The Hiraniwa Plateau is quite unknown, even to most Japanese. But people from the north know this place, perhaps for its ski run. It's a quiet area with only a few people living here, and a bus ride of two hours from Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. I can recommend Hiraniwa Plateau for its beautiful birch trees and the many flowers year-round. It's a nice place to take a break away from the city.