Page 182 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Volcano and Geothermal Tourism in Japan – Examples from Honshu and Hokkaido 159

with a period of voluminous lava flows from are highly valued for their beneficial properties.
11,000 to 8000 years ago, which account for four- Of equal importance is the fact that friendly
fifths of the volume of the present Mt Fuji. Minor socializing on equal terms in relaxing surroundings
explosive eruptions dominated activity from 8000 is central to Japanese society, be that in a mountain
to 4500 years ago, with another period of major hut on a volcano or in a hot spring.
lava flows occurring from 4500 to 3000 years ago. Although it is not clear whether the earliest
Subsequently, intermittent major explosive communities in Japan used these resources during
eruptions occurred, with subordinate lava flows the Jomon period of settlement (from c. 10,000
and small pyroclastic flows. Summit eruptions years ago to 600BC; Habu, 2004), considering the
dominated from 3000 to 2000 years ago, after the extent of the resources and their physical
which flank vents were active. The extensive lava presence (active volcanoes and hot springs), the
flows from the summit and some of the more than climate and human nature it seems more than
100 flank cones and vents blocked drainage routes likely that the earliest communities made use of
around the mountain, forming the Fuji Five Lakes. geothermal activity wherever it was available. As in
The last eruption of this dominantly basaltic most countries, however, the ancient people of
volcano occurred in 1707 and formed a large new Japan did not concern themselves with recording
crater on the east flank. The view of vulcanologists the origin and development of thermal resources
(Hoshizumi and Nakano, 2009) is that there may and attractions, except where they were of use for
be some minor volcanic activity at Mt Fuji in the military, medical or imperial family purposes.
next few years. There is some indication that the Japanese did
have a tradition of ritual hot spring bathing using
The cultural and historical local geothermal resources by the end of the
significance of the Japanese subsequent Yayoi period around AD297 as
mentioned in the History of the Kingdom of Wei
volcanic environment for (Clark, 1999; Erfurt-Cooper and Cooper, 2009),
tourism but it is not clear if this refers to the use of natural
hot springs or the general use of water for
In Japan the use of volcano environments for purification purposes. Sekioka and Yoshii (2000)
leisure and recreation and of volcanically derived suggest that hot spring bathing may have been
water for bathing is an important part of life. The practised as early as 6000 years ago on the eastern
country is blessed with an abundance of these side of Lake Suwa (Nagano Prefecture) where
resources that are of historical significance, having ruins of ancient settlements have been found. At
been utilized for many centuries (Erfurt-Cooper this site stones with [mineral] encrustations were
and Cooper, 2009). The volcanoes and the tourism discovered at a depth of approximately six metres
that they support have been incorporated in the and it is thought that these stones could have been
national and quasi (prefectural) national park used to frame hot spring pools used for geothermal
system (Table 10.3; Ministry of the Environment, bathing. Whatever the truth of this, many
2002; Southerland and Britton, 1995), while the traditional hot springs in Japan date back several
Japanese hot springs (onsen) maintain a traditional centuries and the custom of hot spring bathing
atmosphere even if they are found in a modernized based directly on geothermal resources derived
bath-house. This situation comes about as a result from volcanism has a special place in Japanese
of there being a definite cultural preference for culture, and continues to be maintained by the
authentic hot spring water and the shared majority of the population.
experiences of volcanic eruptions and related
natural phenomena in Japan. The ambience of the
natural environment is carefully guarded and Patterns of volcano tourism in
preserved in national parks especially around hot Honshu and Hokkaido
spring resources and the water is considered to Noboribetsu in south-western Hokkaido is the
have a good ‘feel’ due to certain minerals, which location of the Noboribetsu-onsen, Karurusu-onsen

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