What is a Geopark?

A Geopark is a natural park where you can enjoy learning about the relationship between humans and the earth. It’s not just about geology and landforms—it encompasses breathtaking landscapes, rare flora and fauna, cultural and historical elements, as well as delicious food and hot springs. A Geopark is essentially a theme park where you can have fun while learning about the earth.

Bandai Volcano is a stratovolcano consisting of three peaks: Mt. Bandai (Great Bandai, 1,816m), Mt. Kushigamine (1,636m), and Mt. Akahani (1,427m). The volcano is made up of andesitic lava solidified from erupted magma, along with thick layers of pyroclastic flow deposits and volcanic ash. Bandai Volcano began its activity around 300,000 to 400,000 years ago. Initially, a large volcanic body, including Mt. Kushigamine and Mt. Akahani, was formed. Thousands of years ago, the southwestern part of the volcano collapsed on a massive scale, causing a vast rock avalanche. Later, new volcanic activity in the collapsed area formed Great Bandai and Little Bandai to the north. Around 10,000 to 20,000 years ago, the current shape centered around Great Bandai was completed. Additionally, in 1888, a phreatic explosion caused the collapse of Little Bandai, creating steep cliffs and an exposed rock surface in the blast crater. The rock avalanche that flowed during this eruption dammed rivers, forming the lakes and ponds of the Urabandai area, including Lake Hibara and Goshikinuma.

Rock Avalanche

A “rock avalanche” is a large-scale, high-speed collapse of a mountain body. Unlike pyroclastic flows or mudflows, a rock avalanche consists of fragmented rock of various sizes that flows without containing magma or significant water. In areas where rock avalanches have occurred, undulating hills called “flow mounds” are formed. It is also known as “rock debris avalanche.”
Before the formation of Mt. Bandai, the region consisted of older layers and rocks, such as Cretaceous granite and metamorphic rocks (over 100 million years old), Miocene volcanic deposits (13–15 million years old), and Pleistocene pyroclastic flow deposits (around 1.5 million years old). Bandai Volcano began forming on this foundation approximately 70,000 years ago, with magma erupting above the Inawashiro Basin.

Flora of Mt. Bandai

The area around Mt. Bandai is home to deciduous broad-leaved forests typical of its latitude. However, the vegetation varies by altitude: oak forests (510–750m), beech forests (750–1,500m), and Aomori fir forests (1,500–2,000m). In Urabandai, on the rock avalanche deposits from the Meiji eruption, transitional forests of red pine and alder, as well as communities of mosses in nutrient-poor lakes and grasslands, can be found. The area is also home to glacial relict plants in high-altitude wetlands such as the Oguni Marsh and Akai Marsh Land.

Fauna of Mt. Bandai

The area around Mt. Bandai is home to a variety of wildlife, including small mammals, birds, and insects. Birds and dragonflies are particularly abundant. Among mammals, large species such as Asiatic black bears and serows, medium-sized species like Japanese macaques and hares, and small species like squirrels and Japanese flying squirrels (a total of 30 species) have been recorded. Regarding birds, approximately 100 species of resident and summer birds, such as alpine accentors (in alpine areas), narcissus flycatchers (in forests), common kingfishers (near water), and cuckoos (in grasslands), have been observed. Additionally, around 60 species of winter birds have been documented.

History of Mt. Bandai

Since ancient times, Mt. Bandai has been revered as a sacred mountain where deities reside. In particular, on the southwestern slopes, the Buddhist monk Tokuitsu from Nara established “Enichiji Temple” in the early Heian period. Enichiji, a temple located in a hilly area overlooking the Aizu Basin and facing the sacred Mt. Bandai, enshrined Yakushi Nyorai as its main deity and Bandai Myojin at its inner sanctum. This syncretic site of Buddhism and Shinto flourished as a mountain temple and was one of the most prominent temples in Eastern Japan, holding significant historical and cultural value.