Mount Hotaka

It is a cone-shaped volcano with an elevation of 2,158 meters, located on the border between Kawaba Village, Tone County, and Minakami Town in northern Gunma Prefecture. It is also called "Hotakasan." It has a horseshoe-shaped explosion crater on the south side of the summit, and is surrounded by peaks such as Mae Hotaka, Kengamine, and Shishigahanayama. The slopes are carved into deep radiating valleys, and at the base of the mountain rice fields, miscellaneous grains, konjac yam, and apples are cultivated, and Hotaka Ranch is located. In recent years, the eastern foot of the mountain has rapidly become a tourist destination, with ski resorts such as Oguna Hotaka, Hotaka Ranch, and Oze Iwakura being built one after another, and some farms being converted into guesthouses. Minakami Plateau is located in the northwest, and Kawaba Onsen is located at the southern foot of the mountain. There are three trailheads: Hanasakiguchi, Kawabaguchi, and Fujiwaraguchi, but not many climbers go there.

[Murakami Sadao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

群馬県北部、利根(とね)郡川場村(かわばむら)とみなかみ町の境にあるコニーデ型の火山で標高2158メートル。「ほたかさん」ともいう。山頂部の南側に馬蹄(ばてい)形の爆裂火口を有し、それを囲んで前(まえ)武尊、剣ヶ峰(けんがみね)、獅子ヶ鼻(ししがはな)山などの峰に分かれる。斜面は深い放射谷で刻まれ、末端部で水田や雑穀、コンニャクイモ、リンゴなどが栽培され、武尊牧場がある。近年急激に東麓(とうろく)が観光地化し、前武尊（オグナほたか）、武尊牧場、尾瀬岩鞍(いわくら)などのスキー場が続々とつくられ、農家のなかには民宿にかわったところもある。北西に水上高原、南麓に川場温泉がある。登山口は花咲(はなさき)口、川場口、藤原口の三つがあるが、登山者は多くない。

［村木定雄］

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