Mt. Showa-Shinzan & Mt. Usu 昭和新山・有珠山
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Road to Showa-Shinzan. That's the Showa-Shinzan Youth Hostel on the right. Best way to get to Showa-Shinzan is by bus from Toyako Onsen bus terminal.
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Buses from Toyako Onsen don't run very often, so check the bus timetable beforehand. I opted to rent a bicycle and rode to Showa-Shinzan. Unless you like to push a bicycle up a very long slope for about 30 min., take a bus.
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Distance-wise, Showa-Shinzan is not very far. But the killer slope will get you... At least the return bike ride was a thrill and very quick.
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After a long walk uphill with a bicycle, Showa-Shinzan is in sight. Showa-Shinzan is in the town of Sobetsu.
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There's a large parking lot full of tourists.
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Mt. Showa-Shinzan is a lava dome which arose in the middle of farm land in 1943-45. Lake Toya, Hokkaido.
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We cannot climb Showa-Shinzan.
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The closest we can go is this park at the foot.
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Statue of Masao Mimatsu, a post office worker who observed and documented the development of Showa-Shinzan. His records are valuable.
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Statue of Masao Mimatsu.
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Park at the foot of Showa-Shinzan which means "New Mountain of the Showa Period." Showa-Shinzan is adjacent to Mt. Usu.
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A tourist village called Kazan-mura (Volcano Village) has developed at the foot of Showa-Shinzan. 火山村
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Mt. Usu is on the left, Showa-Shinzan on the right. In the background is the conical Mt. Yotei. Between Usu and Showa-Shinzan is the tourist village and the Usuzan Ropeway terminal.
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Usuzan Ropeway terminal on the left.
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Usuzan Ropeway car holds over 100 people.
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G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit welcome sign at Usuzan Ropeway terminal.
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Leaving the ropeway terminal.
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The ropeway distance is 1370 meters. It takes only 6 min. to reach Mt. Usu. The roundtrip ropeway fare is 1,450 yen for adults, 730 yen for kids.
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Showa-Shinzan gets smaller.
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Usuzan Ropeway, Lake Toya.
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View of Lake Toya from the ropeway car.
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View of Lake Toya from the ropeway car.
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Lookout deck on Mt. Usu, near the ropeway terminal.
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Toyako lookout deck on Mt. Usu, near the ropeway terminal. 洞爺湖展望台
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Lake Toya lookout deck on Mt. Usu, near the ropeway terminal. Showa-Shinzan clearly in sight. 洞爺湖展望台
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Mt. Showa-Shinzan as seen from Mt. Usu.
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Lake Toya's bald spot.
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Showa-Shinzan closeup. Still steaming.
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Lake Toya as seen from Mt. Usu.
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Lake Toya as seen from Mt. Usu.
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You can see the road (and youth hostel) where you turn right to reach Showa-Shinzan.
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Lava dome on Mt. Usuzan
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From the ropeway terminal is a path to another hill which has another lookout point.
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Alpine flowers
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Mt. Usu Crater lookout deck on the top of the hill. 有珠山火口原展望台
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Mt. Usu Crater lookout deck on the top of the hill. 有珠山火口原展望台
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This lookout point is for viewing the Ginnuma Crater.
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Lava dome on Mt. Usu. This volcano has erupted four times in the 20th century: 1910, 1943-45, 1977-78, and 2000 (on the west side called Nishiyama).
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Another hiking trail goes closer to Ginnuma Crater for a better view.
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Path to Ginnuma Crater
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Mt. Usu's Ginnuma Crater, one of the largest. It was created during the 1977 eruption. 銀沼大火口
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The hiking trail goes along the rim of Ginnuma Crater. Most people don't go that far. 銀沼大火口
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View of Date city and the ocean.
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During the last eruption in 2000, Toyako Onsen was damaged by the debris. But no one died because everyone had been evacuated. A series of tell-tale earthquakes prompted the evacuation.
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View of Showa-Shinzan and ropeway terminal.
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Heading back to the ropeway terminal.
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Ropeway terminal
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Ropeway terminal
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Going back down on the Usuzan Ropeway.
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The Usuzan Ropeway terminal has gift shops selling a variety of G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit merchandise. T-shirts, bags, candy, etc.
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This box of cookies show all the G8 Summit leaders bathing in a hot spring and scrubbing each other's backs. They also say, "Ii yu!" (great hot spring) which is pronounced "EU" as a pun.
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G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit merchandise: Pins
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G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit merchandise: T-shirts
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