The slightly sloped hillside areas spread to the east of the Ōu Mountains and are utilized as crop fields and apple orchards.

Aomori Prefecture The type of weather most characteristic of the region is the yamase, the easterly winds which bring cold air in summer.

In Gonohe, the yamase brings rain and, when such conditions last for a long time, harvests are significantly affected because of the low temperatures and lack of sunshine.

Gonohe has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 16 members.

In terms of national politics, the town is part of Aomori 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

In its earlier history Gonohe enjoyed a reputation as a breeding centre for horses of exceptional quality, popular amongst the samurai.

On 28 June 2001, the town's Korean "sister city" Okcheon cancelled a planned trip to send students, on an exchange visit to Gonohe in reaction to approvals by the Japanese government of a series of middle school history textbooks that were regarded by Korea as distorting historical facts.

The event was preceded by a related incident in April of that year, when a group of Gonohe assemblymen cancelled a planned visit to Korea that May, citing financial difficulties.