Mount Kanpu [寒風山]
Mount Kanpu
Photo by Akita Prefecture
Observatory of Mount Kanpu
Photo by Akita Prefecture
Mount Kanpu is an inactive volcano located about 5 km north of Oga city.
The last "u" in the word is pronounced long in Japanese, and it is read as "Kanpûzan".
It is a volcano but the volcanic activity had ended 10,000 years ago.
It is 355 meters high and looks like a gently-sloping hill.
Additionally the whole mountain is covered with green lawn.
Scenery of the Sea of Japan from Mt.Kanpu
Photo by Akita Prefecture
Rotating observatory
Photo by Akita Prefecture
There is an observatory on the top of the mountain, which rotates by 360 degrees in 13 minutes.
We can see whole Oga peninsula and Mount Chokai in the distance.
There are a restaurant and a souvenir shop in the observatory.
How to get here
There is no public transportation.
You can go to there by using a taxi or a rental car.