ABSTRACT
Hokkaido is the most northerly of Japan’s main islands and is the country’s wild frontier, a volcanic tourism destination that contains the newly listed world heritage Shiretoko Peninsula (complete with thermal waterfalls), many hot springs and active volcanoes, and a developing domestic and international geotourism. As a whole, there are 108 active volcanoes in Japan, and Hokkaido is host to 19 of these. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) defines active volcanoes as those that have erupted in the past 10,000 years or currently have fumarolic activity, and is continuously monitoring the activities of 20 of these using seismic and visual observations. These more active volcanoes are listed in Tables 10.1 and 10.2 below, and include Meakandake, Tokachidake, Tarumae, Usu, Hokkaido-Komagatake, Azuma, Adatara, Bandai, Nasu, Kusatsu-Shirame, Asama, Ontake, Izu-Tobu, Izu-Oshima, Miyakejima, Kuju, Aso, Unzen, Kirishima and Sakurajima. The other volcanoes are surveyed regularly but not continuously by the JMA. If some abnormal phenomena are detected, temporal observation stations are installed and the data are continuously monitored by the JMA. Temporal observation is also carried out at Iwatesan, Akita-Komagadake, Fuji, Satsuma-Iwojima, Kuchinoerabujima and Suwanosejima volcanoes, in recognition that even those volcanoes in Japan that have not shown signs of activity in the recent past are merely dormant and local communities and their visitors require protection should a major event occur. Major volcanoes in Honshu
|
Volcano |
Type |
Location on Honshu |
Last known eruption |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Abu |
Shield volcanoes |
Japan Sea Coast |
1450BCE |
|
Sanbe |
Stratovolcano |
Japan Sea Coast |
650CE |
|
Oki-Dogo |
Shield volcano |
Islands in Japan Sea |
Unknown |
|
Izu-Tobu |
Pyroclastic cones |
Izu Peninsula |
1989 |
|
Hakone |
Complex volcano |
SW Tokyo * |
1170CE |
|
Fuji-san |
Stratovolcano |
SW Tokyo * |
1708 |
|
Kita Yatsuga-Take |
Stratovolcanoes |
Nth Japan Alps |
1200CE |
|
On-Take |
Complex volcano |
Nth Japan Alps |
1980 |
|
Haku-san |
Stratovolcano |
Nth Japan Alps |
1659 |
|
Norikura |
Stratovolcanoes |
Nth Japan Alps |
50BCE |
|
Yakedake |
Stratovolcanoes |
Kamikochi Resort * |
1995 |
|
Washiba-Kumonotaira |
Shield volcanoes |
Chubu Sangaku NP * |
10,000BCE? |
|
Tateyama |
Stratovolcano |
Nth Japan Alps |
1839 |
|
Niigata-Yake-Yama |
Lava dome |
Niigata * |
1998 |
|
Myoko |
Stratovolcano |
Nagano |
750BCE |
|
Asama |
Complex volcano |
Karuizawa Resort * |
2009 |
|
Kusatsu-Shirane |
Stratovolcanoes |
Kusatsu (Onsen City) * |
1983 |
|
Shiga |
Shield volcanoes |
Shiga-Kogen Ski Area * |
10,000BCE? |
|
Haruna |
Stratovolcano |
Honshu |
550 |
|
Akagi |
Stratovolcano |
Kanto |
1938? |
|
Hiuchi |
Stratovolcano |
Nikko National Park * |
1544 |
|
Nikko-Shirane |
Shield volcano |
Nikko National Park * |
1952 |
|
Nantai |
Stratovolcano |
Nikko National Park * |
Unknown |
|
Omanago Group |
Lava domes |
Nikko National Park * |
3050BCE |
|
Takahara |
Stratovolcano |
Utsunomiya City |
4570BCE |
|
Nasu |
Stratovolcanoes |
Kanto Plain |
1963 |
|
Numazama |
Shield volcano |
Fukushima |
3400BCE |
|
Bandai |
Stratovolcano |
Lake Inawashiro * |
1888 |
|
Adatara |
Stratovolcanoes |
Fukushima City |
1996 |
|
Azuma |
Stratovolcanoes |
Fukushima City * |
1977 |
|
Zao |
Complex volcano |
Northern Honshu |
1940 |
|
Hijiori |
Caldera |
Northern Honshu |
Unknown |
|
Narugo |
Caldera |
Sendai |
837CE |
|
Onikobe |
Caldera |
Akita * |
300CE |
|
Kurikoma |
Stratovolcano |
Akita |
1950 |
|
Chokai |
Stratovolcanoes |
NE Honshu |
1974 |
|
Akita-Komaga-Take |
Stratovolcanoes |
NW Honshu |
1971 |
|
Iwate |
Complex volcano |
Iwate* |
1919 |
|
Hachimantai |
Stratovolcano |
NW Honshu |
5350BCE |
|
Akita-Yake-Yama |
Stratovolcano |
NW Honshu |
1997 |
|
Megata |
Maars |
Oga Peninsula |
2050BCE |
|
Iwaki |
Stratovolcano |
Tsugaru |
1863 |
|
Towada |
Caldera |
Lake Towada |
915CE |
|
Hakkoda Group |
Stratovolcanoes |
Mutsu Bay |
1550 |
|
Osore-Yama |
Stratovolcano |
Shimokita Peninsula |
1787 |
|
Mutsu-Hiuchi-Dake |
Stratovolcano |
Shimokita Peninsula, North Honshu |
Current fumaroles |
Popular tourist attractions.
Source: Siebert and Simkin, 2002 Major volcanoes in Hokkaido|
Volcano |
Type |
Location on Hokkaido |
Last known eruption |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oshima-Oshima |
Stratovolcano |
Japan Sea Island |
1790 |
|
E-san |
Stratovolcano |
Oshima Peninsula |
1874 |
|
Komaga-Take |
Stratovolcano |
Oshima Peninsula |
2000 |
|
Nigorigawa |
Hydrothermal Field |
Uchiura Bay |
Pleistocene |
|
Usu |
Stratovolcano |
Muroran * |
2001 |
|
Niseko |
Stratovolcanoes |
Niseko City |
4900BCE |
|
Yotei |
Stratovolcano |
Oshima Peninsula |
1050BCE |
|
Kuttara |
Stratovolcanoes |
Toya * |
1820 |
|
Shikotsu |
Caldera |
Nthn Island |
1981 |
|
Rishiri |
Stratovolcano |
Nthn Japan Alps |
5830BCE |
|
Tokachi |
Stratovolcanoes |
Central Hokkaido |
2004 |
|
Daisetsu |
Stratovolcanoes |
Daisetsu * |
1739 |
|
Nipesotsu-Maruyama |
Stratovolcanoes |
Nukabira Lake |
1898 |
|
Shikaribetsu Group |
Lava domes |
Shikaribetsu |
Unknown |
|
Akan |
Caldera |
Lake Akan * |
2008 |
|
Kutcharo |
Caldera |
NE Hokkaido |
1320 |
|
Mashu |
Caldera |
Lake Mashu * |
970CE |
|
Rausu |
Stratovolcano |
Shiretoko Peninsula |
1800 |
|
Shiretoko-Iwi-Zan |
Stratovolcano |
Shiretoko Peninsula |
1936 |
Major tourist attraction with resort, ropeway.
Source: Siebert and Simkin, 2002.