May 18, 2012 - 1 min read

Hakone's Awesome Owaku-dani Valley

Appreciating the frightening power of nature

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

Coming into the valley from above is quite frightening.

Phreatic explosions are taking place right under your feet.

The local gods are always on duty here, protecting all from the horrors below!

This place is awesome and attracts huge numbers of visitors.

This hot spring water is used to boil the black-shelled eggs.

The valley can also look quite beautiful.

The eggs are not black--only the shells are, from the sulphur and iron in the onsen water.

This water is used for purification purposes.

Intense energy is popping up from under the clefts of rocks all around you. Phreatic explosions are taking place right under your feet. Welcome to Owaku-dani Valley! It must have been so scary for the ancient people who lived near here in the Hakone mountain ranges. Even now I experience a kind of helpless feeling when I see this eerie view. Why? I think it’s because we can’t do anything in the face of the sudden destructive power of Mother Earth.

More info

Find out more about Owakudani.

Was this article helpful?

Help us improve the site

Give Feedback

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

Following Follow

Victoria Vlisides 8 years ago

Thanks for the photos... I was really sad Owakudani was closed when I traveled there in May 2016 for Golden Week :(

Odilia Sindy Okinawati 8 years ago

I went to Hakone before and can't go trough Owakudani because there were eruption. This picture helps me to imagine Owakudani is and also, the black egg!

2 comments in total