Overview
Sanboko is a mountain of 1,221.8 meters rising deep within Kazuno City in Akita Prefecture. It forms the headwaters of several rivers in the Yoneshiro system, including the Yoakejima, Kumazawa and Kashinai rivers, standing as a watershed that, true to a name suggesting three directions, sends water outward across the land. Remote and largely wild, it suits travelers who wish to feel the quiet nature of a deep mountain and the abundance of its waters.
Highlights
- ●A watershed peak sourcing the Yoakejima, Kumazawa and Kashinai rivers
- ●A deep, largely wild mountain domain at 1,221.8 meters
- ●The Yoakejima forest road running up from the river mouth
- ●Abundant clear streams that nourish the Yoneshiro system
History
Sanboko has long been a water mountain feeding the fields and life downstream as a source of the Yoneshiro system. Within its slopes runs the Yoakejima forest road, reached from the mouth of the Yoakejima River and linking to the Doji hamlet in the Hachimantai area. Such forest roads were used for forestry and mountain work, carrying to this day the history of ties between the mountain and people. For detailed records, consult the official information of Kazuno City.
Access
Located around 40.02 degrees north and 140.76 degrees east, it lies in the remote interior of Kazuno City. One approach is the Yoakejima forest road entering from the mouth of the Yoakejima River, starting near the Doji hamlet of Hachimantai. Road conditions change with season and weather and true mountain gear and preparation are required, so always confirm whether entry is possible and the state of the road with official Kazuno City information beforehand.
Best season
From early summer, when the snow clears and fresh greenery buds, to autumn when the slopes take on color is the good season to visit. When the headwater streams run strong, the sound of water fills the air and you can savor the cool freshness of the deep mountains. In winter it is locked in heavy snow, so it is wise to avoid entering unprepared.
Map
40.0203, 140.7606 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Start from the Doji hamlet of Hachimantai and enter the Yoakejima forest road
- 2Follow the Yoakejima River to savor headwater nature and the sound of water
- 3Take in the deep-mountain scenery and stillness of the watershed
- 4Turn back without overreaching and ease your fatigue at a Kazuno hot spring
Did you know?
💡 Being the source of three streams, the Yoakejima, Kumazawa and Kashinai rivers, explains the name Sanboko, which evokes three directions. A single mountain nurturing several rivers as a watershed symbolizes the depth of the landscape in water-rich Akita.
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