Mount Osorezan is the collective name for the mountains surrounding Lake Uzori, a caldera lake, and Mount Kamagari, an 878-meter-high active volcano.
The Osorezan Bodaiji Temple is located on the shores of Lake Uzoriyama and is believed to be a place where the souls of the dead gather.
The area around the “hell” of Osorezan is filled with volcanic gas (sulfurous acid gas), which emits a sulfurous odor.
Because of the volcanic gases, grass and trees do not grow and animals are rare, and these have come to be equated with hell and sacred places.
Visitors to Osorezan may experience headaches, fatigue, and other mild symptoms of poisoning from the toxic gases.
The surrounding rivers and lakes are highly transparent due to the acidic lakes caused by hydrogen sulfide gushing from the riverbeds and lake beds.
The strange sight in the mountains was likened by Buddhist monks to the afterlife, attracting many worshippers and making the area known as a place of worship.
60 minutes from Nobechi Station to Shimokita Station on the JR Ominato Line. From Shimokita Station, 45 minutes by Shimokita Kotsu Bus to Osorezan. 25 minutes by cab.