Mt. Sanbe’s Hot Springs

Mt. Sanbe's hot springs are unique in the Chugoku region as the only ones heated directly by magma contact rather than general geothermal radiation. The main spring emerges from a rocky crevice between Mt. Magosanbe and Mt. Hikageyama, flowing at 360 liters per minute with water between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius. High iron content stains the streambed and rocks a golden-red as the mineral precipitates. The area also hosts the Ikeda radium spring, recognized as one of the world's highest concentrations of radon at around 89,000 becquerels per liter. Several onsen facilities in the area draw on these unusual mineral-rich waters.