Mt. Bandai
nature
磐梯山
Known as the Mt Fuji of Aizu, past eruptions of this sacred peak helped form the beautiful surrounding landscapes.
1,816-meter stratovolcano in Fukushima Prefecture whose northern face was dramatically reshaped by a steam-blast eruption in 1888. The explosion caused the collapse of one of its peaks and triggered a landslide that destroyed 11 communities, dammed several valleys, and formed around 300 lakes and ponds now central to Bandai-Asahi National Park. Six trails of varying difficulty lead to the summit. Between late May and October, the routes follow paths used for centuries by practitioners of Shugendo mountain asceticism. The cross-section exposed by the peak's partial collapse makes the volcano a significant geological site.
The 1888 eruption was one of the most significant volcanic events in Japan's recorded history: the entire north face collapsed, producing a debris avalanche that buried four villages and created over 300 ponds across the Ura-Bandai plateau. The Goshikinuma (Five-Color Ponds) are the most photogenic of these, with each pond reflecting a different mineral tone. The hiking route from Bandai Kogen looks into the collapsed crater from above. The full traverse of the peak takes about 5 hours and requires good conditions.
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