You can participate in the event “empty-handed”.
Clothing (long boa coat, warm pants, warm shoes, knit hat, goggles, and gloves) will be provided.
Snowshoeing tour to see the Snow Monster (Hakkouda ice forest).
You can take pictures with the snow monsters (Hakkouda ice trees).
A guide will accompany you on the tour, so even first-timers can enjoy the tour without worries.

Matsukawa Onsen is a small hot spring resort located in Hachimantai, which is known for its autumn leaves and winter frost-covered trees, located southeast of Towada-Hachimantai National Park. The hot spring is said to have opened about 280 years ago, and there are three hot spring inns, each of which has a source on the premises.
Drive down a snow corridor and enjoy the colours of skunk cabbage in the spring. Enjoy the refreshing cool breeze and lush trekking in nature in summer. Take in the spectacular scenery where the entire valley is surrounded by primeval beech and oak forests coloured by autumn leaves. And, play winter sports in excellent snow and be amazed by the largest amount of frost-covered trees in Japan. Why not stay at Matsukawa Onsen on Mt. Hachimantai where you can enjoy a variety of seasonal activities? Of course, you can always just drop in for a soak.
Nearby is the Matsukawa Geothermal Power Plant, which started operation in 1966 as Japan's first geothermal power station. The Matsukawa Geothermal Museum is adjacent to the power plant, so you can learn about geothermal power generation through panels and video footage.
There is a steep slope before arriving at Matsukawa Onsen and it is known for its retro four-wheel-drive bonnet bus that operates in the winter because the road freezes and makes driving a regular bus difficult.
A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Hot springs

Geibikei Gorge is an officially recognised national natural monument and is listed as one of the 100 greatest landscapes of Japan. A 2km stretch of limestone cliffs rises over 50m on either side of the Satetsu River.
River tours are available through the gorge guided by boatmen propelling their boats with bamboo poles, an experience unique in all of Japan. The boatmen’s traditional singing harmonises beautifully with murmuring streams and adds a particular charm to the tour. Pets are allowed to travel with you on board and passengers can also enjoy feeding the fish swimming elegantly by in the clear waters.
Before returning down the river passengers can get out of the boat at the turning point for a walk along the gorge. The walk features a rock known as the Lion’s Nose, from which the name Geibikei originated, and also a famous cavity in the cliff on the other side of the gorge. Visitors try their luck by throwing “lucky stones” into the cavity in order to make a wish come true!
An elegant tea ceremony is available on the boat while enjoying the seasonal beauty of Geibikei Gorge. Along with the popular springtime views of wisteria flowers, the verdant greens of summer and autumnal leaves attract tourists throughout the year. In winter passengers can enjoy graceful winter snow scenes along the gorge, often compared to Japanese ink brush paintings, while warming themselves in an on-board Kotatsu (a low heated table covered with a quilt) and enjoying a hot-pot meal. Morning tours are recommended when the gorge is especially popular during the autumn foliage viewing season.
Another beautiful gorge in the town of Genbikei is a 40-minute drive from here. Why not combine your visit to Geibikei with a trip to Genbikei and compare their beauty!
A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Riverside

Travel back in time to classical Japan in Ginzan Onsen! The town is home to wooden hot spring inns lining each side of the Ginzan River and resonates with nostalgic beauty when illuminated at night by gas street lamps. The view reminds visitors of scenes from the famous film “Sprinted Away” by Hayao Miyazaki. Before that the town was used as a location of NHK’s popular TV drama series “Oshin”, a monumental hit of 1983. The night view of the town blanketed in snow beneath the warm streetlights is particularly photogenic during winter.
Walking along the town’s streets visitors will find colourful pictures known as Kote-e on the walls of hot spring inns and snowflake designs on tiles on the roads. Relax your feet in hot spring water rising directly from its source at the “Warashiyu” footbaths along the Ginzan River while exploring the town! The compact town is suitable for strolling around and has a variety of cafes, eateries and gift shops. Classical costumes of the Taisho period can be rented from local shops to enhance the Onsen experience and take visitors back to the time when Japanese arts and culture flourished following exposure to western cultural influences. Why not enjoy strolling around this picturesque town in a chic costume?
The town is covered with deep snow in winter however it is easily accessible via a 3-hour Shinkansen from Tokyo and direct 40-minute bus ride. A relaxing soak in a hot spring surrounded by snowy scenery is an exceptional delight! After a warm hot spring bath, enjoy savouring local specialties including the local Wagyu beef “Obanazawa” and Obanazawa Soba noodles!
Neighbouring natural attractions include Senshinkyo Gorge, a scenic location during the seasons of verdant greens and autumn leaves and the 22-metre vertical drop of Shirogane-no-taki Waterfall.
A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Hot springs

The Yokote Kamakura Festival is one of the Michinoku Godai Snow Festivals (five major snow festivals of Michinoku). Yokote is one of the areas in Japan’s snow country with the heaviest snowfalls. The Kamakura Festival, held on 15 and 16 February every year, is dedicated to the water deity. During this folk festival, altars are built in snow chambers where children play, drink amazake (sweet fermented rice drink) and grill rice cakes. The festival has a history of about 450 years. 
The Kamakura Festival was originally an event in which money was offered to the water deity enshrined in the altar, and was held to pray for the well-being of families, prosperity of businesses, and good harvests. However, as times changed, it gradually developed to become a tourist attraction and took on its current format. Inside the 100 or so kamakura snow-huts that are erected in the city, children feast on amazake and rice cakes.  
The beauty of the kamakura snow-huts as their silhouettes stand out in relief against the dark night, is magical. We recommend taking a walk through the kamakura venues, starting from the park in front of Yokote City Hall Main Government Office, where the most kamakura are erected, followed by Yokoteminami Elementary School and Janosaki-kawara where numerous mini kamakura can be found, then on to the kamakura built along the old samurai residences, and the kamakura at the illuminated Yokote Castle.