Oyasukyo Daifunto Gorge
Oyasukyo Gorge is located in the city of Yuzawa. The main attraction of this gorge is Daifunto, which is an area within the gorge that has a lot of geothermal activity. It’s a very short pathway that goes through steam clouds and has a beautiful waterfall view. The entire path runs along the Minase River which is what formed the gorge after many years of erosion. This gorge can be visited during any season, but I went during fall since it’s the most beautiful during that time.
Oyasukyo is also known as “Hell’s Cauldron” due to waters reaching 208F (98C) and hot steam clouds being released between the rocks. Walking through the steam feels like a dream, and it also feels nice in the cool fall air. This was one of the very first places I visited in Japan and I was genuinely awestruck over how amazing this place was. This was my very first glimpse into the beauty of rural Japan, and it unlocked a desire to find the most stunning places in the countryside.
Geothermal Activity
The geothermal activity is the reason why Oyasukyo looks so awesome. Melting snow and rainwater seep underground, then geothermal heat causes it to boil. The water returns to the surface as steam. This phenomenon is usually invisible, however, the erosion caused by the Minase River makes it visible. That’s what makes this place so special!
I went with Zach for the first time and we turned into children at this part of the gorge. When the steam became thick, we made it a game to try and find each other. Our glasses would fog up and make it even more impossible to see, so we were constantly wiping them. As a Floridian, I get cold easily, so it was really hard to leave this area since the steam was so warm. The crisp, cool fall air made me instantly freeze so I found myself in a loop trying to leave but being drawn back to the warmth. The icing on the cake was the cool photos we got in the steam. This is an unforgettable memory during my first few months in Japan.
Steam being released through the crevices in the gorge.
I was really enjoying the warmth of the steam!
Perfect Fall Day
Since the walk from beginning to end is so short, Oyasukyo Daifunto makes for a very relaxing stroll during the fall season. It’s one of the more popular attractions in the small city of Yuzawa. The scenery here is magical and I stayed for a while just taking in the views. I had never seen fall colors before, so I kind of feel spoiled because this was certainly an impressive first look at the beauty that is fall.
Towards the end of the path, I saw a distant waterfall peek out of the steam. As I got closer, I saw part of the river with vibrant leaves and… two waterfalls! It truly felt like I was looking at a painting.
