Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Explore Unzen Jigoku Steam rising from the ground beside the road
Unzen has more than 30 hells, including Seishichi Jigoku. Wander the paths, listening for sounds and feeling the steam rising from below. I’ll share my winter walk here, along with the local specialty: hot spring eggs.
Let me show you what it’s like to explore Unzen Jigoku on foot, starting with the plumes I saw on a winter morning.
WinterA clear winter morning
Steam rising from the ground beside the road
I couldn't believe how much steam was rising right beside the road. On a clear winter morning, I arrived at Unzen Jigoku and started walking. White steam billowed up beyond the railing and drifted in front of a building. I stopped in my tracks. I was only at the start of the walk, but I wanted to stay and watch what was happening right in front of me.
I pulled my coat close over my knit sweater and watched from the path. In the cold air, the plumes stretched upward, then drifted sideways. The sulfur scent in the air told me I was in Unzen Onsen. Heat from beneath the ground was rising right up into the open air. The plumes felt much closer than they had in the photos.
Unzen Jigoku has more than 30 hells, including Seishichi Jigoku, Oito Jigoku, and Daikyokan Jigoku. After staring at the steam by the road, I decided to head for the walking path. The names had seemed a little abstract when I only read them, but once I was beside the steam, I found myself wanting to listen closely and hear what the place sounded like.
I stopped on the path, and a sound reached me from beyond the steam. I waited for the plumes to thin, watching the ground closely. When the part that had been hidden came into view, I straightened up without thinking. It was only the steam moving, but it made the whole scene seem to shift. I kept looking, even from the same spot.
When I took a breather, I had a hot spring egg cooked in steam from the hells. It’s a local specialty at Unzen Jigoku Kobo. As I peeled it and took a bite, the sounds I’d heard and the plumes I’d watched along the path came back to me. Knowing the egg and the hells right in front of me were connected made me want to savor the rest.
When I came back to the roadside on my way out, the steam was still rising into the sky. At first, I was struck by the sheer size of the plumes. After walking the paths, I found I could still hear the sounds rising from the ground in my mind. I won’t forget feeling the winter chill and the hot springs’ warmth in Unzen. I slipped my hands into my coat pockets and stayed to watch just a little longer before heading home.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Unzen hot spring eggs
Unzen Jigoku Kobo offers hot spring eggs, a local specialty cooked in steam from the hells. After my walk, one bite brought the plumes I’d just seen right back to mind.
Highlights
The scent of sulfur and steam rising from the ground
At Unzen Jigoku, the air carries the scent of sulfur as steam and heat rise from the ground. The plumes felt much closer than they had in photos, and I was captivated before I’d even set off along the path.
Feel the geothermal heat under your feet
There’s also “Unzen Jigoku Ashimushi,” where you place your feet to feel the geothermal heat and steam rising from the ground. After taking in the scenery, I found myself wanting to experience Unzen Jigoku another way, too.
Route information
Around Unzen Jigoku
Leave the car and explore on foot, following the path beside the road and the walking trails through the hells. I stopped at the very first plume of steam.
As you explore the hells, try stopping to listen, too. For me, it left a different memory from simply watching the steam.
More Spot Guides
If you enjoyed this story, you might like these places too. I've gone back to each of them in different seasons, again and again.
