Terrace Theater: Nakasenuma Sightseeing Trail
Nakasenuma is one of many ponds and lakes created after the 1888 eruption of Mt. Bandai. This level, 1.2-kilometer trail takes hikers past small hills formed by debris flows after the eruption, to an observation deck near the pond. The observation deck affords a view of the pond with Mt. Bandai in the background. A crater is visible in the side of the mountain that was formed when one of Mt. Bandai’s peaks collapsed during the eruption.
In warmer months, the narcissus flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina), with its distinctive yellow-orange breast, and the brown Japanese bush warbler (Horornis diphone) can be seen around the pond, along with butterflies like the high brown fritillary (Fabriciana adippe) and the Japanese dart (Potanthus flavus). Dragonflies, cicadas, and frogs also dwell in the area.
In summer, daisy-like blooms of sawaoguruma (Tephroseris pierotii) add splashes of vivid yellow to the shore area of the pond, and the Siberian hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata var. yesoensis) accents the landscape with pale blue and pink petals. In autumn, a palette of oranges and reds unfolds across the land, while a layer of snow blankets the ground in winter.