Towada
Caldera in Japan
Key Facts
Elevation
1,011 m (3,317 ft)
Type
Caldera
Location
40.510°, 140.880°
Region
Northeast Japan Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
The lake-filled, 11-km-wide, Towada caldera in northern Honshu formed during as many as six major explosive eruptions over a 40,000-year period ending about 13,000 years ago. Pre-caldera eruptive activity dates back about 2 million years and produced basaltic-to-dacitic lava cones. Following late-Pleistocene andesitic-to-rhyolitic caldera-forming eruptions, the basaltic Ninokura stratovolcano grew in the SSE section of the caldera.
Successive dacitic-to-rhyolitic explosive eruptions from the Goshikiiwa cone led to the formation of the roughly 2-km-wide Nakanoumi caldera, whose SW and NE rims form peninsulas extending into Lake Towada. The andesitic-to-dacitic Ogurayama lava dome was built over the NE rim of Nakanoumi. The latest eruption took place in 915 CE, when eruptions from Ogurayama produced widespread ashfall and pyroclastic flows.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows and surges
- Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
- Ash fall and tephra deposits
- Lahars and debris flows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 1111 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 283271
- •Evidence: Eruption Observed
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The 11-km-wide lake-filled Towada caldera, whose far northern wall is seen here in the distance, formed during a series of major explosive eruptions over a 40,000-year period ending about 13,000 years ago. The peninsula across the center is the rim of Nakanoumi caldera that formed by the collapse of the Goshikiiwa cone. The Ogurayama dome to the upper right was the source of the 915 CE eruption.
Photo by Yukio Hayakawa (Gunma University).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.