The crater, formed 10,000 years ago, now produces 3,000 litres of hot water a minute.
A cloud of steam rises from the floor of a crater that exploded 10,000 years ago, and a wooden path runs alongside it among sulphur and boiling pools. From here 3,000 litres of hot water gush out every minute, of several different types, hence Noboribetsu's nickname, ‘the department store of hot springs’. The valley has 15 distinct spots, called ‘hells’ (地獄).
The Jigokudani crater opened about 10,000 years ago, when the Kasayama volcano (笠山) erupted, and since then it has fed the Noboribetsu hot springs, the best-known hot spring resort in Hokkaido. Selected in 2004 as a Hokkaido Heritage site (北海道遺産), it is described by local authorities as a ‘department store of hot springs’ for the variety of waters that gush out here.
ℹ️ The wooden path through the valley is public and free, and no closing time is given. It is a few minutes’ walk from the hot spring resort of Noboribetsu Onsen.
🚉 Noboribetsu Onsen Bus Terminal N11 · 11 min walk
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: hokkaidoisan.org · ja.wikipedia.org
Nearby
Noboribetsu Onsen (Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri)300 mphoto by メルビル · CC BY-SA 3.0
Upopoy — National Ainu Museum19.4 kmphoto by Higa4 · CC0