If you are in Fukushima and can rent a car, I recommend visiting the Fukushima Skyline, also known as the Bandai-Azuma Skyline. This drive goes up and down the mountains just to the city’s east.

Getting there

If you rent a car in central Fukushima (e.g., near the station—I used Orix at the western station entrance), you can just follow Route 70 west, which turns into the road that becomes the Fukushima Skyline. It’s very simple!

Car rentals in Japan can be somewhat steep in terms of daily prices. I paid ¥7156, which is currently $50.61, €45.48, or £38.44. Orix seems to be cheaper than other companies. I have found that the cars they offer are also more basic.

What to see and do while driving the Fukushima Skyline

The main draw for the Fukushima Skyline is the leaves changing colour in the autumntime, which offers some fantastic views of the mountains and surrounding landscapes. There are several observation decks along the road and simple pull-offs to stop and take pictures of the surroundings.

There are also some hiking opportunities:

Mount Azuma-kofuji

Mount Azuma-kofuji is a 1,707-metre (5,600-ft) volcano that looks like a miniature Mt Fuji (hence the name “kofuji”). It has a circular crater in the centre and offers breathtaking views of the area, including Fukushima city, the plain it sits on, and other mountain ranges.

If you park at the Jododaira Astronomical Observatory (paid parking lot – ¥500 for a car for the entire day), you can hike from there to the rim, which should not take much time. There is a staircase that goes all the way to the top.

Jododaira Marshlands

The Jododaira Marshlands are on the opposite side of the car park. This beautiful wetland, while sitting lower than the surrounding areas, offers gorgeous views of the mountains and volcanoes.

The hiking paths here are wooden beams that you have to walk along. You are not allowed to walk anywhere else in the marshlands.

Jododaira Visitor (hiking area)

Located northwest of the parking lot, you can hike either through or next to the Jododaira Marshlands and continue out the other side, ascending the mountains and eventually reaching a plateau featuring lakes, beautiful grasses, and views of the surrounding mountains.

Like the Jododaira Marshlands, you need to stay on the paths designated for hikers. Stepping into the wild areas is forbidden.

Additionally, this is an area where bears live, so make sure you take the proper precautions to avoid encounters and prioritise your safety.

The “West End”

If you follow the route I stated in “Getting there”, you start at the East End and go to the “West End”, although they are actually north and south, respectively.

The west end is higher than the east end. It is also farther in the mountains, so you lose sight of Fukushima and that part of the prefecture, but you get further views into Bandai-Azuma National Park. You can also see several more mountain ranges and volcanoes that shape this area.

Thanks for reading! Want to do some more exploring? Have a look at the travel map:

Interested in seeing our social media? Follow us on Instagram for travel photos and Youtube for travel videos!