Special feature
Mt. Komagatake in Hokkaido
The 100th anniversary of the mountain being selected as one of the New Three Views of Japan
Mt. Komagatake still watches Onuma.
Mt. Komagatake is a 1,131-meter-high active volcano straddling Mori Town, Shikabe Town and Nanae Town in Hokkaido, and is a symbol of Oshima Province and Oshima Peninsula. The mountain used to have a cone shape like Mt. Fuji. However, the summit area collapsed when a major eruption occurred in 1640, and the mountain then went through a number of eruptions to take its current form, which is made up of precipitous peaks, including Kengamine and Sawaradake, and gentle skirts. As a result, the appearance of Mt. Komagatake changes depending on where you view it from, and visitors can enjoy totally different landscapes in each of the four seasons.
Although Mt. Komagatake is still active, it is opened to hikers from June through October (9:00 – 15:00). For beginners, a one-hour hiking route on the mountain is especially recommended. The trail, surrounded by larch trees, allows hikers to enjoy beautiful nature and panoramic views of the nearby peak of Kengamine and Lake Onuma and Lake Konuma in the distance.
In 1915, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, a Tokyo-based publisher, conducted a reader poll through a magazine called Fujin Sekai to select scenic spots named the New Three Views of Japan. Onuma was selected as one of the New Three Views of Japan along with Miho no Matsubara in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yabakei in Oita Prefecture, and marked its 100th anniversary of the selection in 2016.
*For information on mountain hiking, please call the Disaster Mitigation and Traffic Section, Mori Town Hall on 01374-2-2181.
Photo courtesy: Noriaki Mizukami All rights reserved.
Six most recommended Mt. Komagatake viewing spots
Mt. Komagatake viewing spot (bench on Wakasagi Islet)
Mt. Komagatake viewing spot (way to Kogetsu Bridge)
Kogetsu Bridge and Mt. Komagatake viewing spot
42 Degrees North Marker
Milk Road
View from the summit of Mt. Higurashi
