Page 180 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Volcano and Geothermal Tourism in Japan – Examples from Honshu and Hokkaido 157

Volcano Type Location on Honshu Last known eruption

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 Current fumaroles
Honshu
Note: * Popular tourist attractions.

Source: Siebert and Simkin, 2002

reason for this is that the country sits on top of the
meeting point of four tectonic plates (Eurasian
Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, Pacific Plate and North
American Plate), which means that the country is
prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes as a
result of their shifting boundaries and subduction
zones. Volcanoes in Japan are distributed in a west
Japan volcanic belt and an east Japan volcanic belt.
The west belt runs from Kyushu to Chugoku, and
the east belt from Tohoku to Hokkaido
(Figure 10.1). There is a gap of some 150km
between the two. The Eastern Japan Volcanic Belt
includes the Kuril Arc, Hokkaido and north-east
Honshu and out along the Izu-Bonin Arc, and the
Western Japan Volcanic Belt includes south-west
Honshu and Kyushu, and along the Tokara
Islands.
Two main classes of volcano are identified in Figure 10.1 The volcanic belts of Japan
Japan. One is the polygenetic type where eruptions Source: www.numo.or.jp/en/publications/pdf/Level3_SF_Final-09.pdf

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