Lake Towada access/transportation

1. is there lockers available at Hachinoche Station? As we are planning to stay one night at Lake Towadako, was thinking of leaving our big luggage there.

2. how frequent are the buses there? seems from

http://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/english.html

there are only about 4 buses and each buses are hourly.

is there lockers available at Hachinoche Station?

Yes, there are lockers.

how frequent are the buses there?

http://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/english.html
is up-to-date. Note that one of the four daily buses operates only on selected days.

Hi Thanks Uji, so much i may be taking it from Aomori JR station as i found the timing is shorter since I'm coming from Hakodate.

By the way do you know how often are the cruises from Yasuyima? is there timing to be found on the internet?

Yasuyima must be misspelled.

sorry i'm actually staying at Towada Kanko Hotel at the last stop of Towadako bus stop. (thought it was Yasumiya area).

In any case if we want to walk the Oirase Mountain stream do we stop at Nenokuchi bus stop?

Plan to take 9am bus from Aomori JR station to Towadako bus stop (arrived 11.45am), leave luggage, take boat cruise (hopefully there is one around noon or 1pm) to Nenokuchi and do the Oirase Mountain stream walk and then take bus back in the afternoon to Towadako.

In any case if we want to walk the Oirase Mountain stream do we stop at Nenokuchi bus stop?

The best thing would be to get off the bus from Aomori somewhere before Nenokuchi and then walk up the stream to Nenokuchi and take the boat to the hotel, however, if you have lots of luggage, it would not be enjoyable.

In that case, your plan sounds okay.

thanks Uji will play it by ear once i reach there.

1. I will have the trip to Towadako from Aomori in late of Oct. Do I need to reserve the seat of the JR bus from Aomori or I can just get on the bus with my JR pass?

2. Is there any counter in Aomori Airport for me to activate my JR pass?

3. Is late of Oct a good time for red leaves in Towada, Oirase and Akita?

I will have the trip to Towadako from Aomori in late of Oct. Do I need to reserve the seat of the JR bus from Aomori or I can just get on the bus with my JR pass?

It is the peak of the autumn leaf season. You strongly recommend to reserve in advance!

Is there any counter in Aomori Airport for me to activate my JR pass?

No. Here is the list of places where the exchange is possible:
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en009.html

Is late of Oct a good time for red leaves in Towada, Oirase and Akita?

Yes.

Thanks Uji.

Where can I reserve the JR bus to Towadako? Any access to do it outside Jp?

Where can I reserve the JR bus to Towadako?

At any JR station in Japan.

Any access to do it outside Jp?

No.