At Ozore-san, Mt. Fear, the gates of Hell, plants will not grow and sulfur leaching from the ground has created a landscape of vibrantly colored rocks and sand.
The attractions at Ozore-san are fourfold: the mountain itself, overlooking an aqua-marine lake with submerged road which the Japanese believe to be the gate to hell, fronted by a lakeside shrine of silvery hue, and a blasted volcanic landscape of multi-colored rocks and streams populated by crows where no vegetation will grow.
This is the shrine of silvery hue. It is very beautiful, evoking mists and rising steam.
This is my ring, which became tarnished, blue, yellow, and brown after only twenty minutes at Ozore-san. Soon after, the fumes began to make me feel ill.
This is my ring, which became tarnished, blue, yellow, and brown after only twenty minutes at Ozore-san. Soon after, the fumes began to make me feel ill.
Looking from the inner shrine toward the outer gate.
The volcanic field, the shrine, the lake, Ozore-san.
The crows are many and ominous.
Looking up from the base of the volcanic field toward a statue of I-Forget-Who. The field continues over a couple of more ridges before terminating at small beach and yellow-red stream.
A scree of tarnished coins, tossed by visiting pilgrims.
Ozore-san from the beach; by this point, Beau and I were both feeling sick from the sulfur and other fumes being constantly excreted from the volcanic plains next to the lake. We set out for the car.
Finally, a shout out to the bendy crew from the dashboard, companions to all Aomori wanderings.
Looking up from the base of the volcanic field toward a statue of I-Forget-Who. The field continues over a couple of more ridges before terminating at small beach and yellow-red stream.
A scree of tarnished coins, tossed by visiting pilgrims.
Ozore-san from the beach; by this point, Beau and I were both feeling sick from the sulfur and other fumes being constantly excreted from the volcanic plains next to the lake. We set out for the car.
Finally, a shout out to the bendy crew from the dashboard, companions to all Aomori wanderings.