Mt. Bandai, one of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains

 Mt. Bandai （磐梯山)

Mt. Bandai, in Fukushima, is a really beautiful, interesting mountain.  It's shape and the topography all around it is the result of massive volcanic eruptions in the past.  The latest eruption, in 1888, nearly wiped out the entire local population--all but 4 people who were out of the area for work at the time perished--eradicated a mountain peak, stopped a river, and created numerous swamps and lakes.  Along with the mountain, these spots offer innumerable leisure opportunities from hiking and boating to ice fishing and skiing.  

I think I will make another post about the stuff below the mountain in the near future.

It's my blog.  I'll post about whatever I please.  ;-)

This is a view of the north side of Mt. Bandai from our campground on Lake Hibara.  Bandai is the higher peak on the right.  

I was a bit nervous about this trip.  The weather forecast was for thunderstorms, hail, brimstone, frogs, locusts, bats from Wuhan . . .   This was my third trip up to this area.  The first time it rained so hard, I just stayed in the campground the whole time.  My first climb up Bandai was two years ago but this is all I got to see from the top. 

Thankfully, the weathermen were wrong.  It was gorgeous.  Who says you need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows?

Our route:

That is a hotspring we encountered on the trail.  There used to be public bath here.  This spot is called Nakanoyu (中の湯).

It smells like hell.  Really.  It's the smell of sulfur.

From the top:

Looking south to Lake Inawashiro, the largest lake in the area.  

Much better view than the last time!

There were a lot of dragonflies on the top.

This is Kevin, my sherpa.

When we were coming down, it was something to imagine that there used to be a mountainpeak towering here.  Kevin kept saying, "The mountain blew up."

I hope I didn't post too many pictures for you.  Less is more but it was really difficult to keep the number of pictures down.  It's such a beautiful place.

More soon.  Like I said, I think I'll make another post about the area below the mountain.   Take care of yourselves.