The Bandai-Azuma Skyline is a roughly 29-kilometer mountain road running through the Azuma mountain range, reaching an elevation of 1,622 meters at its highest point.

Opened in 1959, it is recognized as one of Japan’s 100 Famous Roads and is known for its huge mountain scenery, winding roads, and landscapes that shift dramatically as you climb.

In autumn, the route becomes particularly spectacular. Forested slopes turn red, orange, and gold before suddenly giving way to the stark volcanic terrain around Jododaira and Mt. Azuma-Kofuji.

The seasonal Jododaira Sky Access service departs from JR Fukushima Station West Exit, passes through the historic Takayu Onsen area, and continues directly along the Bandai-Azuma Skyline to Jododaira.

For travelers coming from Tokyo, Fukushima Station is around 90 minutes away by Tohoku Shinkansen, making this a surprisingly manageable escape into the mountains.

For 2026, the official forecast currently puts the peak foliage around October 15.

Expected start of colors: Around October 9
Expected peak: Around October 15
Expected end of foliage season: Around October 24

That means the Jododaira Sky Access operating period of October 1-November 3 neatly covers the forecast foliage season from beginning to end.

Of course, autumn colors depend heavily on temperatures and weather conditions, so visitors traveling specifically for the foliage should check the latest local updates shortly before departure.

Jododaira has traditionally been much easier to reach by private car or organized tour, making independent visits a little tricky for travelers relying on public transportation.

Jododaira Sky Access changes that by connecting Fukushima Station directly with one of Fukushima Prefecture’s most impressive mountain areas. Travelers can book the round-trip service in advance and simply enjoy the scenery as the route climbs through Takayu Onsen and onto the Bandai-Azuma Skyline.

There is another useful option for overnight travelers. Passengers can choose to board or get off at Takayu Onsen Attaka-yu, making it easy to combine Jododaira sightseeing with a stay at one of Fukushima’s best-known hot spring areas.

Two services operate each day, depending on how much time you want to spend at Jododaira.

Sightseeing service
This gives visitors around two hours of free time at Jododaira, making it a good option for an easy walk, views of the volcanic scenery, a stop at the visitor center, or a climb up Mt. Azuma-Kofuji.

Hiking service
This gives visitors around 5.5 hours at Jododaira, allowing much more time for longer walks and mountain trails around the area.

Services only operate when reservations have been made.

Quite a lot, even if you are not planning a serious hike.

Jododaira sits inside Bandai-Asahi National Park, surrounded by wetlands, volcanic terrain, and mountains rising to around 2,000 meters.

Wooden boardwalks run through parts of the Jododaira wetlands, offering an easy way to explore the high-altitude scenery without committing to a long hike. The nearby visitor center also introduces the plants, geology, wildlife, and volcanic activity of the national park.

One of the easiest adventures is Mt. Azuma-Kofuji.

From the Jododaira parking area, it takes roughly 10 minutes to climb the stairs to the rim of the mountain’s dramatic crater, which measures around 500 meters across. Walking all the way around the crater rim takes roughly one hour.

From above, you can look down over the Jododaira wetlands and toward Mt. Issaikyo, where volcanic gases may sometimes be seen rising from the mountainside.

Travelers taking the longer hiking service can aim a little higher.

One of the area’s most famous views is Goshikinuma, a vividly colored crater lake nicknamed the “Witch’s Eye.”

The lake can be viewed from around the summit of Mt. Issaikyo, reached in roughly 1.5 hours one way from Jododaira.

The combination of rusty volcanic terrain, autumn foliage, and the blue-green crater lake makes this one of Fukushima’s most distinctive mountain landscapes.

The route also passes through Takayu Onsen, a secluded mountain hot spring village known for its cloudy, sulfur-rich water.

Travelers can choose Takayu Onsen Attaka-yu as a boarding or drop-off point, opening up the option of staying overnight before or after visiting Jododaira.

That makes it particularly easy to turn a day trip into something slower: mountain scenery first, followed by a proper hot spring soak.

Jododaira Sky Access is ideal if you would rather leave the mountain driving to someone else, but travelers who are comfortable driving in Japan may prefer the extra flexibility of a rental car.

Several major rental car companies operate around Fukushima Station, including Toyota Rent a Car, Nissan Rent-a-Car, Orix Rent-a-Car, and Nippon Rent-a-Car.

Having your own car makes it easier to linger at viewpoints, stop around Takayu Onsen, explore both sides of the Bandai-Azuma Skyline, and build the route into a longer road trip through Fukushima.

LIVE JAPAN reader benefit: LIVE JAPAN readers can receive 10-15% off eligible Nippon Rent-a-Car rentals when booking through the designated offer.

(Autumn is one of the busiest seasons along the Bandai-Azuma Skyline. Allow extra time for traffic, particularly around the peak foliage period.)

If you have the time, staying overnight in the mountains makes the experience feel much less rushed. Two areas are particularly worth considering.

Takayu Onsen lies on the Fukushima City side of the Bandai-Azuma Skyline and is the most convenient option for travelers using Jododaira Sky Access.

Since passengers can board or get off at Takayu Onsen Attaka-yu, it is easy to combine the transport service with a night at one of the area’s traditional onsen inns.

The village is known for its sulfur-rich waters and quiet mountain atmosphere, making it a natural choice before or after a day around Jododaira.

Travelers exploring the full Skyline by car can also continue toward the western side of the mountains, where the Noji Onsen area offers another cluster of hot spring accommodation.

Several onsen hotels and ryokan are located around this part of the Azuma range, making it a good base for travelers who want to slow down rather than drive straight back to Fukushima City.

For a road trip, the combination works especially well: foliage and volcanic scenery during the day, followed by a night in a mountain hot spring.

Reservations can be made online through the Fukushima City Tourism Note website, with payment by credit card.

Travelers can also apply in person at the Fukushima City Tourist Information Center on the second floor of JR Fukushima Station West Exit.

Reservations are accepted until 3 PM on the day before departure, although bookings may close earlier if capacity is reached.

Autumn is one of the busiest and most spectacular times of year along the Bandai-Azuma Skyline, and 2026’s colors are currently forecast to peak around October 15.

At one moment, the road winds through mountainsides glowing red, orange, and gold. A little later, the trees disappear and the scenery opens into exposed volcanic terrain that can look almost lunar.

That sudden change in landscape is a big part of what makes the route so memorable.

Add views across the Fukushima Basin, a walk around a volcanic crater, a possible hike to the “Witch’s Eye,” and the option of finishing the day in a sulfur hot spring, and this becomes much more than a simple foliage outing.

For travelers hoping to catch the colors at their strongest, roughly October 9-24 is the key window to watch in 2026, with mid-October currently looking particularly promising.

And whether you take Jododaira Sky Access or rent a car and turn the trip into an overnight mountain escape, this is one of Fukushima’s standout autumn routes to have on your radar.

(Foliage dates are forecasts and may change depending on weather conditions.)