Oyasukyo Great Fountain | The sight of steam spewing out from everywhere is like something out of a movie! [Akita Prefecture]

Along National Route 398 near the border between Miyagi, Iwate, and Akita prefectures, there is a hot spring spot that is rare nationwide, but where bathing is prohibited

Located in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, the "Oyasu Gorge Geyser" is, as its name suggests, a fantastical scenic spot where steam billows out!

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What is Oyasukyo Great Fountain?

Over many years, the rapids of the upper reaches of the Minase River, a tributary of the Omono River, have deeply eroded both banks,the Koyasu GorgeformingThe Koyasu Gorge Geyserin the walls of both banks of the Minase Riversteam and hot water accumulate, and cracks leading to these geothermal reservoirs are exposed by the erosion of the Minase River.

Kurikoma Quasi-National ParkIt is located withinthe Yuzawa Geoparkwithina geositeis designated as

Not only can you see steam rising from everywhere, but in some places you can even see hot water nearly 100 degrees spurting out, making this a rare tourist spot even on a national level

According to a local information board, Sugae Masumi, a travel writer from the Edo period, also visited this place and wrote inhisTakamatsu"there was a tremendous sound like the rumble of thunder, and hot water was gushing out as if water were splashing."Furthermore, he wrote"the hot water shot up 9 to 12 meters high, crossed the river, and hit the rocks on the opposite bank..."From this, we can imagine that the force of the hot water eruption was even more tremendous in the Edo period than it is today.

Incidentally, locals apparently"Karafuke"call

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Access to Oyasukyo Great Fountain

Access to Koyasu Gorge is primarily by car, sothe parking lot for the geyser at the Minase Tourist Products Centerplease use

The parking lot is spacious enough that you can easily park even during the busiest autumn foliage season, so you should be able to park without any problems. It's conveniently located right next to the downstream entrance to the Oyasukyo Great Hot Spring!

There are two entrances

The geyserhas two entrances, one on the upstream side and one on the downstream side.

The stairs on the upstream side are fairly long and straight, while the stairs on the downstream side start opposite the large parking lot of the tourist souvenir shop and are a relatively gentle, winding staircase

Access from the parking lot is good, so this time we used the downstream entrance

Although it is a relatively gentle slope, it is still quite strenuous as it is a staircase that descends into the valley.... There are walking sticks available to borrow at the entrance, so if you are not confident, please use them! Don't forget to return them!

I borrowed two and used them like trekking poles. It was so convenient!

The first half of the trail is a relatively gentle staircase as shown in the photo, but the descent becomes increasingly steeper in the second half

As we descended, we could see many waterfalls, large and small, and it seemed like water was gushing out from everywhere

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Finally, we head to the Oyasukyo Great Fountain

It takes about 10 minutes from the Daifunyu parking lot to reach the promenade that runs right next to the hot spring. You can see faint steam in the foreground, but once you've climbed the stairs, you can see the steam rising up into the air

There are only a limited number of places where you can view the gorge using the walking trails, but the gorge itself is 60m deep and 8km long

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A mysterious and breathtaking view that makes you feel like you've wandered into the world of a movie or story!

Once you reach the top of the stairs, you will first see the rocky area on the left across the river, with hot water constantly dripping and steam rising from it

If you look to the right, you'll see hot water gushing out with incredible force! The water is so powerful that it reaches the promenade

It looks like this when zoomed in. It's a shame the sound can't be conveyed, but it's quite a roar. It's more like a roar than a whoosh

Depending on the intensity of the eruption, it seems that everything can turn white and you may not be able to proceed.In fact, when I was there, it was quite hot near the steam and I felt it was somewhat dangerous.On some days, it may be necessary to turn back rather than try to pass through.

Unlike hot springs, the sight of hot water gushing out from all over the natural valley is truly mysterious, and it's like the breath of nature, or the greatness of the Earth...it's an overwhelming sight

You will feel as if you have wandered into the world of a movie or story

By the way, when the river floods due to heavy rain, it looks like the image above. It's wise to just give up on bad weather

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The view of the large hot spring from the nearby Kawarayu Bridge is also great!

Once you return to the parking lot, head to the nearby Kawarayu Bridge, where you can look down on the Daifunyu promenade you just walked along

The contrast between the trees in the valley and the steam rising from the abyss has a different charm when seen up close!

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Oyasukyo Daifunto <Information>

• Name: Oyasukyo Daifunto
• Address: Minase Shinsho, Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, 012-0183
• Phone number: 0183-47-5080 (Yuzawa City Tourism and Products Association)
• Official URL:Yuzawa City Official Tourism Website "Yuzawa Tabi"

Google Map

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summary

This time we introduced Oyasukyo Daifunto, a famous spot in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. It is popular during the autumn foliage season, but you can enjoy its different charms all year round

just upstreamKoyasu Gorge Onsen hot spring resort, making it an attractive option to combine a trip with a hot spring getaway.

As mentioned earlier,a risk of flooding, so be sure to check the weather before visiting!

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