Noboribetsu Jigokudani

Jigokudani (Hell Valley) is the remains of a 450-meter-diameter crater created by the eruption of Mt. Kasayama, an active volcano, about 10,000 years ago. A unique sight rarely found elsewhere in the world, Jigokudani is registered as a Hokkaido Heritage Site. It is also the source of Noboribetsu Hot Springs, with 10,000 tons of water gushing out every day. Covering an area of 11 hectares, and featuring a number of outlets and fumaroles, the valley, with its boiling water and fumes that block the view, surely resembles a hell inhabited by demons - hence the name. There is a 10-minute promenade around the area, and if you climb up to the Jigokudani Observatory, you can see the volcanic gases and boiling water spewing out.