Entree Kibbles: Sengen Park (Geyser) beside Takimoto Inn @ Noboribetsu [Hokkaido, Japan]

The good thing about modern technology is that searching for information is much more convenient nowadays and for a free and easy traveler, the use of google map is terribly helpful for planning!

Before my Hokkaido trip, i was already wondering about this particular place i chanced upon at google map when i was searching for the route to Takimoto Inn, our accommodation in Noboribetsu.

Sengen Park - interestingly as you can see, there were 8 over-sized spiked cudgels dotted over this tiny park and with each of them painted a different color, it's a visual attraction that beckons you to come nearer for a closer look.

In addition to the colorful cudgels, your eyes would also be mystified by the bursts of natural hot spring mist generated from the nearby Hell's Valley.

If not for the fact that this is the main area of the onsen village with buildings all over, the loud cloud of steam would have generated quite a fright in the middle of the night for someone driving past the park!

I believe there's some significance to the color for each of the cudgels and the above would have provided the required information if it's available in other languages like English. Anyway, i counted nine on the panel but there were only eight on site! Maybe the last one is the humongous cudgel in Dai-ichi Takimotokan.

Remember what are those wooden tablets known as? Votive tablets and as with the one at Mt. Tengu, you can purchase, write your wishes and hang them up using the existing ropes circling the cudgel.

For someone who is short (like me), i can only use the rope on the lower segment. I did regret not buying the votive tablet in noboribetsu as i could add on to the one i got in Mt. Tengu.

Park is more a parade square than a park per-se as i tend to associate the former with tons of trees and maybe a lake. Whatever the case, i did notice a slight of staircase leading to what appeared to be a tunnel.

With hot mists gushing out at certain intervals, there's actually a fence to prevent anyone from climbing any further; obviously for safety reasons.

The above is the reason why sengen park is also known as geyser park although i am under the impression that geyser is a lot more towering than the hardly 3-4 meters height that it's contained under.

Clearer scene when the geyser is not in much activity; the mist continued to be generated even though it's in much lesser quantity.

A helpful notice on the side shared that every three hours, the geyser would purge at least 2,000 liters of water of about 80 degrees celcius for about 50 minutes. Loud noise will be generated and it's supposed to eject up to 8 meters high! How to be 8 meters when the compartment is not as high?!