A Hellish tour where you feel the beat of the land
Many hot springs came into being due to volcanic activity from 30,000 years ago, and in the Kannawa and Kamegawa districts, gas and hot mud & water started gushing out from over 1000 years ago which prevented people from approaching, so that because of its resemblance to a picture of Hell as described in a Buddhist sutra, the springs were called Hells. Now, it is a popular tourist area where you can feel the pulse and the power of the Earth. There are 8 Hells in total, and you can take a walk around them within half a day to a whole day. Starting from the Sea Hell, if you walk toward Kannawa, it will be easy to traverse down the slope. The Sea Hell, Blood Pond Hell, Spout Hell and the White Pond Hell have all been designated as National Places of Scenic Beauty, so if you don’t have a lot of time, you will want to see these four.
A Hellish tour to walk, see and eat
The Sea Hell is a natural cobalt-blue hot spring with dissolved iron sulfate. There are tropical water lilies planted there which make use of the heat from the spring. You will want to try the pudding and the buns steamed from the hot springs there. At the Oniishi Shaven Head Hell, the shape of the ash-colored mud resembles that of a bald head which explains the name. The Hell-steamed sushi at the rest area is delicious. The Mountain Hell has steam coming from a mountain where you can encounter adorable animals such as hippos and flamingos which are bred making use of the heat from the spring. The Cooking Pot Hell is called as such from the cooking of meals by steam. Various hot springs of many kinds can be observed, and there are even 3 foot baths to be enjoyed. The Monster Mountain Hell was named after the area (Oniyama – monster mountain), but with the 100 alligators enjoying the heat there, it has also been called the Alligator Hell. The White Pond Hell is clear hot water but when it enters the pond, it turns a creamy white. Tropical fish from the Amazon River are bred there. The Blood Pond Hell is a pond of naturally red heated mud containing iron oxide. The Spout Hell is a spectacular geyser which spews water up to 50m. These are distinctive Hells that are well worth seeing.