Kuttara

The Kuttara volcanic group consists of a series of small stratovolcanoes, lava domes, pyroclastic cones, and a caldera near the Pacific coast SE of Toya caldera and SW of Shikotsu caldera. The Kuttara group was constructed during five major eruptive stages, the first of which occurred more than 60,000 years ago. A major dacitic pumice eruption at the end of the 4th stage about 40,000 years ago resulted in the formation of the 3-km-diameter Kuttara caldera.

The caldera cut a basaltic-to-andesitic stratovolcano complex, which late in its activity produced two major andesitic lava flows on its north side at Kita-yama. Explosions, probably in early Holocene time, formed two large craters on the west flank of the caldera, and a dacitic lava dome was emplaced about 10,000 years ago. Late-stage phreatic explosion products from Jigoku-dani, a 300-400 m wide crater south of the lava dome, overlie the 1663 tephra from Usu volcano.

Jigoku-dani and Noboribetsu Spa are the sites of intense thermal activity, including fumaroles, hot springs, and geysers.