At the foot of Japan‘s Mount Fuji, an amazing and contradictory phenomenon of nature hides a world of ice in the heart of a tunnel of fiery lava. Narusawa Ice Cave is a natural lava tunnel that maintains its freezing temperature all year round and hosts giant ice columns, some of which reach up to three meters in height. (live science)
Photographer: Unknown / zekkeijapan.com
This amazing cave is the product of the powerful eruption of Mount Fuji in 864 AD. Lava tunnels are formed when, after a volcanic eruption, the outer layers of the lava flow solidify faster than the molten core in contact with cold air. After the eruption stops, the liquid core is drained and leaves a hollow channel or cave.
Narosawa Cave, which is about 150 meters long, has an average temperature of about three degrees Celsius due to its unique geological structure. This low temperature causes the moisture inside the cave to freeze, especially in winter. The water drops that drip from the roof form lanterns and columns that meet in the coldest months of the year and create ice columns with a thickness of half a meter and a height of three meters.
In the past, this cave was not only a tourist attraction, but was used as a giant natural glacier to store silkworm seeds and cocoons. By cutting pieces of ice from the pillars, the locals piled them up and built a kind of natural cold storage to preserve the quality of their products. This cave, along with the other two big caves in the region, is one of the prominent geological attractions.
Photographer: Osumi Akari / commons.wikimedia.org
What other amazing geological phenomena do you know? Share your comments with us and other audiences.
Cover photo source: Alamy Photographer: Unknown
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