Azuma-Kofuji

Azuma-Kofuji is a 1,707-metre andesite volcanic cone in Bandai-Asahi National Park, sitting on the border between Fukushima and Yamagata prefectures. Its name translates roughly as "Little Fuji of the East", a reference to its near-perfect symmetrical profile when seen from the surrounding plateau. The crater holds a striking caldera with a turquoise crater lake, reachable via a well-maintained loop trail that most hikers complete in two to three hours. In October the surrounding slopes turn vivid crimson and gold, making this one of the Tohoku region's most celebrated autumn-foliage destinations. Active fumaroles and sulphur vents along the crater rim are a visible reminder that the mountain remains geologically alive.