The doorway to the underworld: Osorezan Bodaiji Temple 

The Osorezan Bodaiji Temple (translated as “Fear Mountain”), situated on Mount Osore, is alongside Hieizan and Koyasan one of the three most sacred places for the Japanese Buddhists.

It is known as one of the doorways to the underworld – a mythological believe nurtured by the volcanic activity in the area (there is a permanent strong smell of sulfur permeates the air and here and there the stones are burning). Maybe some German visitor was so stupid to try to swim in the lake and very lucky not to get burned… and still he went for the (surprisingly not so hot) Onsen on site of Osorezan Bodaiji Temple.

I visited the temple on the 10th of August, on one of the hottest days of the year with like 36 degrees Fahrenheit – and it felt absolutely like the doorway to hell. At least it was not on the days of the Obon festival (13th till 15th of August), when the dead relatives come by for a visit.