Feel the breath of the great land
Jigokudani is located right beside Hokkaido’s Noboribetsu Onsen. With the remains of a 450-meter crater, even now gases of sulphur and other elements and hot water used at the onsen rise up as the source spring. From the reddish-brown face of the mountain, smoke puffs up and you can feel the surrounding hot air on your skin. At the entrance of Jigokudani, there are also 2 observation points which are recommended to view the whole landscape. The contrast between the surrounding primeval forest and the valley is also something to behold. Since there is also a walking trail available at Jigokudani, you can feel the exhalations of the great land while walking through the area. At the north end, there is the spectacular Oyunuma Pond whose hot waters bubble up from the bottom, and a nearby mud pond whose bottom has an incredible temperature of 130 degrees Celsius. You can enjoy the flowers of spring, the fresh greenery of summer and the snows of winter, but the autumn is especially beautiful for its colors, and the area has been chosen as one of Japan’s Top 100 Places for Autumn Foliage. From May to October, tourism volunteers are stationed so please feel free to call upon them.
Enjoy Noboribetsu Onsen When you feel the vitality of Jigokudani, you will definitely want to partake in the benefits of an onsen. Noboribetsu Onsen is especially popular within Hokkaido, an area of many hot springs. About 3.3 million tourists visit the onsen annually, the reason being the great variety of its waters to the extent that it has been called a department store of onsen where you can enjoy many kinds of hot springs.
Still more tourist spots to enjoy in the surrounding area
Noboribetsu is chock-filled with tourist spots. When you arrive at Jigokudani, you have to check them out. For example, when it comes to Hokkaido, there are bears. The Noboribetsu Bear Park is a great place to be able to feed bears and even to view them up close. At the annual Noboribetsu Festival of Hell in August, the featured mechanical King of the Demons at Enma-do Hall is a must-see.