Osorezan Bodaiji Temple

This place is really beautiful. It is someway different than the other jigokudani areas. The temple is very beautiful. There are free foot onsen as well.
There is a restaurant outside of the temple for simple meal. Toilets are also available and clean.
Overall highly recommend to visit this place.

I love coming here. The lake is beautiful and the mountains have an aliens landscape feel to them. The volcanic vents spew sulfur smoke and all you can hear is the wind and your own footsteps. Highly recommend coming here at least once.

Absolutely wonderful experience. There are English pamphlets available, the staff are extremely helpful. The lady in the gift shop tried to answer my question about the prayer service, and upon realizing I misunderstood what she was said, she found me and led me to where I needed to be. She was so kind, and I really appreciate her.
Depending on how much you walk around and explore, it can take 2+hours. Absolutely breathtaking views of mountains and stark contrast with sulfur ponds. If you are there to learn and experience, you can gain a lot of insight.

Osorezan is one of several major spiritual sites in Japan. The area is known as Fear Mountain, because of the landscape's similarities to descriptions of the Buddhist afterworld. I first visited here in 2017, on Obon. It was rainy, and the whole area was mist-shrouded during the visit, and it certainly leant to the atmosphere. At 500 yen, the time and the drive taken to reach this place is well worth it, however be mindful of those around you. This is a place worth seeing, but a place of deep spiritual significance to a majority of visitors. People come here to pray for lost family members, and the statues of Jizo, bear particular significance. The Jizo are often depicted carrying babies, and many toy offerings are laid at their feet, all of which are meant to be a form of prayer and hope for the renewal of the spirits of lost children.

The cost is 500 yen per individual. It's a recommended destination to visit upon returning from Cape Oma. Please be aware that there is a pervasive odor of sulfuric acid in the area.

I visited Osorezan (Fear mountain) which is known as the entrance to afterlife. All around the temple area, a hot spring gushes out. Rocks and soils are oxidized and turned out yellow, and the smell of sulfur fills the area. Here was a very convincing as a place where the souls of the dead gather.

This place is very far to get to. I would recommend to drive. This area is rural, no convenient stores around or public transportation. I road tripped from Tokyo and back, all up took a week with over night stop overs along the way. Traveling north is a very scenic, the local vibe, people and area changes as you travel away from the city areas.

This temple is pretty much on the very end of the island just before Hokkaido.

I went there in autumn, when the fall colours start coming out. It’s a little chill at around 14-18degrees celsius.

The temple has a unexplainable energy/vibe, since also know as the “Scared mountain”

There is free hot spring, so don’t forget to bring a towel. The water is known to cleanse bad spirits.
There are many things to see including a “blood lake”, mysterious beetles, heaven & hell etc

The experience is far from describable.

The terrain at Bodaiji is quite interesting. You should spare at least one hour to walk around the area. The sulfur smell is all around. If you have made your trip far enough to Shimokita, you should definitely add this place into your itinerary.

This place is one of the three holiest sites of Japan. It is founded in ninth century by great buddhist master Jikaku, En’nin. At the centre of Osorezan is Lake usori which is surrounded by eight peaks. The landscape represents a lotus flower which is a symbol of Lord Buddha. The name Jizo means mother earth. Just relax & do meditation in the nature.

I'm glad I went here before people started flooding in. The smell of the sulfur gets stronger as you approach the place. Felt quiet and eerie, the stuffy atmosphere added to the experience.

Not at all like other Temples. The hot sulfur springs bubbling up everywhere, the persistent smell of sulfur, and the lack of vegetation, gives this place an eerie atmosphere. Some Japanese believe you can meet your decreased ancestors here.

This is one of the most amazing places I have been. I highly recommend visiting. It is grouped with Hieizan and Koyasan as one of the three most sacred mountain temples in Japan. Of the three, Osorezan is by far the most remarkable. I recommend arriving early and if the weather is poor, all the better as the lowering clouds add to the eerie atmosphere. Be sure to walk along the lakefront, where the mineral content turns the water vibrant shades of blue and green. I recommend bringing your towel and taking a dip in the complimentary bathhouses (entrance is free with admission). The water is highly sulfuric, and they recommend not bathing for longer than 10 minutes. It’s also very hot, so be sure to acclimate yourself properly!

If you come from Aomori, ask at the tourist info center in front of the train station for train schedules. Basically, you have to change trains at Noheji station, then get off at Shimokita station and take the bus (departures are timed to line up with train arrivals). The one way trip takes several hours, but is very possible as a day trip. I spent a couple of hours wandering around the temple grounds and would not recommend trying to see it in less. I believe it is also possible to visit as a day trip from Hachinohe, and of course from Mutsu-shi, although the town itself doesn’t offer much (there are buses to a variety of spots on the Shimokita peninsula).

Osorezan is holy place for locals.
People believe that after we died, we come here.
This is after world.

Inside of temple, Onsen is available.

Went there on a very rainy day. But therefore the temple was not visited by anyone else and we could enjoy the serene place all alone:).
The sulfer fields, the temple and the lake are just beautiful. Even in bad weather. We did not go to visit the Onsen. Maybe next time?

Dont need to buy any ticket for the non JR line with the JR pass. But cannot do any middle stop. The place is amazing but smells like a million rotten eggs due to sulfur. The bus for reaching there from shimokita station is not cheap either but very easy to find when arriving there.

Amazing spot. Access is not that difficult than I expected. The road to here is paved and passing each other is easy all the way. Hot springs and the ground where sulfur is coming up in the precinct are extremely unique to this place.

Amazing experience. Wonderful views, mountains, lakes, sulfur fields and piles of pebbles are unforgetable. Would recommend to stay longer than an hour if you want to walk all the route.

Very serene n wonderful spiritual experience. Did a 1N stay in big spacious room. Food spread is wonderful too

This a must visit place in Aomori. Pictures cannot convey how beautiful, powerful and mystical this place is! It's an absolute love-love, would return if I could! It's gorgeous! Boiling water underneath lava rocks, hot volcano steam erupting from everywhere!! Awesome. It is open from 9am and the ticket is 500yen. It has free onsen for women upon entrance.

Amazing secret place. Leaving right feeling of spirituality.