Hakkoda
Encyclopedia
The is a volcanic mountain range
that lies to the south of Aomori
city in Aomori Prefecture
, Japan
. The range consists more than a dozen stratovolcano
es and lava dome
s arranged into two volcanic group
s. The Northern Hakkōda Volcanic Group emerges from the rim of a 8-km wide caldera that dates back to the Pleistocene
. The Southern Hakkōda Volcanic Group predates the caldera.
, and there are two mountain huts for overnight trips. The lower slopes of the mountains are forested interspersed with moorland. Above 1300 meters, the Alpine climate
zone starts.
The Hakkōda Mountains, along with Lake Towada
and the Oirase Valley
make up the Towada-Hachimantai National Park
.
's IJA 8th Division
's Fifth Infantry Group died during a blizzard that struck them while they were attempting to cross the Hakkōda Mountains from Aomori in a military training exercise. The exercise was meant to gather experience in dealing with winter weather. Japan was preparing for a possible conflict with the Russian Empire
in Siberia
and Manchuria
, which eventually was realized as the Russo-Japanese War
. Corporal Fusanosuke Gotō
managed to get help for the beleaguered unit. The story is recounted in Death March on Mount Hakkōda: A Documentary Novel, by Japanese author Jirō Nitta
.
, dacite
, and basalt
. Although both groups of mountains formed in the Pleistocene, the southern group is older than the northern group. The southern group is made from rock that is 700,000 to 1,700,000 years old, while the northern group is made from rock that is 13,000 to 700,000 years old.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
that lies to the south of Aomori
Aomori, Aomori
is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the city had an estimated population of 302,068 and a density of 366 persons per km². Its total area was 824.52 km².- History :...
city in Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The range consists more than a dozen stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
es and lava dome
Lava dome
|250px|thumb|right|Image of the [[rhyolitic]] lava dome of [[Chaitén Volcano]] during its 2008–2009 eruption.In volcanology, a lava dome is a roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano...
s arranged into two volcanic group
Volcanic group
A volcanic group is a collection of related volcanoes or volcanic landforms. Note that the term is also used in a different sense when it denotes a suite of associated rock strata largely of volcanic origin; see group for details.-Notable volcanic groups:-See also:*Complex...
s. The Northern Hakkōda Volcanic Group emerges from the rim of a 8-km wide caldera that dates back to the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
. The Southern Hakkōda Volcanic Group predates the caldera.
Description
The highest peak in the range is Mount Ōdake, which can be climbed from Sukayu Onsen in about four hours. Heavy snowfall makes Hakkoda a prime destination for backcountry and mountain skiersSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
, and there are two mountain huts for overnight trips. The lower slopes of the mountains are forested interspersed with moorland. Above 1300 meters, the Alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
zone starts.
The Hakkōda Mountains, along with Lake Towada
Lake Towada
is the largest crater lake in Honshū island, Japan. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters above sea level and is 327.0m depth, and is drained by the Oirase river. With a surface area of 61.1 km², Towada is Japan's 12th largest lake, its bright blue...
and the Oirase Valley
Oirase River
The is a river located in eastern Aomori prefecture, Japan.The Oirase River is the only river draining Lake Towada, a large caldera lake on the border of Aomori and Akita Prefectures. The river flows in a generally eastern direction, through the municipalities of Towada, Rokunohe, Oirase and...
make up the Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
Towada-Hachimantai National Park is a national park in the Tohoku region, Honshū, Japan. The park covers Lake Towada, most of the Oirase River valley and the nearby Hachimantai plateau.-External links:...
.
Disaster of the Fifth Infantry Group
On January 23, 1902, 199 of the 210 members of the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
's IJA 8th Division
8th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call-sign was the .-History:The 8th Infantry Division was formed on 1 October 1898, as one of the six new reserve divisions created after the First Sino-Japanese War. It consisted of troops from the Tōhoku region of Japan, primarily Aomori...
's Fifth Infantry Group died during a blizzard that struck them while they were attempting to cross the Hakkōda Mountains from Aomori in a military training exercise. The exercise was meant to gather experience in dealing with winter weather. Japan was preparing for a possible conflict with the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, which eventually was realized as the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. Corporal Fusanosuke Gotō
Fusanosuke Goto
was a soldier in the Imperial Japanese Army memorialized by the Memorial Statue of the Hakkoda Death March in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.In January 1902 several soldiers in the 5th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion became trapped on the Hakkōda Mountains; this was the start of the Hakkōda...
managed to get help for the beleaguered unit. The story is recounted in Death March on Mount Hakkōda: A Documentary Novel, by Japanese author Jirō Nitta
Jiro Nitta
is the pen name of popular Japanese historical novelist . He was born in an area that is now part of the city of Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.-Career:...
.
Geology
The volcanic peaks are made of non-alkali mafic rock; mostly andesiteAndesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
, dacite
Dacite
Dacite is an igneous, volcanic rock. It has an aphanitic to porphyritic texture and is intermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. The relative proportions of feldspars and quartz in dacite, and in many other volcanic rocks, are illustrated in the QAPF diagram...
, and basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
. Although both groups of mountains formed in the Pleistocene, the southern group is older than the northern group. The southern group is made from rock that is 700,000 to 1,700,000 years old, while the northern group is made from rock that is 13,000 to 700,000 years old.
List of peaks
The following is a list of peaks and their heights:- Northern Group:
- 1585 m
- 1552 m
- 1537 m
- 1521 m
- 1478 m
- 1360 m
- 1324 m
- 1251.7 m
- 1240.3 m
- 1202 m
- Mount Tsurugi
- Southern Group:
- 1516.5 m
- Includes 1516.5 m and 1342 m
- 1450 m
- 1416 m
- 1353.6 m
- 1339.4 m
- 1290 m
- 1198.8 m
- 1183 m
- 1516.5 m