Noboribetsu 登別

It smells of sulphur!

 

Noboribetsu is a high place of volcanic activity, which can be approached to appreciate all its magnificence for centuries. And its festivals are famous for their warm atmospheres!

 

 

Oni be who thinks wrong

In Noboribetsu, you smell sulfur everywhere, and you see the mouths constantly belching smoke. The guardian of the underworld, Oni , welcomes you as soon as you arrive on site, you cannot miss him. He is very tall, has long teeth and carries a large club in his hand. It is supposed to protect the source and chase away evil spirits.

He has a second home here in Jigoku-dani, the Valley of Hell , which has been volcanically active for 10,000 years. This open-air explosion crater , with fumaroles everywhere, sulphur, boiling water, white rivers, and all these amazingly colored rocks, you can experience it thanks to a landscaped walk (15 minutes on the tower) which allows you to be right in the heart. It will be an unforgettable experience for you, smells on the skin and warm sensations, like that given by the Tessen-ike geyser whose water gushes out at 80°C.

 

See also: Japanese monsters and ghosts

 

Oni vous accueille !

Oni welcomes you!

Jerome Laborde

 

hot times

The volcanic walk does not stop on such a good path, you can continue to progress towards Ôyunuma. The Ôyunuma pond quietly awaits you, with its hot, steaming, even bubbling waters, which sometimes gush out at 130°C . These sulfur waters arise from an old crater which they have filled. A river flows and mixes with the waters of this pond which is far too warm to swim in, apart from the feet, no more.

An observation post allows you to admire the surroundings in the best conditions to appreciate all its beauty, and during the kôyô of autumn, it's even better.

 

Autumn in Hokkaido:

 

 

 

Oyunuma Pond

Pond Ôyunuma

Jerome Laborde


Address, timetable & access

  • Address

  • Timetable

    By train: from Sapporo, Muroran line, Noboribetsu station, then 15 minutes by bus.

Latest Articles

Abashiri, Hokkaido Guide

Abashiri is located on the coast of the Okhotsk Sea, 350 km from Sapporo, northeast of Hokkaido.

The blue pond of Biei

Biei Blue Pond, Hokkaido

In recent years, the blue pond of Biei, Aoi-ike, has become a must-visit sight on Hokkaido Island in northern Japan. But why is the pond so blue?

sakura

Where to see cherry blossoms in Hokkaido?

The northern island of Hokkaido is the last of Japan's regions to enjoy sakura blooms during spring. The latter intervenes there between the end of April and mid-May.

See All (37)