Fujiwara

Nestled deep in the mountains that border Gumna and Niigata, the town of Fujiwara is the winter gateway to several ski resorts in the area.  Most people pass through this sleepy little area on their way to Hodaigi or Minakami Kogen ski resorts.  Perhaps the most famous tourist attraction in the area, Takaragawa Onsen (the largest co-ed outdoor onsen in Japan) is also close by. The large lake that borders the lower slopes of town is formed by the Fujiwara dam, which is one of many controlling the flow of the Tone river, whose waters make it all the way to Tokyo and out into the Pacific Ocean.