Aomori

Hell and Heaven: Osorezan

A wasteland with subtle beauty

Justin Velgus May 07, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>There are some clear, but unmarked footpaths. However, you are basically free to wander around</p>

<p>Steam from deep inside the earth chars nearby rocks</p>

<p>Looking back towards the entrance</p>

<p>A few small streams crisscross the otherwise desolate environment</p>

<p>Volcanic activity can be smelled and seen around Osorezan</p>

<p>Rocks stacked for the souls of children to reach paradise</p>

<p>A pond with Lake Usori in the background</p>

<p>Lake Usori is a caldera lake (formed by a volcanic eruption)</p>

<p>Another view of Osorezan with the main temple in the background</p>

<p>There are many memorials throughout the grounds</p>

<p>There are four hot springs on the grounds open to visitors</p>

<p>One of the two men's baths. Women have two separate baths nearby</p>

<p>Wooden tablets create a spooky setting</p>

People visit Osorezan in Aomori Prefecture's Shimokita Peninsula for a number of reasons. Devote believers come for a religious experience, others come to pray for their children that died too young, and fans of geography and geology to study the volcanic landscape. However, most visitors come as tourists. Advertised as on the three most sacred places in the northeastern region of Japan known as Tohoku--and as the Buddhist image of Hell--Osorezan leaves a lasting impression for all which make the long journey to its grounds.

It is not hard to imagine why the gray, barren, and rocky landscape dotted with Jizo statues and holes which vent sulfuric odors is said to be the entrance to Hell. On the other hand, the beautiful Lake Usori, adjacent green hills, and soothing hot springs also suggest a hidden paradise within this brutal world waiting to be discovered.

Justin Velgus @justin.velgus

Justin Velgus (ジャスティンベルガス) is the Miyagi Prefecture expert for Japan Travel and a long-term contributor since 2012 with a focus on the Tohoku region. Justin has written extensively for JT, and other publications such as VisitMiyagi and Sake Today, amassing over 350 published articles...