Home > HOKKAIDO 北海道 > Teshikaga 弟子屈町 > Mt. Io 硫黄山

io300-2219810913d-020a.jpg
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.
io301-2219810913d-021a.jpg
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
io302-2219810913d-025a.jpg
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.
io303-2219810913d-024a.jpg
The mining operations here and in other nearby mountain quickly developed local industry in eastern Hokkaido which had been largely undeveloped.
io304-2219810913d-023a.jpg
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.
io305-2219810913d-026a.jpg
Mt. Io, Hokkaido. You can get quite close to the sulphur vents.
io306-2219810913d-029a.jpg
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.
io307-2219810913d-030a.jpg
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.
io308-2219810913d-022a.jpg
Sulphur mining ended altogether in Hokkaido in 1963.
io309-2219810913d-027a.jpg
Note that there are other mountains named Mt. Io (Io-zan). This one is near Kawayu Onsen hot spring in Hokkaido.
io310-2219810913d-028.jpg
io311-2219810913d-031a.jpg
Back to the visitor's center.
12 files on 1 page(s)