오우 산맥‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪9‬개의 천연기념물

There used to be three onsens (hot spring) sites on Mt. Bandai's northern side. But the phreatic explosion in 1888 led to heavy debris avalanches that destroyed the upper and lower spring sites and caused human casualties. Nakanoyu was the only remaining site in activity, but the last bath establishment closed its doors in the late 1990s.

Mt. Bandai (or Bandaisan), is registered as a UNESCO Japanese Geopark since 2011. Mt. Bandai has known two major sector collapses and debris avalanches: one 50,000 years ago and the latest in 1888. The first sector collapse is said to have led to the formation of the famous Inawashiro lake. The second one in 1888 was a phreatic eruption. Unlike the destructive magmatic eruptions in most volcanoes, the explosion in Mt. Bandai consisted of high-temperature steam, preserving a large part of the surrounding flora.

Mt. Bandai is crossed by three peaks: Mt. Bandai's central peak, Kushigamine's peak, and Mt. Akahani's peak. Kushigamine can be recognized by its reddish/brownish rocky paths. The northeast side suffered a big phreatic explosion in 1888, leaving its landscapes marked by the consequences of landslides and debris avalanches. The mountain's name: "the comb peak," was given for the sharp shape of its southern side that looks like a comb's teeth.

This marsh's (which is actually Mt. Bandai's caldera lake) reddish color is due to the erosion of the surrounding rocks after the many eruptions in Mt. Bandai, leaving extensive deposits of iron hydroxide in the pond's bed. The pond's water is very acidic and rich in sulfur, iron, manganese, and aluminum.

Mt. Adatara is a fabulous mountain, one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains, located near Dake Onsen, with a ropeway station at the top, a beautiful orange crater and magnificent red leaves in autumn.

One of the many volcanoes / peaks that are a part of the Bandai-Asahi National Park and that is located between Yonezawa City (Yamagata Prefecture) and Fukushima Prefecture, culminating at 1928m high. A place where to find the native fir : Abies mariesii.

This beautiful caldera is also known under the name Majo no Hitomi (the "Witch's Eye"), famous for its flower species sprinkled around the marsh (example of flowers you may encounter: Rhododendron brachycarpum f. nemotoanum, Veratrum stamineum, Rhododendron brachycarpum...)

The Goshikinuma lake is also known under the name "majo no hitomi" 魔女の瞳 because of its round shape and dark blue color.