Aurora Borealis: geomagnetics made visible
The main reason we're here in Iceland for three weeks in winter is because, for his birthday trip, Jay wanted to see and photograph the Aurora Borealis. Fortunately, we have been successful! During the first two weeks we were here, there were many cloudy skies and no chance to view lights in the northern skies, although we still enjoyed other...
Iceland’s 2024 volcanic eruptions—threats to Grindavik and Blue Lagoon
In my last post, I described the flows that emitted from the Fagradalsfjall fissure during the 2012-23 eruptions that heralded a new period of active volcanism in the Reykjanes Volcanic Belt: https://landscapes-revealed.net/return-to-iceland-viewing-lava-from-the-2021-23-eruptions/. At the end of 2023, volcanic eruptions began in a new place. They continued until the end of 2024, and will likely continue in 2025. Background about the...
Return to Iceland—viewing lava from the 2021–23 eruptions
In July 2022, I visited Iceland for the first time with a group of geologists. On August 15, 19, and 20, I posted blogs about this visit. These posts can be found by date or by selecting "Iceland" under Categories. I'll also refer to these posts below. I've now returned in winter with Jay, who wanted to celebrate his big...
Castles, temples and power rocks
I'm back home in Oregon, but can't leave the topic of Japan without revisiting some of the sites Japan is most famous for—castles and temples. At these sites, we were impressed by the intentional choice and position of rocks, often carried over great distances and implying symbolic meaning and power. Here is a sampling. Castle of the Tokugawa shogunate in...
Tateyama Alpine Route in ten stages
In the early 1970’s, a 37 km (23 mile) long east–west route was created in the northern part of the Northern Japan Alps. This Alpine Route reaches an elevation of 2450 m (8,000 ft) and provides access to impressive mountain scenery. Although the infrastructure is somewhat dated, the route remains a popular tourist activity. To preserve the natural setting and...
Kamikoche—Japan’s Yosemite Valley
Kamikoche Valley is not bordered by glacially-scoured granite walls like Yosemite Valley, but it is a wildly popular site within the Chubu-sangaku National Park. As in Yosemite National Park, most visitors go to the valley, but there is also an extensive network of higher-elevation trails for hiking and backpacking. Also like Yosemite, the area has an interesting geologic history. Although...
Walking the Nakasendo, an ancient (Edo-era) road
Nakasendo (meaning Central Mountain Route), is where Samurai warriors and other officials walked, starting more than 400 years ago. This road served as a vital artery for trade, communication, and cultural exchange among the central regions of Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868) when warring fiefdoms had been united under the Shogun Tokugawa. If you watched the recent TV series...
Volcanoes, onsens, and Japan’s first geopark
Hanging out around active volcanoes, and the calderas of volcanoes that previously blew themselves up, has certain advantages. One clear benefit is that the hot magma associated with active volcanism heats groundwater that can rise to the surface to create hot springs. Hokkaido is crazy with hot springs. In Japan, onsen refers to the springs themselves and to the hotels...
Daisetsuzan National Park: the rooftop of Hokkaido
Daisetsuzan National Park was established in 1934, the oldest park in Hokkaido, along with Akan-Mashu National Park. The park was nicknamed "the rooftop of Hokkaido" because it has the tallest mountains on the island. It is huge—at 2,267 km2 (875 miles2), it is the largest national park not only in Hokkaido, but in all of Japan. The Ishikari River, which...
Akan-Mashu National Park: nests of volcanoes and calderas
You may have visited Crater Lake, Oregon's only national park. You may know that it is misnamed. A crater is the depression on the top of a volcano where lava and/or pyroclastic materials spew forth during eruptions. But Crater Lake should actually be called Caldera Lake. Calderas are formed when volcanoes are so explosive that they blow off a major...
Shiretoko Peninsula: Japan’s “end of the earth”
One of the most remote parts of Japan, Shiretoko is derived from sir etok, meaning “the end of the earth” in the Ainu language. Ainu people lived in the region for thousands of years, but like indigenous groups worldwide, they were discriminated against, and largely obliterated when, in this case, the Japanese people moved into Hokkaido in the 19th century....
Japan: a country full of geologic activity
Jay and I arrived in Japan on 27 August and will be traveling in the country for 6 weeks. There are many reasons to travel here. The culture and history are fascinating and—wow!—who doesn't enjoy the high quality food. For two earth scientists, learning more about the country's geologic makeup is another big draw. In Japan, no one is immune...
About the Blogger
Karen (here with Mt. Shasta in background) is a geology professor emerita who aims to provide a "pocket geologist" for world travelers. Follow the blog to explore the landscapes of our planet and figure out what causes them to look the way they do.