Sōunkyō Gorge
Sōunkyō (Japanese: 層雲峡, そううんきょう) is a scenic gorge located in Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido, Japan. It lies within the Daisetsuzan National Park and stretches approximately 24 kilometers along the steep cliffs of the Ishikari River. It is one of the major tourist attractions in the Daisetsuzan area.
The gorge is home to the Sōunkyō Onsen, one of the larger hot spring areas in Hokkaido. In addition to enjoying hot spring baths, visitors can explore various natural attractions in the area, including popular sites such as the stunning Ryusei (Shooting Star) Falls and Ginga (Milky Way) Falls.
On both sides of the gorge, you can see volcanic pyroclastic flow deposits that were formed around 30,000 years ago during eruptions of the Daisetsuzan volcano. Over time, erosion by the river has created magnificent columnar jointing formations, with cliffs reaching up to 200 meters in height.
In the past, this area was called "so-un-pet" (ソウウンベツ) in the Ainu language, meaning "river with many waterfalls." In 1921, the Japanese poet Keigetsu Ōmachi named the area "Sōunkyō."
