This volcano’s gifts course offers you to enjoy the stunning sights of the youngest mountain in Japan “Heisei Shinzan”.
You may see how people have lived in harmony with a volcano through the disaster’s remains of volcano eruptions during 5 years since 1991 and the geographical beauty sculpted by the big eruption in 1792.
This area covered coast side. Mountains, and town satisfy you with many combination of your course choice.
Course Details
Shimabara Terminal → Chichibugaura Park（1.5km） → Waren-gawa River（3.7km） → Fukae Sakura Park（5.1km） → View from the bridge（6.0km） → Nita Daiichi Park（8.1km） → The gourd-shaped pond “Hyotan-ike”（10.5km）
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1.Chichibugaura Park
The Chichibugaura park was designated as Shimabara Peninsula Prefectural National Park in 1970. It is a picturesque place to see the Ariake Sea and islets floating there called “Tsukumo-jima”. Those islets are originated in the debris rushed in to the sea when the huge collapse of Mount Mayuyama Peak was caused by the volcanic activity in 1792. -
2.Heisei Shinzan
This mountain, a huge dome created by sticky dacite lava that heaped on a crater during volcanic activity over 1991–95, was designated as a Special Natural Monument in April 2004. Its highest peak is 1,483 meters. Because the surface of Heisei Shinzan is covered with unstable lava blocks, the top area is off limits, and climbing is prohibited. -
3.Gamadasu Dome (Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall)
The spacious exhibition hall is an entertainment facility for visitors to learn about the great power of nature, particularly volcanoes, and the wisdom of people who have faced volcanic activity. The hall offers insight into what happened since the start of volcanic activity on the Fugendake Peak of Mt. Unzen in November 1990 until it ceased in May 1996.
Opening hours: 9:00–18:00 (entry by 17:00)
Admission Fee: Adults ¥1,000; junior and senior high students ¥700; elementary students ¥500 -
4.Waren-gawa River
Waren-gawa River is the result of volcanic activity in 1792. People had used this spring water as their water source of life. In spite of another catastrophic pyroclastic flow on Jun 30 1991, which buried the area, this beautiful river survived. -
5.Fukae Sakura Park
The huge collapse of the lave dome made the pyroclastic flow about 6.5km down on 19 July, 1993. The farthest point of that flow is located in Fukae Sakura Park, which is popular with families. -
6.Nita Daiichi Park
The huge pyroclastic flow from Mount Unzen’s Fugen Peak took more than 40lives of Shimabara city on 3 June ,1991.
People offer flowers on June 3 every year at a memorial service held at Nita Danchi Daiichi Park, where a monument to the victims is located. From here, we can see small islets in the Ariake Sea called “Tsukumojima”. -
7.The gourd-shaped pond “Hyotan-ike”
In 1792, Mayuyama began collapsing as a result of an earthquake. The debris from the collapse rushed into the Ariake Sea, reclaiming part of the sea and creating a unique landscape called “nagare-yama.” The rough surfaces of the “nagare-yama” was maintained with the gourd-shaped pond called Hyotan-ike.
Nearby Attractions
Shimabara Onsen
With neutral pH, Shimabara Onsen is gentle on the skin and especially suitable for people with cuts, burns and chronic skin diseases. Drinking the onsen water is effective on chronic gastrointestinal disease, diabetes, gout and liver disease.
Day-use Onsen Facilities
Yutorogi-no-Yu, Hotel Nompuro, Ryokan Kaiboso, Hotel Seaside Shimabara,
Shinzan Onsen Ueno-Yu, Ariake Sogo Fukushi Center “Bijin-no-Yu”
Kanzarashi
Kanzarashi are small dumplings made of rice flour and served in a special syrup with the cold spring water of Shimabara.