Mount Azuma-kofuji is one peak within the broader Azuma volcanic group, a cluster of stratovolcanoes straddling the border between Fukushima and Yamagata prefectures inside Bandai-Asahi National Park. The Japan Meteorological Agency monitors the mountain continuously; fumaroles hiss and steam along the ridgelines, and the volcanic alert level has been raised to Level 2 on multiple occasions, restricting access to the crater area. The surrounding terrain bears the scars of deep geological violence. Nearby Mount Bandai erupted catastrophically on July 15, 1888, destroying dozens of villages and killing roughly 500 people. That eruption also created one of the region's most surreal attractions: Goshiki-numa, the Five Colored Lakes, a cluster of volcanic ponds whose waters shift from cobalt blue to emerald green to rust-red depending on mineral content, weather, and season.

The Bandai-Azuma Skyline, a 28.7-kilometer mountain road selected as one of the 100 Best Roads in Japan, threads its way through the Azuma range at elevations up to 1,622 meters. Unlike many of Japan's scenic toll roads, this one is free. The midpoint is Jododaira, a sub-alpine plateau wedged between Mount Azuma-kofuji and neighboring Mount Issaikyo, where marshes and alpine wildflowers spread beneath the volcanic peaks. A visitor center at Jododaira offers parking, eateries, and a bus stop connecting to Fukushima Station below. From there, hikers can reach the crater rim of Azuma-kofuji in roughly ten minutes on a well-maintained trail. The road closes from mid-November through early April, when heavy snowfall blankets the highlands. When it reopens, drivers pass through corridors of snow towering on both sides -- the famous 'snow corridor' that draws visitors from across Japan.

Volcanic heat makes itself useful in the Azuma range. Fumaroles vent sulfurous steam at several points along the ridgeline, and the geothermal energy feeds a network of onsen -- hot spring baths -- scattered through the valleys below. The combination of accessible volcanic scenery and soothing mineral baths has made the area a tourist destination for generations. Visitors who hike the crater in the morning can soak in a rotenburo, an open-air bath, by afternoon, watching mist drift across the cedar-forested valleys. The Azuma volcanic group sits on the list of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains, a distinction that brings steady foot traffic from peak-baggers and casual hikers alike throughout the warmer months.

The snow rabbit of Mount Azuma-kofuji is not a legend or a folk tale -- it is a reliable meteorological event, one that farmers have watched for across centuries. As spring warmth eats away at the snowpack, exposed rock and vegetation form the outline of a crouching hare against the remaining white. When the rabbit appears fully formed, typically in late April or early May, it means soil temperatures have reached the threshold for rice planting. Fukushima City even uses the rabbit as an unofficial seasonal marker. The phenomenon is visible from across the Fukushima basin, no binoculars needed -- just a clear day and a westward glance toward the mountains. It is a reminder that in a landscape shaped by fire and eruption, the rhythms of agriculture still keep time by the shape of melting snow.