Kawarage Jigoku, Volcanic crater and spiritual site in Yuzawa City, Japan
Kawarage Jigoku is a volcanic crater in Yuzawa City with four circular depressions and numerous steaming vents. The landscape features natural hot spring pools and thermal activity visible across the entire site.
A Buddhist priest named Gesso recognized this location as sacred in 807 and established it as an important spiritual site. Since then it has been revered as one of Japan's three great sacred places.
The name Jigoku means 'hell' in Japanese, referring to the intense geothermal activity and constant steam rising from vents across the landscape.
The site is easy to reach with a short walk from the parking area to the natural hot spring pools. The best time to visit is between July and September when the public bathing areas are open.
A waterfall in the area combines hot spring water with stream flow to create a distinctive cascade of thermal water. This mixing of hot and cold water creates an unusual natural feature that draws visitor attention.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
