The , commonly called Mount Zaō, are a complex cluster of
stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and per ...
es on the border between
Yamagata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the north, ...
and
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,305,596 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefecture to the nort ...
in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. The central volcano of the group includes several
lava dome
In volcanology, a lava dome is a circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Dome-building eruptions are common, particularly in convergent plate boundary settings. Around 6% of eruptions on ...
s and a
tuff cone
Volcanic cones are among the simplest volcanic landforms. They are built by ejecta from a volcanic vent, piling up around the vent in the shape of a cone with a central crater. Volcanic cones are of different types, depending upon the nature and s ...
, Goshiki-dake, which contains a
crater lake
Crater Lake (Klamath language, Klamath: ''Giiwas'') is a volcanic crater lake in south-central Oregon in the western United States. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The ...
named "Okama" (
御釜). Also known as the "Five Color Pond" (
五色沼, ''goshiki numa'') because it changes color depending on the weather, it lies in a
crater
Crater may refer to:
Landforms
*Impact crater, a depression caused by two celestial bodies impacting each other, such as a meteorite hitting a planet
*Explosion crater, a hole formed in the ground produced by an explosion near or below the surfac ...
formed by a volcanic eruption in the 1720s. The lake is in diameter and deep, and is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.
One striking feature of Zaō's famous ski resorts is the "snow monsters" (
樹氷, Juhyō) that appear in mid-winter. Strong wind over the nearby lake fling water droplets which freeze against the trees and their branches, until near-horizontal icicles begin to form. Falling snow settles on the ice formations, and the end result is a grotesque figure of a tree. The effect of a full forest of such trees gives visitors a ghostly impression. Zaō is one of the
100 famous mountains in Japan.
''Rotaria rotatoria'' and ''Pinnularia spp.'' are found in the acidic Okama Lake.
File:Zao Volcano Relief Map, SRTM-1.jpg, Relief Map
File:Zao 2006 Sanctuary.jpg, Okama Crater
File:Aerial photo of Okama, the crater lake of Mt. Zaō in 1976.jpg, Okama Crater
File:Zao snow monsters.jpg, Snow monsters
File:Mount Zao Winter Miyagi 12 Feb 2021.jpg, View from Mount Zao in winter
File:Mount Zaō 3D, Japan.gif, A 3D rendering
See also
*
List of mountains in Japan
The following is a list of the mountains and hills of Japan, ordered by height.
Mountains over 1000 meters
Mountains under 1000 meters
As the generally accepted definition of a mountain (versus a hill) is 1000 m of height and 500 m of prom ...
*
List of volcanoes in Japan
This is a list of active and extinct volcanoes in Japan. An Orange background indicates a volcano considered active by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Hokkaido
Honshū
Izu Islands
Ogasawara Archipelago
The Ogasawara Archipelag ...
*
Snow country (Japan)
refers to areas in Japan characterized by heavy, long-lasting snowfalls.
The rather poetic can refer to any place with heavy or deep snows and is generally understood as a reference to the Sea of Japan side of Honshū (Japan's main island) an ...
*
Zaō Ropeway The is the name of Japanese aerial lift system, as well as its operator. The route, consisting of two lines, climbs Mount Zaō at Zaō Onsen, Yamagata, Yamagata. The lines transport skiers of Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort and rime spectators in ...
References
External links
*
*
Zaozan- Japan Meteorological Agency
* - Japan Meteorological Agency
- Geological Survey of Japan
Zaozan- Smithsonian Institution: Global Volcanism Program
Mountains of Yamagata Prefecture
Mountains of Miyagi Prefecture
Volcanoes of Honshū
Active volcanoes
Complex volcanoes
Volcanic crater lakes
Volcanoes of Yamagata Prefecture
Volcanoes of Miyagi Prefecture
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