The 1783 Eruption and the “Fifteen Steps That Separated Life and Death”
On July 8, 1783, according to the old Japanese calendar, Mount Asama erupted in one of the largest volcanic disasters in the region’s history.
Kambara Village was located approximately 12 kilometers north of the volcano and was struck by a devastating debris avalanche. The village had a population of about 570 people at the time. Only 93 people survived, including those who happened to be outside the village and those who noticed the danger and ran up the stone steps of Kannon-do.
Approximately 477 people lost their lives, making the disaster one of the most tragic events in the history of the region.
The Fifteen Stone Steps
Today, visitors can see 15 stone steps leading toward Kambara Kannon-do. However, archaeological excavation in 1979 revealed that the original staircase actually contained 50 steps.
The volcanic debris had risen approximately 6.5 meters, burying the lower 35 steps. In other words, the people who managed to climb the remaining 15 steps reached ground that was just above the destructive flow.
During excavation, the remains of two women were discovered near the bottom of the buried staircase. A younger woman was found in a position suggesting that she had been carrying an older woman on her back. They are believed to have been either mother and daughter or sisters.
The scene provides a poignant reminder that people were trying to save one another even as the disaster approached.
Because of this history, the staircase has come to be remembered as the “Fifteen Steps That Separated Life and Death” during the Tenmei disaster.
Rebuilding Kambara Village After the Disaster
In many areas devastated by volcanic disasters, survivors leave their homes and settle elsewhere. The people of Kambara, however, chose to remain and rebuild their community.
The 93 survivors, supported by neighboring communities, established a new village on top of the buried settlement.
One remarkable aspect of this reconstruction was the reorganization of families according to the principle of “everyone as family, everyone equal.” People who had lost spouses formed new households with other survivors, while those who had lost parents or children rebuilt their family lives within the community.
This flexible approach to reconstruction was particularly striking in 18th-century Japan, a society characterized by a formal social status system. The story of Kambara therefore provides an unusual historical example of how a community reorganized itself after a devastating natural disaster.
Faith, Relief, and the Connection With Zenkoji
After the eruption, survivors sought assistance from Kan’eiji Temple in Edo, present-day Tokyo. The chief abbot of Zenkoji Temple in Nagano, Tōjun, traveled to the disaster area and organized relief activities.
He is said to have provided cooked meals and supplies, distributed five cups of white rice and 50 mon per victim, and continued memorial Buddhist services for 30 days.
The story of this relief effort was later passed down through a Buddhist chant known as “Asamayama Funka Yamato-san”. It is also regarded as having connections with the origins of later Zenkoji temple-opening ceremonies.
A monument inscribed with “Namu Amida Butsu”, meaning “Homage to Amida Buddha,” was erected at Kambara Kannon-do and continues to preserve the memory of this connection.
In 2023, approximately 240 years after the disaster, the chief abbot of Zenkoji’s Daikanjin temple conducted a Buddhist memorial service at the site, renewing the historical connection between Kambara and Zenkoji.
Tsumagoi Local History Museum
Adjacent to Kambara Kannon-do is the Tsumagoi Local History Museum, where visitors can learn more about the disaster and the lives of the people who lived in Kambara before the eruption.
The museum displays approximately 1,500 excavated household objects, together with a reconstruction of the woman discovered beneath the buried staircase.
Artifacts such as glass mirrors, Imari porcelain, and lacquerware provide clues about the everyday lives of the villagers and demonstrate that the community had a relatively sophisticated material culture before the disaster.
Seeing the Past From Above
A viewing room on the museum’s third floor provides a panoramic view of Kambara Village and Mount Asama.
Looking across the present-day settlement toward the volcano makes it possible to imagine the relationship between the landscape, the historic disaster, and the community that was rebuilt afterward.
Kambara and the Asama Volcano North Foothills Geopark
Kambara is one of the important areas within the Asama Volcano North Foothills Geopark.
Several nearby sites reveal the connection between volcanic activity and human settlement. These include Kambara Irrigation Canal, which uses water originating from the Onioshidashi lava field, the remains of the Ozasa pyroclastic-flow deposits, geological layers associated with the former Lake Ko-Tsumagoi, and the ruins of Kambara Castle.
Together, these sites show how volcanic eruptions shaped the land while also influencing agriculture, water use, transportation, settlements, and local history.
The Blessings of Volcanic Land
The history of Kambara also demonstrates that volcanic activity has not brought only destruction.
Tsumagoi Village is famous as one of Japan’s leading producers of highland cabbage. The well-drained soil containing volcanic materials, together with the large difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in the highlands, creates favorable conditions for growing crisp, flavorful cabbage.
The region therefore illustrates both sides of life with a volcano: the destructive power of eruptions and the natural benefits created by volcanic landscapes.
Kambara Kannon-do Today
The principal Buddhist image enshrined at Kambara Kannon-do is the Eleven-Headed Kannon, a form of Kannon traditionally associated with compassion and salvation.
Today, members of the local Kambara Kannon-do volunteer association take turns caring for the hall and continue memorial services for those who died in the eruption.
Visitors may also have opportunities to hear stories about Kambara’s history and reconstruction directly from descendants of the survivors. Such personal accounts add an important human dimension to the archaeological and geological evidence.
Memorial Traditions
During the spring equinox period, a traditional offering called migo dango is prepared as part of memorial practices for ancestors.
Every year on August 5, a memorial ceremony is also held, bringing together people from the local community and beyond to pray for those who lost their lives in the 1783 disaster.
Access to Kambara Kannon-do
From Manza-Kazawaguchi Station on the JR Agatsuma Line, the site can be reached by Seibu Kanko Bus in approximately 5 minutes. Get off at the Kambara Kannon-do-mae bus stop, followed by a walk of about two minutes.
It is also possible to travel from Karuizawa Station by bus, with the journey taking approximately 65 minutes.
A Journey of Prayer, Memory, and Learning
Kambara Kannon-do is far more than a historic Buddhist site. Its stone staircase preserves the memory of a devastating volcanic disaster, while the rebuilt village tells a story of cooperation, resilience, and community recovery.
Walking up the remaining 15 steps provides a tangible connection with the people who fled the 1783 eruption. The nearby museum then adds archaeological evidence and historical context, helping visitors understand what life was like before and after the disaster.
Discovering the Story of Kambara
A visit to Kambara Kannon-do is especially meaningful when combined with the Tsumagoi Local History Museum and other sites within the Asama Volcano North Foothills Geopark.
Here, the history of Mount Asama is not only written in rocks and geological layers, but also preserved in memories, traditions, and the lives of the people who rebuilt their community.
Standing beneath Mount Asama and looking across the present-day village, visitors can reflect on the fragile nature of life, the importance of helping one another, and the remarkable ability of communities to recover from disaster.