Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, is the raw source of Noboribetsu's fame. Boardwalks run along a grey-white scar of fumaroles, bubbling pools, sulfur-stained rock, and hot streams that pour downhill into the onsen district.
It is easy to visit, but it does not feel tame. Steam drifts across the path, the smell is sharp, and the demon statues around town make more sense once you have seen the valley itself.