The afterglow of experiencing "Hell on Earth"

In the background of famous hot springs (onsen) lies what could be called "Hell," testifying to volcanic activity at some time in the past. This is true not only for Noboribetsu (Hokkaido), Unzen and Beppu (Kyushu) but also for Tamagawa (Akita), Kusatsu (Gunma) . . . . The list is endless. Of the famous onsen in Japan, it may be that the one closest to what one imagines Hell to be like is Osorezan in Aomori Prefecture. Describing what one experiences at Osorezan as "Hell," "Hades" or "Gehenna," carries a religious connotation, but there is ample reason for this. When you visit the onsen at Osorezan you feel that you are not walking on this earth. The passageway through this "Hell on Earth" is rigidly fixed. You are instructed not to walk here, not to step off the path there because it is dangerous. If you walk from Bodaiji Temple in the direction of Mt. Osorozan which reeks of the smell of sulfur, you will see rock mounds shaped like pagodas and stone statues along the path. The primitive, earthy colors of cloth and votive offerings of cloth and coins left by pilgrims are hauntingly reminiscent of funerals and graveyards. Crossing the River Styx (Sai-no-kawara) you arrive at a crater lake called Uzori. The water in it doesn’t look like it would sustain life. On my way back, I had some blue-colored ice cream called "Hallowed Ground Ice." It was freezing cold, and so was I.

A Tour of Hell: Bodaiji Temple of Mt. Osorezan