Y5 “Land of New Mineral Discovery” Fudo-taki falls
The falls is small in stature but provides copious amounts of water. Its name comes from the Fudo Myo-o (the Buddhist deity of Acala) enshrined near the waterfall basin. To the left of the falls is the substitute Fudo, while the genuine Fudo is enshrined on the right.
The geological strata around the falls is thought to be the ejecta of a volcano in Yugawara along the somma, or rim, of Mt. Hakone. There was formerly a ryokan here that even harnessed Fudo Falls to generate its own electricity. The rocks includes transparent, colorless or white mineral called zeolite. Yugawaralite is a type of zeolite discovered here and named for the region.
(*1) Famous waterfalls of Yugawara:
Fujiki river – Fudo-taki, Hakuun-no-taki, Kyorai-no-taki, and Godan-no-taki falls
Niizaki river – Roppo-no-taki, and Shimizu-no-taki falls
Association of cultured person with Fudo-taki falls of Yugawara
Natsume Soseki had stayed at the Amanoya-ryokan near Fudo-taki falls for rheumatism treatment.
A literary work by Natsume Soseki “Light and Dark” was serialized and has a scene where the hero heads to the Fudo-taki falls, but the novel was not completed due to the author’s death.
In addition, many literary figures such as Akutagawa Ryunosuke, and Yosano Akiko stayed at the Yugawara Onsen (Geosite Y6).
Yugawaralite
Yugawaralite is a type of mineral called zeolite with high moisture content and porosity, the crystals are colorless, transparent, and plate-like with jagged edges (photograph).
Dr. Sakurai Kinichi, a scientist from the University of Tokyo discovered this mineral when he was a teenager (around 1930), it was recognized as a new mineral in 1952.
There are many types of zeolites, which are often formed in the gaps of volcanic rocks due to the activity of hot springs and gets its name from separation of water by boiling as it heats up.Though yugawaralite is also found in Okuyagawara, a place located upstream of the Fujiki river, other zeolites such as laumontite, mordenite, epistilbite, and chabazite are found around the Fudo-taki fall.
Since the site where yugawaralite is found in Yugawara closely matches the distribution area of the source of hot spring, its formation is connected to the activities of the hot spring.
Yugawaralite has been certified as a stone (mineral division) of Kanagawa prefecture by the Geological Society of Japan. The actual yugawaralite stones can be seen at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History.
Fudo-taki falls (Designated as a national treasure by the town)
