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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe lava covering the Yakehashiri Lava Flow is jet-black and highly porous, with smaller chunks being the size of an adult fist and larger ones reaching 1 meter in diameter. The various lava chunks have settled unevenly over the region, resulting in large ripples, creating dips and banks along the ground not unlike deep ocean waves. During the early snowfall season and when the snow begins to melt, this pattern results in the land adopting \u201cstripes\u201d of black and white as the snow fills in the dips, evoking the image of a white tiger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth is that, with Japan being a mountainous country with many volcanoes, leftover lava flows are not actually very strange or unusual, in and of themselves. However, what makes the Yakehashiri Lava Flow here in Iwate special is how extremely well-preserved it is. Despite research showing that it has existed for over 260 years, the scene remains largely unchanged from when Mt. Iwate originally erupted; neither trees and shrubbery nor natural erosion have significantly altered the landscape, even over more than two centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That doesn\u2019t, however, mean that the area is devoid of flora. As you walk around, you can see moss and other vegetation growing on the lava rocks, particularly around the edges of the area. And as you look out across the terrain, you\u2019ll see small islands of pine, birch, willow and even cherry trees sprouting here and there, from under the lava. These are spots where the soil has remained rich and fertile even after these years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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