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Sakurajima

Japan’s Most Active Volcano, Towering Over Kagoshima

Elevation

1,117 m

Last Eruption

2025 (ongoing)

Type

Caldera with post-caldera stratovolcano

Country

Japan

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows and surges
  • Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
  • Ash fall and tephra deposits
  • Lahars and debris flows
  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskHigh
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity1 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
Real-time seismic monitoring
Geological Survey of Japan
Geochemical monitoring
Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database
JMA Volcano Info
Japan Meteorological Agency

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Interesting Facts

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Sakurajima was a true island until January 1914, when lava flows from the Taisho eruption permanently joined it to the Osumi Peninsula — one of the most dramatic volcanic landscape changes in recorded history.

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The Aira caldera-forming eruption approximately 22,000 years ago ejected an estimated 400 km³ of material, producing the Ito ignimbrite that covered over 1,000 km² of southern Kyushu.

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Sakurajima produces hundreds to over 1,000 explosive eruptions per year, making it one of the most frequently erupting volcanoes on Earth — residents of Kagoshima carry ash umbrellas as part of daily life.

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The volcano emits 1,000–5,000 tonnes of sulfur dioxide per day, making it one of the largest persistent point sources of volcanic gas on the planet.

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Kagoshima city (population ~600,000) lies just 8 km across the bay from Sakurajima’s active craters — a closer proximity than Naples to Vesuvius.

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The Kurokami Buried Torii — a Shinto shrine gate buried to its crossbar by 2 m of ash in the 1914 eruption — is preserved as a designated national cultural monument.

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Sakurajima daikon radishes, grown in the volcano’s rich ash soil, can grow up to 30 kg in weight and are recognized as one of the world’s largest radish varieties.

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A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kagoshima on the same day the 1914 eruption began, triggered by the massive withdrawal of magma from the Aira caldera.

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Geodetic monitoring shows the Aira caldera floor continues to inflate at ~1–2 cm per year, suggesting magma is accumulating faster than Sakurajima’s eruptions can discharge it.

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Kagoshima’s garbage collection includes a dedicated schedule specifically for disposing of volcanic ash, with specially designated yellow bags distributed to residents.

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The 24-hour Kagoshima-Sakurajima ferry service is one of the few round-the-clock volcanic ferry routes in the world, running approximately every 15 minutes.

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Sakurajima komikan (tiny mandarin oranges, just 3 cm in diameter) are among the smallest commercially cultivated citrus in the world, grown on the volcano’s ash-enriched slopes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sakurajima still active?
Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has been in a state of near-continuous eruption since October 1955. The volcano produces hundreds of explosive eruptions per year from its Minamidake summit crater and the flank Showa crater, generating ash plumes that regularly rise 1–3 km above the summit. The Japan Meteorological Agency continuously monitors the volcano with seismometers, GPS, gas sensors, and cameras. As of 2025, Sakurajima remains at an elevated alert level, with eruptive activity ongoing at Minamidake. It is not a question of whether Sakurajima will erupt — it is erupting right now and has been for over seven decades.
When did Sakurajima last erupt?
Sakurajima is currently erupting and has been doing so continuously since 1955. The most recent discrete eruptive episode cataloged by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program began in March 2017 at Minamidake crater and was ongoing as of 2025. However, this is part of a much longer eruptive period stretching back to October 13, 1955, during which the volcano has produced tens of thousands of explosive events. In a typical year, Sakurajima generates between 200 and 1,000+ explosive eruptions. The most recent large-scale historical eruption was the VEI 4 Taisho eruption of January 12, 1914, which produced massive lava flows and permanently connected the island to the mainland.
Could Sakurajima have a large eruption?
Yes, volcanologists consider a large-scale eruption at Sakurajima to be a realistic possibility. Geodetic monitoring shows that the Aira caldera floor has been inflating at approximately 1–2 cm per year since the 1914 Taisho eruption, indicating that magma is being supplied to the shallow reservoir faster than the current continuous eruptions can release it. Japanese scientists have estimated that accumulated magma may now approach the volume ejected during the 1914 eruption (approximately 1.6 km³ of lava). A future VEI 4–5 eruption could produce large lava flows, pyroclastic flows reaching the coastline, heavy ashfall on Kagoshima, and potentially a significant earthquake. Evacuation plans exist for approximately 77,000 residents in the immediate hazard zone.
How far is Sakurajima from Kagoshima city?
Sakurajima’s Minamidake summit crater is approximately 8 km east of central Kagoshima city, separated by the waters of Kagoshima Bay. The nearest point of the volcano’s coastline is approximately 4 km from the Kagoshima waterfront. The city of Kagoshima has a population of roughly 600,000 people, making the Sakurajima-Kagoshima relationship one of the closest large city-to-active volcano proximities in the world — comparable to Naples and Vesuvius in Italy. A ferry connects Kagoshima port to Sakurajima in approximately 15 minutes.
What type of volcano is Sakurajima?
Sakurajima is a post-caldera stratovolcano (composite volcano) that has grown within the much larger Aira caldera. The Aira caldera, measuring 17 × 23 km, formed approximately 22,000 years ago during a massive VEI 7 eruption and is now largely filled by Kagoshima Bay. Sakurajima began building on the caldera’s southern rim around 13,000 years ago. It consists of three peaks: the dormant Kitadake (1,117 m), the active Minamidake (1,040 m), and Nakedake (1,060 m). The volcano’s magma is predominantly andesitic to basaltic andesitic — typical of subduction zone volcanism — producing explosive Vulcanian and Strombolian eruptions.
Can you visit Sakurajima?
Yes, Sakurajima is one of Japan’s most accessible active volcanoes and a popular tourist destination. The volcano is reached via a 15-minute ferry from Kagoshima city center, operating 24 hours a day. Key visitor sites include the Sakurajima Visitor Center, the Yunohira Observation Point (the closest public viewpoint to the crater), the Kurokami Buried Torii (the Shinto gate buried in 1914 ash), and the Arimura Lava Observatory. Hot spring baths at Furusato Onsen offer views of the steaming summit. The summit itself is off-limits due to the permanent exclusion zone (2 km radius around active craters), but the coastal road circling the volcano is open to vehicles and cyclists.
What is the Aira caldera?
The Aira caldera is a large volcanic caldera measuring approximately 17 × 23 km in Kagoshima Bay, southern Kyushu, Japan. It formed approximately 22,000 years ago during a colossal eruption (estimated VEI 7) that ejected roughly 400 km³ of material, including the Ito pyroclastic flow that blanketed over 1,000 km² of southern Kyushu. Following caldera collapse, the depression flooded to form the northern half of Kagoshima Bay. Sakurajima grew as a post-caldera volcano on the southern rim of this caldera, beginning approximately 13,000 years ago. The caldera remains volcanically active, with ongoing ground uplift indicating continued magma recharge beneath the system.
What happened during the 1914 Sakurajima eruption?
The January 12, 1914 Taisho eruption was the most significant volcanic event in modern Japanese history. After several days of warning earthquakes, explosive eruptions began from the west and east flanks, generating columns 8–10 km high. Massive lava flows — approximately 1.6 km³ in volume — poured from both flanks, with the eastern flows eventually crossing the strait and permanently connecting the former island of Sakurajima to the Osumi Peninsula. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kagoshima the same day, triggered by magma withdrawal. The combined disaster killed 58 people. The Kurokami Buried Torii, where a shrine gate was entombed in 2 m of ash, remains a national monument commemorating the event.
How tall is Sakurajima?
Sakurajima’s highest point is Kitadake (north peak) at 1,117 m (3,665 ft) above sea level, though this peak has been dormant since approximately 4,850 years ago. The currently active Minamidake (south peak) reaches 1,040 m (3,412 ft), and the central Nakedake peak stands at 1,060 m (3,478 ft). However, Sakurajima’s true scale is better appreciated by considering the volcano’s base: it rises from the floor of Kagoshima Bay, which reaches depths exceeding 200 m, giving the total volcanic edifice a height of over 1,300 m from base to summit.
Why does Sakurajima erupt so frequently?
Sakurajima’s extraordinary eruption frequency results from its position at the intersection of two geological factors: it sits above a subduction zone where the Philippine Sea Plate dives beneath the Eurasian Plate along the Ryukyu Volcanic Arc, providing a continuous supply of water-rich magma, and it is built within the Aira caldera, a large active magma system that provides sustained heat and magma recharge. Geodetic data shows the Aira caldera inflates at 1–2 cm per year, continuously feeding fresh magma to Sakurajima’s shallow plumbing system. The frequent small eruptions at Minamidake and Showa craters may actually serve as pressure-relief valves, preventing the buildup that would otherwise lead to less frequent but far more catastrophic eruptions.