Welcome to Bandai-san Geopark

Stories of the Land, Nature, and People Connectedby Bandai-san Geopark

Mt.Bandai
Mt.Kushigamine

The Growth and Collapse of Mt. BandaiPeople
NatureLand

The Hidden Past Behind its
Graceful Shape, the Mt. Fuji of Aizu
Mt. Bandai is a volcano formed of andesitemagma. As this kind of magma has moder-the volcano becomes a beautiful stratovol-

Mt.Kushigamine

Mt.Akahani

However, an eruption which occurred

477 people lost their lives and this was the biggest volcano disaster after
the Meiji Res tor ation. In the nor th side of Mt. Bandai (Ur abandai
H i g h l a n d), t h e d e b r i s av a l a n c h e d a mm e d r i ve r s a n d f o r m e d l a ke s ,View of Bandai Volcano

including Lake Hibara

Mt.Bandai 1816m

Ko-bandai

Flow Mounds

formed ﬂow mounds at its foot. This debris
avalanche also dammed up rivers which

Mt. Kushi-ga-mine

Mt. Bandai（Ō-bandai）

Mt. Kushi-ga-minesouthwest par t of Mt. Bandai to collapse
and c ause a debr is a v alanche whichthat caused the body of the mountain to collapse (debris avalanche) andﬂow down the valley.

cano as it grows.
about ﬁf t y thousand years ago led theLand

The peak of Ko-bandai [Little Bandai] erupted due to a phreatic explosion

Mt. Bandai（Ōbandai）

ate s tickiness, the volcano s eruptionof volcanic ash. Because of these features,

NatureKo-bandai s Collapse and Formation of Lakes and Ponds

becomes explosive and expels lava. This
type of eruption can include the releasing

Mt. Bandai Which Shows Inside the VolcanoPeople

Mt. Bandai

Lake Inawashiro

Okinashima (ﬂow mounds)

Topography of Flow Mounds

Lake Hibara

Mt.Bandai from the north before the Eruption

The Collapsed Wall(Explosion crater)

Modern-day Mt.Bandai and Lake Hibara

The collapsed wall
(Explosion crater)

ﬂowed into the Aizu basin in the west, andcreated Lake Inawashiro. The only island,
Okinashima, in Lake Inawashiro is also oneof those ﬂow mounds.

山体崩壊と流れ山

Flow Mounds

Flow Mounds

Before the Eruption

Nature and Water Environment of Lake Inawashiro

PeopleNatureLand

The Fascination of Lake Inawashiro,
the Mirror Reﬂecting Heaven

Topography of Mt. Bandai before and after the eruption

Nature Recovering from WastelandLand

Bandai made most par ts of the oldand rich forests into a wasteland atwhich used to be seen in plenty of lakes andonce. You can meet the ecosystem
Asaza Lilly and Mt.Bandai

Lake Hibara

NatureThe 1888 (Meiji 21) eruption of Mt.

Asaza [fringed water-lily] is an aquatic plant

shaw
aIn

stable forests. This process took overAsaza is said to have the effect of purifying

a hundred years in Urabandai.

water, prevention of erosion, and ﬁsh preser-Mt.Bandai on after a week the Eruption

vation. The scenery it creates is enjoyed as a
Swans and Lake Inawashiro

ThesidewatershMarMoistStoriesstfore❷Swans and their visiting places on Lake Inawashiro(a National Natural Treasure)
Every year more than 2,000 swans visit the northern coastof Lake Inawashiro, and spend the winter from early October

rest

ng fo

Yourestle fo

StablandFarmto early April. Inawashiro Town set up Conservation Societyfor Nature of Lake Inawashiro in 2000
（Heisei 12）and has
worked on the conservation of the environment.

Continuing Belief at the Foot of Mt. BandaiPeople
NatureLand

Living with the Volcano

Mt. Bandai used to be called Mt. Iwa-hashi

LandLandby B , Naturandaei-san , and Pe
Geop ople Carkonne
ct
Mt.Bandaiedm o u n t a i n d r a w n r i g h t a f t e r t h e 18 8 8of rock [磐: Iwa] extends to heaven. A local(Meiji 21) eruption, people must have notdeit y, Bandai Myōjin is enshrined at theexpected that vegetation would recoversummit of the mountain, and you can visit thein a shor t period on the Urabandai HighBandai Myōjin

Iwahashi Shrine

In the Hanitsu Shrine, Hoshina Masayuki, theMt.Akahani

Mt.Kushigamine

Immediately following the Eruption

land. However, with the help of a policy of
the government at that time, many people

First Aizu Lord, is apotheosized as a guardians t ar ted a re fore s t ation projec t for thisgod of Aizu. The ruin of Enichi-ji Temple, Enichi-ji

devastated area. Endō Jūjirō (Genmu) isTemple f ounded by a pries t Tokuit su ,isthe one who succeeded in reforestation,

Buddhist temple built at the foot of Mt. Bandai,

among those who tried. He planted over
Hanitsu Inner Shrine

Hoshina Masayukiʼs Gravefounded in 807, and it was abandoned in theone hundred-thousand trees including

Planting for around Goshikinuma

Japanese red pines in the devastated land.

early years of the Meiji period (1868).

Forests in Urabandai show both the recov-

The es tablishment of these shrines andering power of nature and the histor y ofhistoric spots are deeply related to locations ofour predecessor s who worked hard forMt. Bandai. The existence of mountains ofbelief have been an anchor for our spirits.

Natureof theJudging from the illustration of thebecause it was as if a ladder [梯子: hashi-go]

can be seen in the east.It is said the temple wasPeople

Proof of the Recovery fromthe Volcano Disaster

An Anchor for One s Spirit

Iwahashi Shrine at the foot of the mountain.

wnoT
irodKna,ownTidanaB,

at various levels of its changing into

gered species in Japan.

key attraction of Lake Inawashiro.

PeopleVarious Ecosystem Succeeded Since 1888

❶The largest blooms of theAsaza Lily left in Japan
marshes, but is now designated as an endan-

After the Eruptionbaoihsitallagei
Vrathis recovery.
The reconstruction of ʻYakushi-Nyorai-Zazōʼ

Endō GenmuJapanese red pines

Lake Inawashiro

Debris Avalanche, Flow Mounds, Lakes and Ponds: A Mountain of Treasures, Forever and Ever

Welcome to Bandai-san Geopark
Inawashiro Town, Bandai Town, and Kitashiobara Village
Nishi-Azuma Sky-VallyHibara Historical Museum

To Fukushima

WasezawaMt.Douba
899.0mGran-Deko Snow Resort

17 Ōyamazumi

Lake Sohara

ShrineOld Yonezawa Kaido Road

Urabandai Site Station
Lake Hibara

Rengenuma Pond

-822m-

1 Fukushima
Museum

2 Bandaisan
Enichi-ji Museum

Lakes
3 Goshikinuma
and Ponds

4 Oguninuma
Pond

4 Oguninuma Pond
-1089m-Kitakata City oﬃce

Goshikinuma Lakes
and Ponds

Urabandai Nekoma
Ski Area
1403.8m

1359.0m

Neko-ishi

Nekoma-happodai

Kitakata St.

Mt.Kojogamine

Mt.Umaya

1287.9m

1261.0m

GoldLineAizu-toyokawa St.

Mt.Hayama

Shiokawa St.

eLinsen-saitsuane
JR B

Higashinagahara St.

Hira-ishi

Bandai Kawahigashi IC

15 Hanitsu Shrine
10 Tenkyo-dai Inawashiro Ski Area
（Syowa-no-mori）

Michi-no-eki Bandai

Bandai Town oﬃce

Sanchūhi
Monument

Inawashiro-Shiokawa
Line

Okinashima St.

Bandai-machi
St.
Kagami-ishi

Dojima St.

Bandaisan SA Minamigaoka Daily
Kanizawa

Nippashigawa River

Jyūrokkyo
BridgeAizuwakamatsu IC

Monument of Tonokuchihara
Old Battleﬁeld

Aizuwakamatu St.

Nishikubo

Kohan-no-Mori

1370.0m

Noguchi1413.2m
7 Hideyo
8 AizuMemorial Holl
Folk Museum

What is a Geopark?

Kannonjigawa RiverA g e o p a r k is c a ll e d “a p a r k of t h e la n d ”
where you can enjoy and learn world-widevaluable geographical features and about
the nature of the soil, the history, and cultureof animals, plants, and people living on theland. Moreover, from it we can learn its connections to and stories about local specialties and places like hot springs. etc..

Listel ski Fantagia

Inawashiro Tourist Association

Michi-no-eki
Inawashiro

Inawashiro Harb Garden

Inawashiro Bandai Kogen IC
Kawageta St.

Kannonji TempleCycling Road（About 3.6km）

Mt.Mizunashi
999m

Hakucyogahama
Beach

7 Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall

Tenjinhama
Beach

History, Culture,& Industry
Kobirakata
Sekito St.

Kobirakata Tenmangu Shrine,
Historic sites of Inawashiro Kensai

Fukushima
Geihinkan

644.8mKoishigahama
BeachNagahama
Plesure Boat Port

Mt.Ōtaki
Mt.kawageta

Nagasegawa River

Ban-etsu
Expressw
Inawashiro St.
ay

8 Aizu Folk Museum

9 Tenkyokaku

Mt.NaguraAkai Marsh Land

Takizawa Pass

INAWASHIROWorld Glass Hall

Mt.Takamori
598.5mArt Museum of Hajimari

JR Ban-etsu-West LineAizu-mura

14 Mine-no-Ōishi

Inawashiro Town oﬃce

Iwahashi-kan

Hirota St.

Neko-ishi

Kamegajo Castle Remains

Midori-no-Mura

Debris Abalanche Outcrop

Numanokura
Power StationOdagawaRiverŌshika-Zakura

Aqua Marine Inawashiro
Kawasemi Aquareum

Bonari-toge Old Battleﬁeld

Tatsusawa Fudotaki Fall

Iwahashi
ShrineBreadcrust Bombs

BANDAI

Oikawa St.

Bonari Pass
Boshin War
Martyrs Cnotaph

Family Snow Park
Bandai×2

12 Ruin of Enichi-ji Temple

2 Bandaisan Enichi-ji Museum

Shiraito-no-taki Fall

Sukawa River

1430.0m

Inawashiro Resort Ski AreaNumanotaira

AkimotoPower Station

Flow Mounds View point

ALTS Bandai Ski Area

1709.3m

Takamorigawa River

1816.3m Numanotaira

Mt.Akahani

Mt.

13 Ryugasawa Spring Water

Mt.Tetsuzan

Monument for Spirit of Martyrs

Nametaki Fall

idaan
B

Ubado St.

1636.0m

Tobitaki Fall

1728.0m

Minowa Ski Area

Numajiri Ski Area

Mt.Kushigamine

Ponds

Mt.Minowa

Takamori

1221.0m

6 Urabandai Visitor Center

16 Akanuma 11 Mt.Bandai

Maboroshi-no-taki Fall

To Fukushima

Bisyamonnuma Pond

UrabandaiSki Area

Mt.Maruyama

Mt.Nekomagadake

Mt.shirabu-736m-1481.9m

Tsuchiyu Pass
Yokomuki-Onsen
Ski Area

6 Urabandai
Visitor Center

Rest house

Lake Akimoto

3Oshizawagawa River

Kitashiobara Viillage oﬃce

Mt.Bandai
5Eruption
Nakatsugawa
Vally Museum

Urabandai Tourist Association

Eruption Museum

Michi-no-eki
Urabandai

Mt.Kimen

B an dai AzumaSky L
in e

ine
Nakatsugawa
ke L
La
Vallyi Azu m andaa
B-797m-5 Mt.Bandai

KITASHIOBARA

1271.3m

KITAKATA

Lake Onogawa

Nakasenuma PondŌshioMt.Oguni

Onogawa Fudotaki Fall

Stories of the Land, Nature,

Peopleand People Connectedby Bandai-san Geopark

Animals & Plants

NatureGeology &topography

Land

Onbasama

Okinashima
ShidahamaBeach

18 Lake Inawashiro

Iimori-yama

Nakayamajuku St.

Inawashiro-shidahama Spa-514m-To Kōriyama

Joko St.

AIZUWAKAMATSU

Jokohama
Beach

Aizuwakamatsu City oﬃce
Tsurugajo Castle

9 Tenkyokaku

1 Fukushima
Museum11Cemetery of Matsudaira, feudal load of Aizu

Tenkyo-dai10（Syowa-no-mori）

12Mt.Zaimokuyama
Nakadahama Beach
この地図の作成に当たっては、国土地理院長の承認を得て、同院発行の2万5千分の１地形図を使用した。実際の縮尺とは 異なります。 （承認番号1314151617平25情使、第72-GISMAP31878号）

18

Mt. Bandai

Historic Spot： The Ruin ofEnichi-ji Temple

Ryūgasawa Spring Water

Mine-no-ŌishiHanitsu Shrine

Mt. Bandaiʼs Collapsed Walland Aka-numa PondŌyamazumi Shrine

Lake Inawashiro

Mount Bandai is called “Mt. Fuji of Aizu” in the book
Nihon Hyakumeizan [One Hundred Mountains of Japan],and is familiarly known as a mountain of treasures in afolk song: “Aizu-Bandai-san”. The highest peak isBandai-san (also called as Ō-bandai, or Big Bandai) withan altitude of 1816m. There used to be Ko-bandai [LittleBandai] until the eruption in the Meiji era.

E n ic h i -ji t e m p l e, fo u n d e d by a p ri e s t
Tokuitsu in the early Heian period, is one of
the largest temples in the eastern part ofJapan, and prospered as the birthplace of
Aizu Buddhism culture. It has been designated as a National Historic Site.

The Ryūgasawa Spring is a representative springof the ʻSpring water sources at the western footof Mt. Bandaiʼ which have been designated asone of the 100 Best Natural Waters of Japan.
Based on a story that the spring water neverdried up even during a drought, the Aizu-Han[Domain] would pray for rain at this place.

M i n e - n o - Ōi s h i [M i n eʼs H u ge St o n e] i s a nandesite boulder carried along by the mud
ﬂow caused by the eruption of Mt. Bandaiin 1888 (Meiji 21). This is a national naturaltreasure, and still shows the power of theeruption.

The Hanitsu Shrine is a shrine that enshrines
Masayuki Hoshina, the ﬁrst domain lord of Aizu.
The stone monument on which his achievements
are inscribed is one of the largest in Japan. Theshrine is located in the direction which saves
Aizu, and is also a subordinate shrine to theIwahashi Shrine dedicated to Mt. Bandai.

T h i s i s t h e ce n t e r o f t h e e ru p t io n o f M t .
Bandai in 1888 (Meiji 21). The inside of thevolcano can be seen because of Ko-bandaiʼssectional collapse. Also the Aka-numa Pondi s t h e s o u rce of t h e G os h i ki - n u m a [ﬁve colored] Lakes and Ponds.

A torii [the gateway to a shrine] appears onlyw h e n L a ke H i b a raʼs wa t e r re c e d e s . T h i sphenomenon tells the fact that there used to
be t he old Hibara Village whic h has now
sunk and is at the bed of the lake. This wascaused by rivers being dammed up by theeruption in the Meiji period.

Lake Inawashiro is the fourth-largest lake in
J a p a n , a n d i s a l s o c a l l e d ʻ Te n k y ō - k o[ H e ave nʼs M i r ro r L a ke] ʼ s i n c e i t i s l i ke am i r ro r re ﬂ e c t i n g t h e s k y. Yo u c a n e nj oys wi m m i n g i n t h e l a ke i n t h e s u m m e r. I t ssurface area is 103.3km² and surface elevation is 514m.

Mt.Adatara
1699.9m