All of Japan can be called the battlefield of the Philippine, Pacific, Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Seismic stations almost every minute record the echoes of this battle, which from time to time develop into earthquakes of destructive force. The Japanese islands with their mountainous landscape formed precisely due to the collision of these plates.
Chronicles are still kept that describe how volcanoes arose. Take at least the most famous volcano in Japan - Fuji. This happened in the year 285. In almost one night, a 3776-meter-high volcano grew from the local population. This caused a trembling among the local population, and it is not surprising that it grew into religious worship. At Fuji, a crater in diameter reaches half a kilometer, and a depth of 200 m. On all sides it is surrounded by 8 ridges that form the body of the crater. Thanks to them, it looks like
a lotus flower, and the crests are called the “8 petals of Fuji”. The last time he fully erupted in the IX century. And the eruption of 1707, most likely, was a simple discharge of ash.
Until recently, only those that emit volcanic gases and erupt at least once in the last 2 thousand years were considered active volcanoes in Japan. But in other countries of the world, this approach is different: if the eruption has occurred over the past 10 thousand years, then this is an active volcano.
Scientists have re-examined mountains of volcanic origin, as a result, more volcanoes of Japan were added. The list has been increased from 86 to 108 active objects.
Each of them belongs to a certain category. High risk of eruption (category "A"): this includes 13 volcanoes that have erupted several times over the past 100 years. This, for example, Usuzan, Asama, Oyama. Very active (category “B”): 36 objects were included which over the last century erupted once or are located in those areas where a series of earthquakes of volcanic origin occur. And the last category “C”: 59 sleeping volcanoes. Consider the most active.
The most active volcano in Japan is Asama. It is located 140 km from the capital on the island of Honshu. Its height is 2544 m. It is particularly attractive because it is constantly smoked. In 1783, his eruption led to the destruction of many villages, more than a thousand human casualties.
Kyushu Island is another active volcano in Japan. Its name is Sakurajima. Until 1914, he was on a separate island. But as a result of the eruption, magma connected it with the mainland, and now this isthmus is used as a tourist route. In August 2013, he again threw out a column of ash of 200 thousand tons, while the height was 5 thousand meters.
The bloodiest volcano in Japan is Oyama. It is located on the island of Miyake, and although its height is only 815 m, it causes a lot of problems for the inhabitants of this island. In 1643, a volcano in Japan completely destroyed the village. The eruptions of 1940 and 1962 cost minimal casualties. But in 1983, lava swept most of the houses in the village, but timely evacuation helped to avoid a large number of victims. Today, Oyama has revived again, and there are serious concerns that a major eruption will occur.
Bundaysan Volcano is located on the island of Honshu and is part of the Bandai Asahi National Park. His last eruption was in 1888. An explosion occurred, which smashed the mountain, subsequently leaving a funnel of 2 km. Dust rose 6 km, and the debris from the explosion scattered 70 km2. Then about 500 people died.
Living on the land of volcanoes is not easy, but the Japanese love their nature. And there is a reason, because thanks to volcanic eruptions , tectonic lakes, hot springs and unique mountain landscapes were formed, which today are very popular among tourists.