Terrain Changes Following the Eruption
The eruption of Mt. Bandai in 1888 caused the collapse of one of its peaks, Ko Bandai, on its north side. This triggered a landslide that buried entire villages and blocked the flow of a major river, causing wide-spread flooding. Some 300 lakes and ponds, including Lake Hibara, Lake Onogawa, and the famous Goshikinuma ponds, formed in the debris backed up behind the blockage, changing the landscape entirely. Hikers in the Urabandai area today can see evidence of the destruction caused, including a submerged shrine torii gate in Lake Hibara and a clear cross-section of Mt. Bandai where part of it collapsed.