or do as it's mainly tourist shops and hotels/restaurants although you might want to try the Kiritampo or the blue beer.
by Anaguma (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Day trip to Oirase / Towadako 2018/9/23 09:11
Hi Anaguma. Thank you so much for your advice. We will watch the time closely. If for any reason we need to hurry can we just hop on the bus to Nenoguchi or take a taxi as I think the trail is near the road? However I was confused the last time as I got onto a bus which apparently was not the Hachinohe-Towada bus. There was a bus schedule at every stop. Is that not for the Hachinohe-Towada bus? I believe taxis are rare. The last time I did not see a single taxi. I stayed overnight too on my previous trip but it was raining heavily so I did not get to trek much at all
by Irene (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Day trip to Oirase / Towadako 2018/9/24 02:56
The buses may or may not help you speed up as there is only about 1 bus per hour on that stretch and if you just miss one, you could wait an hour. I think all southbounds make it to Nenoguchi, but all northbounds don't go to Hachinohe.

http://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/towada/

I've usually come in on the JR bus from Aomori, and then departed on the JR bus to Hachinohe or Towadaminami (not JR). I don't remember any taxis either, but then along the Oirase trail you try to keep off the road as much as possible.
by Anaguma (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Day trip to Oirase / Towadako 2018/9/24 07:41
Many thanks Anaguma. Most helpful
by Irene (guest) rate this post as useful

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