Catch the bullet train north three hours from Tokyo to Aomori at the tip of Honshu in October, and magnificent mountain autumn leaf vistas await. One of JapanMan’s favourite spots in Tohoku (northern Honshu) is Mt Hakkoda with its Ropeway climbing to primordial Tashirotai plateau at 560m, then Tamoyachi at 1300m. I had this boardwalked marshland to myself late one afternoon as the sun set on the snowy peaks – it was so immersive that I lost track of time but thankfully the cable car guys held it for me!
Hakkoda has a dark history though. The Imperial Army sent 210 men up to practice marching in heavy snow and cold. By the time rescue teams reached them, 200 had died with some frozen where they stood and drew their last breaths.
Local stories tell of phantom soldiers appearing in the snow, voices and footsteps heard when nobody is there, and strange lights moving through the mountains. There are also tales of travellers hearing cries for help or encountering apparitions. The Japanese love a good ghost story but this one sticks with me as it was told to me by the charming taxi driver who drove me back to Aomori for just ¥2,000 as he was going that way anyway!