[Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture] Hot springs spring up where there are no volcanoes! “Yuzawa Geopark” where you can see the mysteries of the earth up close

Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, is famous for local industries such as Inaniwa udon and sake, bordering Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, but as the name "Yuzawa" suggests, it is also home to Oyasukyo Onsen, Oyu Onsen, and Akinomiya Onsenkyo. It is also a hot spring paradise where many hot springs gush out.

Yuzawa City is located in the inland area of ​​Akita Prefecture. If there is a hot spring there, it usually means that there is a volcano nearby, but even if you look around the entire city, there is no volcano that is currently active. In neighboring Miyagi Prefecture, there is an active volcano called Mt. Kurikoma, but it is a little too far away for Yuzawa City to have hot springs. So why are there so many hot springs in Yuzawa City?

Remnants of a volcano that existed hundreds of thousands of years ago supply high-temperature hot springs

Tracing the history of the Yuzawa City area, we know that extremely intense volcanic activity occurred several million to hundreds of thousands of years ago. Over many years, the volcano sank deep underground due to tectonic movements and disappeared from the surface. However, the remains of the volcano, which lies deep underground, have simply disappeared from the surface and are still active underground.

Although there is no volcano in Yuzawa City, there is Kawarage Jigoku, a barren plateau where sulfur dioxide gas spews out, and Oyasukyo Daifunto, where hot steam and boiling water spew out. "And so on. This phenomenon is evidence that the water is being supplied from volcanoes deep underground.

Yuzawa City has been certified as a Geopark, ``Yuzawa Geopark,'' a global park that looks like such global activities as a large park.

Geothermal heat underground at the foot of Mt. Takamatsu, which is not a volcano, reaches 300 degrees Celsius.

Mount Takamatsu (1,315m above sea level), where Kawarage Jigoku is located, last erupted about 260,000 years ago and stopped erupting, but it is believed that magma remains underground. It is said. According to the Yuzawa Geopark blog, the geothermal temperature at 500 meters below sea level in the surrounding area from the summit of Mt. Takamatsu is 300 degrees Celsius near the summit, and slightly lower to 250 degrees Celsius at Kawarage Jigoku, which is about 2 kilometers from the summit. The temperature is 200 degrees Celsius near Uenotai Geothermal Power Plant, and about 100 degrees Celsius further down the road at Akinomiya Onsenkyo. Near the Uenodai Geothermal Power Plant, the temperature near the ground is about 100 degrees Celsius.

Kawarage Jigoku, one of Japan's three major sacred places, where no vegetation grows

Kawarage Jigoku is a tourist destination that represents Yuzawa City, one of Japan's leading geothermal areas. High-temperature steam containing hydrogen sulfide, heated by the heat of the magma buried deep underground in Mt. Takamatsu, erupts to the surface, creating a desolate white plateau where no plants grow and even animals and insects can't get close.

``Kawarage Jigoku'' was founded by Gessou Osho, who visited this area in 807 and founded Reitsuzan Zenyuji Temple (currently Hirotakuji Temple in Inaniwa, Yuzawa Town). It was built and became an object of worship as a sacred place. From ancient times to the Middle Ages, Mt. Osore (Aomori Prefecture) and Mt. Tate (Toyama Prefecture) were one of the three major sacred places, visited by many ascetics and pilgrims. During the Ashikaga period, Zenyuji Temple was moved to the foot of the mountain a little further away, and during the Edo period, a sulfur extraction site was established, and ascetic ascetics began to visit Kawarage Jigoku less and less.

Currently, a promenade has been set up as a tourist destination, making it a valuable place to see the earth's activities up close. Kawarage Jigoku gushes out gas containing toxic hydrogen sulfide and hot water of nearly 100 degrees Celsius, so be careful when walking around. Also, tours are not possible from early November to early May as the roads along the way are closed due to snowfall.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Kawarage Jigoku
• Address: Takamatsu Banzawa, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0183-55-8180 (Yuzawa Tabitabi)
• Free admission
• URL: Kawarage Hell

GOOGLE MAP

Kawarage Oyu Falls is a waterfall of hot spring water flowing down. The basin of the waterfall is a natural open-air bath!

``Kawagege Oyutaki'' is a 20m waterfall where the high-temperature hot springs flowing from ``Kawarage Jigoku'' mix with stream water, and the basin of the waterfall is a natural open-air bath. It has become. In summer, the temperature is just right. Swimsuits are required, and a simple changing room is provided. It is about a 15 minute walk from the parking lot, and about a 35 minute walk from the Kawarage Jigoku parking lot. Bathing is free, but it is closed from early November to early May. Please note that even in midsummer, it can be cold when it rains or during seasons other than summer if the temperature is low.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Kawarage Oyu Falls
• Address: Takamatsu Ohi Uchiyama, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0183-55-8180 (Yuzawa Tabitabi)
• Free bathing/swimwear required
• URL: Kawarage Oyu Falls

GOOGLE MAP

"Doroyu Onsen" is famous for its high-temperature hot springs containing volcanic sulfur content.

``Doroyu Onsen'' is a hot spring that springs up halfway up Mt. Takamatsu, about 2 km from ``Kawarage Jigoku''. The hot spring is said to have been discovered about 1,200 years ago, and the cloudy, high-temperature sulfur spring gushes out. There are two hot spring facilities, and there are areas near the facility where the geothermal heat reaches 100 degrees Celsius, and gas and hot water containing hydrogen sulfide are gushing out, so entry is prohibited.

``Doroyu Onsen Okuyama Ryokan'' is a long-established inn that has been around since the Edo period. In addition to the sulfur spring (Tengu no Yu), the hot springs have sulfur springs (hydrogen sulfide type/Kawa no Yu) that have a different composition from the simple hot springs (Shinyu) and mud baths that spring up in the area, so you can spend a relaxing time in the hot springs. Masu. Day trip bathing is also possible.

Another hot spring facility, Ogura Ryokan, is open for day-trip bathing only. The quality of the hot spring water is acidic. Closed during winter (mid-November to April).

INFORMATION

mud hot spring

• Facility name: Japan Secret Hot Springs Protection Association Doroyu Onsen Okuyama Ryokan
• Address: 25 Doroyuzawa, Takamatsu, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0183-79-3021
• URL: Okuyama Ryokan

• Facility name: Ogura Ryokan
• Address: 25 Doroyuzawa, Takamatsu, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture [Surrounding map]
• Phone number: 0183-79-3035
• *Day trip bath only

GOOGLE MAP

Oyasukyo Daifunto, where high-temperature hot springs gush out from cracks in the rocks

Oyasu Gorge is a V-shaped gorge carved out by the erosion of the Minase River, and is 8km long. Oyasukyo Daifunto, where high-temperature hot springs hidden underground gush out from cracks in the riverbed with a roaring sound, is proof that the earth is active. The scenery is impressive from the walking path and 60m above the bridge. There is a footbath at the Minase Kanko Bussankan, which has a parking lot.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Oyasukyo Daifunto
• Address: 5-1 Minase Yumoto, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: Phone number: 0183-47-5080 (Yuzawa City Tourism and Products Association Minase Office)　
• URL: Oyasukyo Daifunto

GOOGLE MAP

Oyasukyo Onsen, the largest hot spring in Yuzawa, opened in the Edo period

Along the Minase River are Oyasukyo Onsen and Oyu Onsen.

``Oyasukyo Onsen'' is a hot spring with a long history that was opened in the Edo period, with 11 hot spring inns lined up along the Minase River near ``Oyasukyo Daifunyu''. The hot springs are alkaline simple hot springs and boast a rich amount of hot water.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Oyasukyo Onsen
• Number of accommodation facilities: 11
• Address: Minase Yumoto et al., Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0183-55-8180 (Yuzawa City Tourism and Geopark Promotion Division Tourism and Products Group)
• URL: Oyasukyo Onsen

GOOGLE MAP

``Oyu Onsen'' is an unexplored hot spring located deep within Oyasukyo Onsen.

``Oyu Onsen'' is a hot spring located at the uppermost reaches of the Minase River, and the water quality is alkaline sulfur spring. There are two hot spring facilities. This is a hot spring inn where you can fully enjoy the great nature of Oku-Oyasu.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Oyu Onsen
• Address: Minase 2, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, etc.
• Phone number: 0183-55-8180 (Yuzawa City Tourism and Geopark Promotion Division Tourism and Products Group)
• URL: Oyu Onsen

GOOGLE MAP

``Akinomiya Onsenkyo'', where 6 inns each have a different hot spring source

"Akinomiya Onsenkyo" is the collective name for the six hot springs located at the western foot of Mt. Takamatsu. Each of the six hot springs is an inn, and each one has its own source of different quality of spring water. There are many other unused hot springs that gush out around Mt. Takamatsu, which is where the name "Yuzawa" comes from.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Akinomiya Onsenkyo
• Address: Akinomiya Aza Tonoue et al., Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0183-55-8180 (Yuzawa City Tourism and Geopark Promotion Division Tourism and Products Group)
• URL: Akinomiya Onsenkyo

GOOGLE MAP

Uedai Geothermal Power Plant generates enough power to power the entire city of Yuzawa

The Kaminotai Geothermal Power Plant is a geothermal power plant that generates electricity by utilizing the high temperature steam that has accumulated beneath Mt. Takamatsu. The power generation output is 28,800kw (as of 2022), which is equivalent to the amount of electricity used by the entire city of Yuzawa.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Kaminotai Geothermal Power Plant
• Address: Dainichidai, Takamatsu, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 018-848-5312 (Tohoku Electric Power Akita Branch, Planning and Management Department, General Affairs and Public Relations Group))
• Tour: Currently not available for tours in 2022 (reopening date undecided)

GOOGLE MAP

"Yuzawa Geopark" where you can learn about the earth and have fun

Yuzawa Geopark has a number of caldera ruins created by volcanic activity approximately 7 million to 3 million years ago. In addition, there are many traces of times when the earth was active, such as "outcrops" where strata from ancient times are exposed, and the scenery is spectacular. The Earth enriches people's lives not only with hot springs, but also with pure fresh water, and produces many specialty products such as Inaniwa udon and Japanese sake such as ``Ranman'' and ``Ryozeki.'' Why not spend your holidays at Yuzawa Geopark, where you can witness the dynamic activities of the Earth?

Yuzawa Geopark

• Phone number: 0183-55-8195
• URL: Yuzawa Geopark

GOOGLE MAP