Urabandai Highland

"Urabandai Highland is a highland area to the north of Mt. Bandai, located around 25 minutes' drive from Inawashiro Bandai Kogen Interchange on the Ban-Etsu Expressway. Viewed from the south, Mt. Bandai has a very neat, mountain-like appearance, but the north side has a rough, irregular shape due to sectoral collapse, hence the name ""Urabandai"" (meaning ""Back of Mt. Bandai""). Urabandai is famous for the Goshikinuma lakes and ponds; there are many lakes and ponds, with water that takes a wide range of different colors, including emerald green and cobalt blue. Urabandai is a great place to visit in spring (for the new greenery) and autumn (for the autumn foliage), but it is also well worth seeing in winter, when visitors can enjoy snowshoe-trekking. Special guided tours, available only in winter, take visitors to see Goshikinuma ponds when they are at their most magical and mysterious."