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Mt. Io, meaning "Sulphur Mountain," is a lava dome spewing steam and sulphur gases. Tourists can walk and easily see the sulphur and steam vents.
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Literally nicknamed "Sulfur Mountain," Mt. Io is a convenient, steaming tourist attraction between Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu. The mountain's Ainu name is "Atosa-nupuri," meaning "naked mountain" since it hardly has an
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Mt. Io is Kawayu Onsen's hot spring source. It was also a sulphur mine from 1877 to 1896. At the time, sulphur was widely used in cigarette matches and gunpowder.
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The mining operations here and in other nearby mountain quickly developed local industry in eastern Hokkaido which had been largely undeveloped.
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Since there was no machinery in those days, mining operations were done manually with a pick and shovel. Prison labor was used for the mining. The sulphur was then loaded on horseback and boats to Kushiro.
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Mt. Io, Hokkaido. You can get quite close to the sulphur vents.
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In 1887, a railway was built from Mt. Io to Shibecha, 41 km away. It was Hokkaido's second railway to be built after the railway between Sapporo and Otaru.
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After the mining operation closed in 1896, the Hokkaido government bought the railway. Today, this railway is connected to JR Senmo Line which opened in 1931.
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Sulphur mining ended altogether in Hokkaido in 1963.
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Note that there are other mountains named Mt. Io (Io-zan). This one is near Kawayu Onsen hot spring in Hokkaido.
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Back to the visitor's center.
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