Today’s Topic: Volcanoes !
Volcanoes are abundant in Japan. While an eruption can cause catastrophic damage, the benefits they bring are immeasurable.
Japan: A Volcanic Nation
Japan is home to over 110 active volcanoes, accounting for 7% of the world’s active volcanoes.
(Active volcanoes: those that have erupted within the last 10,000 years or are currently active.)
Given that Japan’s land area makes up only 0.29% of the world’s surface, Japan is indeed a volcanic powerhouse.
This is because the Japanese archipelago is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its frequent volcanic activity.
Major Active Volcanoes in Japan
Japan’s active volcanoes are fairly evenly distributed, except in regions like the Kinki and Chugoku-Shikoku areas where they are relatively few.
Mount Fuji, one of Japan’s most iconic mountains and a popular destination for climbers, is actually an active volcano. The last recorded eruption was about 300 years ago during the Edo period.
In Gunma Prefecture, where we live, there are five active volcanoes, including Mount Asama and Mount Kusatsu-Shirane. Mount Asama erupted in 1793, and along with a major eruption of an Icelandic volcano that same year, the resulting volcanic ash covered much of the Northern Hemisphere, causing global famine and crop failures. Some even speculate that this famine contributed to the causes of the French Revolution.
Kyushu is home to many volcanoes, such as Mount Aso with its massive caldera and the constantly active Sakurajima.
In Hokkaido, there are also several volcanoes, including Niseko, famous for skiing, Mount Usu, and Mount Yotei.
The Blessings of Volcanoes
The many volcanoes in Japan bring us numerous benefits.
Hot Springs (Onsen)
One of these benefits is the approximately 28,000 hot springs scattered across Japan.
Hot springs (Onsen) are created when rain or snow seeps into the ground and is heated by geothermal energy from magma, eventually emerging at the surface.
Many of these hot springs are located around volcanoes, where volcanic elements dissolve into the water, offering various types of hot springs such as sulfur springs.
Scenery
Volcanic activity also creates stunning landscapes.
Many volcanoes, such as Mount Fuji, are scenic in their own right.
Others, like Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture and Mount Iou in Hokkaido, allow visitors to observe volcanic activity such as smoke plumes.
There are also numerous mountains where volcanic craters or calderas have become lakes, including Lake Mashu in Hokkaido, known for its exceptional clarity, Lake Ashi in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, which attracts many tourists, and Okama Crater in Zao, Yamagata Prefecture, famous for its unique emerald-green waters.
Terrain and Soil
The wide slopes of volcanic mountains provide volcanic ash soil and unique landscapes.
Many volcanoes, like Niseko in Hokkaido and Zao in Yamagata Prefecture, have become popular ski resorts.
The extensive slopes and volcanic ash soil also support thriving agriculture.
In Gunma Prefecture, where I live, the cabbage fields in Tsumagoi Village, located on the slopes of Mount Asama, boast the highest production in Japan.
Showa Village, located on the slopes of Mount Akagi, is also well-known for its agricultural production.
Volcanic Tourism in Gunma Prefecture
Finally, I’d like to introduce a few volcanic tourism spots in Gunma Prefecture, where I live.
Mount Asama Foothills
Mount Asama is situated on the border between Gunma and Nagano Prefectures, with the famous resort town of Karuizawa on the Nagano side.
Here, you can enjoy the fresh air of the highlands while taking in the beautiful shape of Mount Asama.
You can also learn about the power of volcanic eruptions by visiting Onioshidashi, a lava field created during the 1793 eruption, and the Yanba Tenmei Mudflow Museum, which features exhibits on the mudflows and devastation caused by the eruption.
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane Foothills
At the summit of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane lies the crater lake Yugama, filled with milky emerald-green water.
(As of 2024, access is restricted due to volcanic activity.)
At the base of the mountain, to the southeast, is Kusatsu Onsen, one of Japan’s premier hot spring resorts, and to the west is Manza Onsen, known for its strong sulfuric smell.
In Nakanojo Town, you can visit Chatsubomigoke Park, where you can see the world’s most acid-resistant moss, Chatsubomigoke, growing along streams fed by the strongly acidic waters from Mount Kusatsu-Shirane.
Mount Akagi and Mount Haruna
Easily accessible from the Kan-Etsu Expressway, Mount Akagi and Mount Haruna are highlands that remain cool even in summer, each with a caldera lake at their summits.
In winter, you can enjoy smelt fishing on the frozen lake surface of Mount Akagi.
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