Visiting active volcanoes in Shikotsu-Toya National Park 2-day trip near Sapporo japan-guide.com

Active volcanoes, smoking hell valleys and large caldera lakes. All the signs of a volcanically active region that has existed for many millennia. One such place that contains all of these is the volcanically active Shikotsu-Toya National Park in southwestern Hokkaido, which still continues to build upon its geological history. The national park is named after Shikotsuko and Toyako, two large caldera lakes surrounded by active volcanoes. My name is Raina Ong, reporting for japan-guide.com, and in this video, we'll be going on an overnight trip walking on volcanoes, observing smoking craters and hell valleys, and seeing first-hand the destruction of an eruption. Here's the plan. On day one, we pick up a rental car and start our journey in the Shikotsuko area, which is less than an hour by car from Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. We'll spend the first half of the day hiking on Mount Tarumae, before driving about an hour west to Noboribetsu, where we'll visit a hell valley, and spend the night in a hot spring town there. Day two will be in the Toyako area, where we'll visit some major sites relating to Mount Usu, yet another active volcano. We'll take a ropeway up on the mountain's eastern side and see a newly formed mountain, then move to the western side to see the remains and ruins from its last eruption in 2000. So follow along as we go on an overnight road trip exploring the active volcanoes in the Shikotsu Toya National Park. Mount Tarumae, which is located at the southern end of Lake Shikotsu, was formed about 10,000 years ago after a large-scale eruption. The mountain's current shape, with an outer rim and a lava dome in the center, is the result of eruptions over the centuries. Mount Tarumae is ranked as one of Japan's most active volcanoes, and its most recent eruption was in 1981, just 40 years ago. It's not every day that you get to hike on an active volcano, and I'm here at the start of the trailhead to Tarumae-zan, and I'm going to sign in before heading further in. Hiking on Mount Tarumae does not require any special mountaineering or hiking equipment, and as such is suitable for beginner or casual hikers. But note that it is best to be adequately prepared with sturdy shoes, wet or cold weather gear, and drinking water. We're just five minutes from the starting point, and look at the view! The trailhead is located about seven-tenths up the mountain, and the hike starts through a forest which quickly thins out, and the landscape becomes almost barren save for some seasonal flowers. Atop the crater, the barren landscape and smoking vents can make one imagine that they're on another world. I made it to the top of Mount Tarumae at 1,022 meters. Everything has been excellent. The views along the way, the rocky trails, and that view behind me. As entering the crater is prohibited due to poisonous volcanic gases, I continued my walk off the outer rim while enjoying the view of the lava dome and the surroundings, before heading back down to my rental car and moving on to my next destination. Well, that was a super hike. Now I'm back in my car and I'm headed to Noboribetsu, which is about an hour from here. Noboribetsu is the most famous hot spring town in Hokkaido. Local folklore has it that the area is protected by scary-looking demon-like gods who live in the Hell Valley. These gods place nine clubs from which nine heavenly springs arose in Noboribetsu to protect the earth from harm and bring prosperity. Now, these nine springs relate to the nine different types of hot spring waters that can be found in Noboribetsu. The Jikokudani, or Hell Valley, is Noboribetsu's most iconic site, situated at the northern end of the hot spring town. Behind me is the Hell Valley or Jikokudani in Noboribetsu and this is where the hot spring goodness comes from. The smell of sulphur gets stronger the closer you get. From the Hell Valley, there are walking trails leading into the forested hills above into a sulphuric hot water pond which feeds a natural riverside footbath. It doesn't get more natural than this footbath in the river. I'm going to just sit here and enjoy it for a while. After that nice relaxing footbath, I head to my accommodation in the hot spring town to wind down for the day. I hear that the baths and my accommodation are quite impressive and I'm ready to try them out before dinner. This is my dinner at the hotel where I'm staying at and we've got seasonal vegetables, seafood as well as local favourites like crab. Now it may look like a lot of food but I think I can finish everything after all that walking today. So itadakimasu and kanpai! Today I'm headed to Lake Toya which is about an hour away and I'll be going via the Orofure Mountain Pass. Lake Toya was formed over 100,000 years ago and it is the third largest caldera lake in Japan. At its northern end stands the symmetrical Mount Yotei which bears a resemblance to Mount Fuji and at its southern end the active volcanoes Mount Usu and Showa Shinzan. The lake is a popular tourist destination in Hokkaido all year round and Toyako Onsen, a pleasant hot spring town with many hotels can be found at its southern end. Mount Usu along with Mount Tarumae is ranked as one of the most active volcanoes in Japan. Its most recent major eruption was back in 2000. The mountain is also responsible for the birth of the neighbouring Showa Shinzan and the source of the hot spring waters for nearby Toyako Onsen. My day in the Toyako area starts at the Usuzan ropeway on the eastern side of Mount Usu. Right beside the ropeway station is Showa Shinzan one of the youngest mountains in Japan. The mountain was pushed out of flat farmland over a period of two years of multiple earthquakes and eruptions from 1943 to 1945 and is still constantly venting fumarolic gases today. The Usuzan ropeway takes me from the bottom of Mount Usu to near the top where there are a few observation decks and hiking trails. I'm at the observation deck at the top of the ropeway station and as you can see behind me the view is simply amazing. I've got Showa Shinzan behind me and Lake Toya to my right. From there it is a short walk to the second observation deck to see the smoking craters on Mount Usu. The Usu Crater Observatory where I'm at right now is only a few minutes walk from the upper ropeway station. Here you get to see the large crater which was made when the mountain erupted in 1977. As an active volcano, Mount Usu is monitored for potential eruptions. Residents living in the vicinity also live with the knowledge that they have to be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice. It is with this readiness and preparedness that resulted in zero fatalities in the last eruption in 2000 despite the pyroclastic surge, spewing ashen rocks and fires causing great damage to structures. The western side of Mount Usu was where the last eruption occurred and walking trails allow visitors to see the damage up close. I start with a visit to the Toyako Visitor Centre at the trailhead to learn more about volcanic activity in the area. My walk begins from behind the visitor centre and I arrive at the preserved ruins in no time. It is recommended to set aside about 3-4 hours to see everything on the trails at a comfortable pace. I'm about 10-15 minutes away on foot from the centre of the hot spring town and this area where I'm in is where you can see the remains of the buildings which were damaged by the eruption in 2000. From the ruins near the visitor centre, the trail leads into a forested area where the craters formed from the eruption in 2000 can be seen and continues to another area where the aftermath of the same eruption has been left as it is. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like living here having to evacuate and then returning to destruction. I mean, this used to be a road. I press on the trail, this time passing distorted roads, smoking vents and other preserved structural ruins before reaching the kindergarten at the end. I'm so glad that nobody died in the eruption in 2000. Look at the damage caused to the kindergarten. I found the contrast between the pleasant hot spring town along the shores of Lake Toya and the ruins and reality of a volcanic eruption to be very real. It was a good reminder of the powerful energy in the earth and it is that same energy that gives us the good things like fantastic hiking opportunities, scenic views and vistas and hot spring baths to relax in. And that was our overnight trip to the Shikotsu Toya National Park. Thanks for joining me. I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas should you decide to plan an overnight trip to a national park. For more information about this trip or to watch another video, click the links on the screen now or head over to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive, up-to-date travel guide firsthand from Japan. Thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe and click the notification bell for more videos about Japan. Happy travels!