Fodor's Expert Review Nishiyama Crater Trail

A fire station, a school, and houses stand at crazy angles amid the solidified ash flows where the 2000 eruption reached the edges of Toyako Onsen. See it all from boardwalks that wind up into the still-steaming hills. It's an impressive scene of what can happen when you live next to a volcano. As a bonus, there are views both of the lake to the north and the ocean to the south. There's also a whole series of boardwalks, mountain trails, and short stretches of roads that were cut off after the eruption. Access is from just behind the Toyako Onsen Visitor Center.