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Volcano Kirishima in Japan

Volcanoes in Japan

With 38 volcanoes in Japan there have been a total of 130 significant eruptions over the past 1,300 years. Over 4,900 people were killed. The worst volcanic eruption in terms of deaths, destroyed houses and financial damages happened on 05/24/1926 with the eruption of "Tokachi". Here, 144 people died.

Out of 67 volcanos in Japan, 55 are considered still active. Additionally there is one active submarine volcano off the coast.

Other natural hazards in Japan:
Earthquake
Tsunamis
Typhoons
Current volcanoes worldwide


Back to overview: Japan

Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which stretches for about 40,000 km around the Pacific Ocean. Here the tectonic plate of the Pacific collides with several surrounding continental plates and seismic tremors occur again and again. Most of the world's volcanic eruptions, which are also the most severe, occur in this zone.

Sakurajima (aira Caldera) volcano eruption in Kyūshū

The Sakurajima (aira Caldera) volcano, which has erupted previously, in the Kyūshū region remains active. Its summit lies at an altitude of 1,117 meters. Escaping lava, ash and gases have a massive impact on the surrounding areas and air traffic. At about 3:10 pm local time on Wednesday, a warning was still in effect up to an altitude of 2,100 meters. Within a radius of only 20 km there are 5 cities with a total of about 730,000 inhabitants. Only about 10 km from the volcano is the city of Kagoshima with 590,000 inhabitants. Previously, ash clouds rose to an altitude of 5,500 meters. However, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) in Tokyo currently assumes a decrease in volcanic activity.

Significant volcanic eruptions in Japan in the last 1300 years

Volcano Kirishima in JapanThe following list shows all volcanic eruptions of the last 1,300 years with significant damage. The column "VEI" stands for the volcano explosivity index, which represents the strength of the eruption from a geological point of view. This takes into account the height and volume of the rocks ejected. The scale ranges from 0-8, with the severity of the eruption increasing tenfold with each value. For example, a VEI of 1 means that the volcano throws lava and rock masses of 100,000 to 1 million cubic meters up to 1 kilometer high. From VEI 8, a volcano is considered a super volcano. Here, more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of tephra are thrown to altitudes of more than 25 kilometers.

The highest explosivity index in Japan reached in the review period was VEI 5 in 1663. The volcano Usu threw tephramasses of at least 1 cubic kilometer over 25 kilometers high. Such a volcano normally only reaches this intensity every 50 years.

EruptionVolcanoVEIDeathsTotal damage
01/23/2018Kusatsu-Shiranesan01
09/27/2014On-Take355
06/27/2000Miyake-Jima20
11/23/1997Aso02
09/15/1997Adatara04
07/12/1997Hakkoda Group03
02/11/1995Yake-Dake14
05/29/1994Aso11
06/23/1993Unzen11
06/03/1991Unzen143
10/19/1990Aso21
04/18/1990Aso21
03/26/1990Aso21
08/26/1989Kirishima02
02/12/1989Aso01
01/01/1988Akita-Yake-Yama03
11/15/1986Oshima31
05/08/1986Akita-Yake-Yama01
09/14/1984On-Take029
10/03/1983Miyake-Jima30
09/06/1979Aso23
01/13/1978Usu33
08/07/1977Usu33
08/03/1976Kusatsu-Shirane03
08/09/1974Sakura-Jima35
07/28/1974Niigata-Yake-Yama23
06/17/1974Sakura-Jima33
10/02/1972Hakone02
12/27/1971Kusatsu-Shirane06
08/26/1969Narugo01
06/29/1962Tokachi35
08/18/1961Asama21
06/18/1961Daisetsu02
04/23/1961Tate-Yama01
07/21/1958Daisetsu02
10/01/1957Aso212
08/01/1957Oshima21
07/01/1957Unzen013
10/13/1955Sakura-Jima30
07/21/1954Tate-Yama01
10/05/1953Oshima11
07/26/1953Hakone010
04/27/1953Aso26
03/25/1953Myojun Knoll20
03/11/1953Myojun Knoll20
09/26/1952Myojun Knoll20
09/24/1952Myojun Knoll231
09/23/1952Myojun Knoll20
09/16/1952Myojun Knoll20
03/27/1952Hakone01
11/05/1951Hakone02
09/23/1950Asama21
09/16/1947Akagi0699
07/06/1947Asama211
01/01/1946Sakura-Jima21
08/26/1944Usu21
06/23/1944Usu21
07/13/1941Asama21
07/12/1940Miyake-Jima211
08/17/1939Tori-Shima22
07/16/1938Asama10
05/09/1938Bandai02
02/01/1936Asama32
12/24/1933Kuchinoerabu-Jima48
05/10/1933Hakone01
10/01/1932Kusatsu-Shirane32
08/20/1931Asama33
08/20/1930Asama36
06/17/1929Komaga-Take42
05/24/1926Tokachi3144
07/01/1923Kirishima21
11/26/1921Nasu01
07/06/1919Nasu02
01/12/1914Sakura-Jima428
05/29/1913Asama11
08/15/1911Asama20
05/08/1911Asama21
07/25/1910Usu21
08/07/1902Tori-Shima3125
07/17/1900Adatara272
02/16/1900Kirishima22
01/22/1900Asama225
03/15/1896Kirishima21
10/16/1895Kirishima24
05/19/1893Azuma22
07/15/1888Bandai4461
07/03/1874Miyake-Jima31
12/01/1872Aso34
10/21/1867Zao23
07/03/1858Tate-Yama00
04/23/1858Tate-Yama00
09/25/1856Komaga-Take420
02/01/1854Aso23
11/18/1846E-San10
04/01/1841Kuchinoerabu-Jima20
10/01/1826Aso20
03/09/1822Usu450
07/05/1816Aso21
01/01/1804Shikotsu30
11/07/1803Asama20
07/04/1803Asama20
07/01/1801Chokai28
05/21/1792Unzen20
01/01/1789Oshima20
04/18/1785Aoga-Shima3135
08/05/1783Asama41491
04/11/1781Sakura-Jima423
09/09/1780Sakura-Jima40
07/27/1780Aoga-Shima37
02/09/1780Sakura-Jima40
11/08/1779Sakura-Jima4153
08/23/1741Oshima-Oshima40
06/22/1721Asama115
02/07/1717Kirishima31
11/09/1716Kirishima31
12/16/1707Fuji40
04/15/1664Unzen230
01/01/1664Iwo-Tori-Shima01
08/16/1663Usu55
07/31/1640Komaga-Take50
01/23/1606Hachijo-Jima20
05/13/1598Asama2800
05/01/1596Asama20
10/31/1566Kirishima30
01/01/1485Aso21
11/03/1471Sakura-Jima50
03/05/1410Nasu3180
12/01/1331Aso20
07/20/0766Sakura-Jima30
01/01/0764Sakura-Jima480


All volcanoes in Japan

VolcanoElevationStatusLast eruption
Adatara1719 mActive09/15/1997
Akagi1828 mActive09/16/1947
Akita-Komaga Take1637 mActive
Akita-Yake Yama1366 mActive
Aoga Sima423 mActive
Asama2542 mActive08/18/1961
Aso1592 mActive11/23/1997
Atosanupuri574 mSolfatara stage
Azuma2024 mActive05/19/1893
Bandai1819 mActive05/09/1938
Bayonnaise9 mActive
Daisetu2290 mSolfatara stage
E-San618 mActive11/18/1846
Fuji-san3776 mActive
Hakkoda1585 mSolfatara stage
Hakone1348 mActive10/02/1972
Haku San2702 mActive
Hatimantai1614 mSolfatara stage
Hatizyo Zima854 mActive
Io Zims165 mActive
Iwaki1625 mActive
Iwaonupuri1154 mSolfatara stage
Iwate2041 mActive
Kaimon Dake924 mActive
Kirisima1700 mActive
Kita-Io Zima14 mActive
Komaga Take1140 mActive
Kozi Sima574 mActive
Kurikoma1628 mActive
Kusatsu-Shiranesan2165 mActive01/23/2018
Kusatu-Sirane2176 mActive
Kutinoerabu Zima649 mActive
Kuttara581 mSolfatara stage
Kuzyu1788 mActive
Me-Akan1503 mActive
Midagahara2621 mSolfatara stage
Miyake Zima815 mActive
Myoko2446 mSolfatara stage
Nakano Sima980 mActive
Narugo461 mSolfatara stage08/26/1969
Nasu1917 mActive11/26/1921
Nii Zima429 mActive
Niigata-Yake Yama2400 mActive
Nikko-Sirane2578 mActive
Nisini Sima Active
Norikura3026 mSolfatara stage
O Sima758 mActive
Okinawa-Tori Sima156 mActive
Omuro Yama581 mPotentially active
On Take3063 mSolfatara stage
Osima-O Sima714 mActive
Osore Yama879 mSolfatara stage
Sakura Zima1118 mActive
Sin-Io Zima7 mActive
Siretoko-Io Zan1563 mActive
Sumisujima136 mActive
Suwanose Zima799 mActive
Tarumai1024 mActive
Tokara-Io Zima717 mActive
Tokati2077 mActive
Tori Sima403 mActive
Turumi1375 mActive
Tyokai2230 mActive
Unzen1360 mActive06/23/1993
Usu725 mActive01/13/1978
Yake Dake2455 mActive
Zao1841 mActive10/21/1867



These statistics are based on datas from the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP), and the Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database of the National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA) / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) doi:10.7289/V5JW8BSH. Several data have been summarized and translated.
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