This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
Yurihonjo City occupies approximately 70% of the Yuri region, which spreads out at the foot of Mount Chokai (2,236m) a small plain formed along the Sea of Japan coast at the mouth of the Koyoshi River, a first-class river
During the Edo period, the area was divided into three small domains: Honjo Domain, Kameda Domain, and Yashima Domain., Honjo Prefecture, Kameda Prefecture, and Yashima Prefecture were established, but were soon incorporated into Akita Prefecture.
Mount Chokai, towering south of Yurihonjo City, is a rare free-standing peak that rises from 0m above sea level over the Sea of Japan. Since ancient times, it has been revered as a mountain that breathes fire, and today it is loved by people as a mountain where traces of volcanic activity and precious natural beauty remain
Chokai-Tobishima Geopark is made up of four areas. The Yurihonjo area is themed around the mysteries of the Earth
Chokai-Tobishima Geopark is centered around Mt. Chokai and includes the Yurihonjo area, the Sakata area (Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture) , the Yuza area (Yuza Town, Yamagata Prefecture), and Tobishima (Sakata City) to the south,the Nikaho area (Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture) to the north , each with its own unique character. In the Yurihonjo area in the northeast, you can experience the mysteries of the earth, such as exposed geological strata from when the Japanese archipelago was still part of the Eurasian continent, long before Mt. Chokai was formed.
Ishizawa Falls: Flowing through layers of rock from the time when the Japanese archipelago was part of the Eurasian continent
Ishizawa Otaki Falls is located in Ishizawa Valleythe Sasamori Hills in the center of Yurihonjo City, where strata from about 30 million years ago are exposed over a distance of about 8 km
30 million years ago, Japan was still attached to the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent, and of course there was no Sea of Japan. The Japanese archipelago separated from the continent about 20 million years ago, so this stratum is 10 million years older than that
At the time, the Earth was erupting from all over, and the strata of Ishizawa Valley andesite, formed . Cliffs made of andesite continue throughout the valley, and there are viewpoints such as Ishizawa Otaki Falls and Byobuiwa Rock Near Byobuiwa Rockcolumnar . The road is closed in winter (December to late April), so it is not possible to visit.
Ishizawa Falls and Byobuiwa Rocks <Information>
Location: Nishinokado, Oyanagi, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0184-24-6376 (Yurihonjo City Tourism Culture and Sports Department Tourism Promotion Division)
access:
Train: Approximately 40 minutes by car from JR Ou Main Line Ugo-Honjo Station (Road closed from December to late April)
By car: Approximately 25 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway, or approximately 40 minutes by car from JR Ugo-Honjo Station (Road closed from December to late April)
Toilet: Yes
Shops and rest areas: None
Google Map
Akata Falls, where two streams join and fall from above the fault
Akata Falls is a 23m waterfall located in the northern part of Yurihonjo City. The waterfall splits into two at the top, with the larger flow being called "Otoko-taki" and the other being "Metaki" (female waterfall) . The geology in this area is complex, and the white rocks at the top are rhyolite, formed when lava from an undersea volcano cooled and solidified between 2,300 and 5 million years ago, when this area was under the sea. The waterfall is said to have been formed on a fault line running north to south.
The "Akata Great Buddha" is a Kannon statue approximately 9m tall (approximately 7.878m excluding the pedestal) enshrined in the Great Buddha Hall of Hasedera Temple, a temple that was the center of Akata, a training ground for mountain ascetics (yamabushi) since ancient times. It is known as the "Akata Great Buddha, and is counted as one of Japan's three major Hase Kannon temples , alongside in Nara Prefecture(Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture) Hasedera Temple
Hasedera Temple is said to have been founded in 1775 by Zen priest Zesan of the Soto sect, and was a place of prayer for the Kameda domain, which ruled the area during the Edo period. The principal image, the standing Eleven-Headed Kannon Bodhisattva , was destroyed along with the Great Buddha Hall in a great fire in 1888 (Meiji 21). The current Kannon statue was restored in 1892 with a donation from a philanthropist, and the Great Buddha Hall was also rebuilt in 1893 (Meiji 26). Hasedera Temple is the 8th temple of the Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage in Akita Prefecture, and the Eleven-Headed Kannon Bodhisattva is a designated cultural property of Yurihonjo City.
Train: From JR Ou Main Line Ugo Honjo Station, transfer to Honjo Office and take the bus bound for Akada Daibutsu for approximately 30 minutes, or take a taxi from JR Ou Main Line Ugo Iwatani Station for approximately 7 minutes
By car: Approximately 17 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
Google Map
Shinzan Park is a hill formed by the uplift of new andesite rocks 8 million years ago
Shinzan Park is at the mouth of the Koyoshi River . The geological strata around this area are the result of volcanic ash and lapilli that were erupted by undersea volcanoes about 8 million years ago, when the area was still a shallow seabed, and they were uplifted and revealed over 100,000 years ago. The layer of volcanic ash and other rocks is about 200m thick and is called "neo-andesite."
Niiyama Shrine was built in Niiyama Park the "Hadaka Mairi" (naked pilgrimage) is held here, a remnant of the time when this area was a training ground for monks. Niiyama Park is also popular as a park where you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing for a long period of time in the spring, from the Somei Yoshino cherry trees in the 100m area to the Yamazakura cherry trees in the 140m area.
Niiyama Park ＜Information＞
Location: Ishiwaki Kamichoronuma, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0184-24-6376 (Yurihonjo City Tourism Culture and Sports Department Tourism Promotion Division)
Hottai Falls is a waterfall located in Tamada Valley , the source of the Koyoshi River, on the slopes of Mount Chokai It is a famous waterfall that has been selected as one of the "100 Best Waterfalls in Japan
It is said that Houtai Falls was formed when a single sheet of lava flowed out during the eruption of Mt. Chokai about 100,000 years ago and dammed up a river. The lava that created the waterfall is called "Houtai Lava," and you can walk on it. It has been designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument by Akita Prefecture
Houtai Falls <Information>
Location: Hyakutaku, Chokai-cho, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0184-57-2205 (Yurihonjo City Tourism Association Chokai Branch)
access:
Train: Approximately 50 minutes by car from Yajima Station on the Yuri Kogen Railway
By car: Approximately 70 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
Toilet: Yes
Parking: Yes
Google Map
Kuwanokidai Marsh, where the lily flowers that gave rise to the name "Yuri" bloom
Kuwanokidai Marsh spreads across an area about 700m above sea level on Mount Chokai, and was formed by the accumulation of a rock avalanche that occurred in prehistoric times. It covers an area of 8 hectares (about the size of two Tokyo Domes), and boardwalks have been constructed within the marsh, allowing you to enjoy trekking while looking out at Mount Chokai.
The marshland Asian skunk cabbage and cotton grass , creating a beautiful sight throughout the seasons. In particular, in early summer, you can see the white cotton grass , a plant in the lily family that is said to be the origin of the name "lily"), and the clusters of Japanese azalea, creating a beautiful contrast of white and orange that colors the marshland.
Kuwanokidai Marsh <Information>
Location: Arazawa, Yajima-cho, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0184-24-6376 (Yurihonjo City Tourism Culture and Sports Department Tourism Promotion Division)
access:
Train: Approximately 40 minutes by car from Yajima Station on the Yuri Kogen Railway
By car: Approximately 60 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
Toilets: Available (closed in winter)
Parking: 15 standard-sized cars
Google Map
Super soft water. The famous "Botsumeki Spring Water" is used for the local tap water and craft beer
Botsumeki Spring springsMount Yashio , which rises 713mm above sea level and stands on the opposite bank of the Koyoshi River at the foot of Mount Chokai. The spring produces approximately 900 tons of water per day, and its temperature remains at approximately 9°C year-round, making it extremely soft with a neutral pH (6.9) and hardness of 19. Due to its soft texture, it is used as tap water in the area and in local craft beers. "Botsumeki ," including that it is a variation of the Ainu word "bubbles""botsumeg" springing forth," but the exact origins are unknown. The area around the spring has been turned into a park, and many people visit to collect the water.
Botsumeki Spring Water <Information>
Location: Higashiyuri Kurobuchi, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 0184-24-6376 (Yurihonjo City Tourism Culture and Sports Department Tourism Promotion Division)
access:
Train: Approximately 35 minutes by car from Yajima Station on the Yuri Kogen Railway
By car: Approximately 60 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
In the Yurihonjo area of Mt. Chokai-Tobishima Geopark there are many other geosites where you can enjoy the nature of Mt. KamedaFudo Falls, which has a drop of about 25m and a width of about 10m, the rare Katakinuma Wetland which is located in lowland at an altitude of 30m, the Yurihara Plateau (Higashi-Yurihara) , which is home to oil and natural gas fields. Why not visit Yurihonjo City to get a sense of the present state of the earth, which has changed over the long years?
My love of travel grew, and I used to write a travel magazine, and now I'm a travel writer for the web. During my research, I visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, mainly in the Tohoku region, but my fun part is soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture such as old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts.
