One such place that contains all of these is the volcanically active chikoti Toy, a national park in southwestern Hokkaido which still continues to build upon its geological history.

The national park is named after Scott's Co.

In Toyako Too large caldera lakes surrounded by active volcanoes.

My name is Raina.

On reporting for japan guide dot com and in this video will be going on an overnight trip, walking on volcanoes, observing smoking creators in hell valleys and seeing first hand the destruction of an eruption.

Here's the plan.

On day one, we pick up a rental car and start our journey in the Chicago area, which is less than an hour by car from Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido will spend the first half of the day hiking on Mount Jeremiah before driving about an hour west to nobody Betsy we'll visit a hell Valley and spend the night in hot spring town There.

Day two will be in the Toyako area where we'll visit some major sites relating to Mount Zuzu.

Yet another active volcano will take a rope way up on the mountains eastern side and see a newly formed mountain.

Then move to the Western side to see the remains in ruins from its last eruption in 2000.

So follow along as we go in an overnight road trip exploring the active volcanoes in the Chicago to Toya National Park.

Yeah, Day one Melt to do my, which is located at the southern end of lake was formed about 10,000 years ago after a large scale eruption.

The mountains current shape with an outer rim and a lava dome in the center is the result of eruptions over the centuries.

Mount Roraima is ranked as one of Japan's most active volcanoes and its most recent eruption was in 1981 just 40 years ago.

It's not every day that you get to hike on an active volcano and I'm here at the start of the trailhead to, to to amazon and I'm gonna sign in before heading for the hiking on mount caramel does not require any special mountaineering or hiking equipment in a search is suitable for a beginner or casual hikers but note that it is best to be adequately prepared with sturdy shoes, wet or cold weather gear and drinking water.

We're just five minutes from the starting point and look at the view.

The trailhead is located about 7/10 up the mountain and the hike starts through a forest which quickly thins out and the landscape becomes almost barren.

Safe for some seasonal flowers.

Yeah, atop the crater, the barren landscape and smoking vince can make one imagine that their own another world.

I read it to the top of Mount Tara.

My at 1,022 m, everything has been excellent views along the way.

The rocky trails and that view behind me as entering the creators prohibited due to poisonous volcanic gases.

I continued my walk of the altar rim while enjoying the view of the lava dome and the surroundings before heading back down to my rental car and moving on to my next destination.

Mhm Yeah.

Well that was a super hike now back in my car and I'm headed to nobody bets which is about an hour from here.

Yes.

Mhm.

Nobody bets is the most famous hot spring town in Hokkaido.

Local folklore has it that the area is protected by scary looking demon like gods who live in the hell valley.

These gods placed nine clubs from which nine heavenly springs arose and nobody better to protect the earth from harm and bring prosperity.

Now these nine springs relate to the nine different types of hot spring waters that can be found in nobody bits the Chikako Dani or Hell Valley is nobody bets his most iconic site situated at the northern end of the hot spring town.

Behind me is the hell valley of cocoa Donny and nobody bets it.

And this is where the heart spring goodness comes from.

The smell of sulfur gets stronger the closer you get.

Yeah, far from the Hell Valley, there are walking trails leading into the forested hills above into a sulfuric hot water pond which feeds a natural riverside footbath for it doesn't get more natural than this foot bath in the river.

I'm going to just sit here and enjoy it for a while after that nice relaxing foot bath.

I head to my accommodation in the hot spring town to wind down for the day.

I hear that the baths and my accommodation are quite impressive and I'm ready to try them out before dinner.

This is my dinner at the hotel where I'm staying at and we've got seasonal vegetables, seafood as well as local favorites like crab.

Now it may look like a lot of food, but I think I can finish everything after all that walking today.

So it'll schemas and come by day two today I'm headed to Lake Toya, which is about an hour away and I'll be going via the etorofu Mountain Pass.

Lake Toya was formed over 100,000 years ago and it is the third largest caldera lake in Japan.

At its northern end stands the symmetrical Mount Iota, which bears a resemblance to Mount fuji and at the southern end the active volcanoes, Mount yuzu and show Washington.

The lake is a popular tourist destination in Hokkaido all year round.

In Toyako Onsen, A pleasant hot spring town with many hotels can be found at its southern end.

No Mount Usu along with Mount Jeremiah is ranked as one of the most active volcanoes in Japan.

It's most recent major eruption was back in 2000.

The mountain is also responsible for the birth of the neighboring show a shin Zan and the source of the hot spring waters for nearby Toyako Onsen my day in the Toyako area starts at the uh Susan roadway on the eastern side of Mount Zuzu, Right beside the roadway station is show options on one of the youngest mountains in Japan.

The mountain was pushed at a flat farmland over a period of two years of multiple earthquakes and eruptions from 1943 to 1945 and is still constantly venting few moronic gases.

Today, the uh Susan rope way takes me from the bottom of Mount yuzu to near the top where there are a few observation decks and hiking trails.

I'm at the observation deck at the top of the roadway station and as you can see behind me, the view is simply amazing.

I've got show actions and behind me and Lake Toya to my right From there, it is a short walk to the 2nd observation Dick to see the smoking craters on Mount Usu.

The Great Observatory where I'm at right now, is only a few minutes walk from the upper rope way station here, you get to see the large crater which was made when the mountain erupted in 1977.

Yeah, as an active volcano mount uses monitored for potential eruptions.

Residents living in the vicinity, also live with the knowledge that they have to be prepared to evacuate at a moments notice It is with this readiness and preparedness that resulted in zero fatalities in the last eruption in 2000 despite the pyroclastic surge, spewing ash and rocks and fires causing great damage to structures.

The western side of Mount Zuzu was where the last eruption occurred.

In walking trails allow visitors to see the damage up close.

I start with a visit to the Toyako visitor center at the trailhead to learn more about volcanic activity in the area.

My walk begins from behind the visitor center and I arrived at the preserved ruins in no time.

It is recommended to set aside about 3-4 hours to see everything on the trails at a comfortable pace.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm about 10-15 minutes away on foot from the center of the hot spring town and this area where I'm in is where you can see the remains of the buildings which were damaged by the eruption in 2000.

Yeah, yeah.

Mhm.

From the ruins near the visitor center, the trail leads into a forested area where the greatest formed from the eruption in 2000 can be seen and continues to another area where the aftermath of the same eruption has been left as it is.

I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like living here having to evacuate and then returning to destruction.

I mean, this used to be a road.

I press on the trail this time passing distorted roads, smoking vents and other preserved structural ruins before reaching the kindergarten at the end.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm so glad that nobody died in the eruption in 2000.

Look at the damage caused to the Kindergarten.

Yeah, I found the contrast between the pleasant hot spring town along the shores of Lake Toya and the ruins and reality of a volcanic eruption to be very real.

It was a good reminder of the powerful energy in the earth and it is the same energy that gives us the good things like fantastic hiking opportunities, scenic views and vistas and hot spring baths to relax in.

And that was our overnight trip to the Chicago sequoia National Park.

Thanks for joining me.

I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspire some ideas.

Should you decide to plan an overnight trip to a national park.

For more information about this trip or to watch another video, click the links on the screen.

Now head over to Japan guide dot com, your comprehensive, up to date travel guide firsthand from Japan.

Thanks for watching.