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Fukushima ⛰ Mountain 📷 10

Numazawa (volcano)

沼沢湖

High ground with alpine air, big views and trails for every level.

See the photos How to get there Open in Maps
Best season Late May–October (autumn colour peaks Sep–Oct at altitude)
Time needed Half a day
Admission Free to hike; ropeway roughly ¥1,000–3,000 return (≈ $6–19)
Opening hours Ropeways typically 9:00–16:30, weather permitting

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.

What this place is

Numazawa is a caldera and lake in Ōnuma District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The caldera measures 2 km (1.2 mi) across and the lake that occupies it measures 96 m (315 ft) deep. The volcanic caldera was constructed within the older and larger Uwaigusa caldera which is 4.2 to 4.0 million years old. The volcano first erupted 110,000 years before present (BP) produced pyroclastics. At 71,000 BP, the Mukuresawa lava dome formed, and at 45,000 BP, a Plinian eruption occurred. Two additional lava domes developed in 43,000 BP and 20,000 BP. The caldera-forming Plinian eruption occurred at 4,600 BP. A VEI 5 eruption occurred at 3,400 BP.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

  • Panoramas that open up above the treeline — on clear days you can trace whole valleys and distant ranges.
  • Vegetation that changes with altitude, from cedar forest to alpine flowers within a single climb.
  • Ropeways, toll roads or mountain buses that put the scenery within reach of casual visitors, not just hikers.

What you can do here

  • Ride the ropeway or mountain bus to the upper station and walk the easy loop trail at the top.
  • Photograph the sea of clouds or sunrise — early morning is usually the clearest window.
  • Hike a marked course matched to your time and fitness; most trailheads post an estimated round-trip time.
  • Combine the visit with a nearby hot spring to finish the day.

Getting there

We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.

Area: Fukushima

Route on Google Maps

Good to know before you go

  • Temperature drops roughly 0.6°C per 100 m of elevation — bring a windproof layer even in summer.
  • Mountain transport stops early and pauses in winter or bad weather; check the last downhill service.
  • Bring cash: summit shops and mountain huts often have no card readers or signal.

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