桜島 - Sakurajima - 3/10/2025

My Experience: First and foremost, at least from what I could find, there are no hiking routes on the mountain itself for either AllTrails or Yamap. There are places where you can rent bikes and ride around Sakurajima or simply just drive. There are really just a few places to see if you are interested in site related to the volcano itself...

1. Yunohira Observation Deck 湯之平展望所

2. Hakamagoshi-Karasujima Lava Trail 溶岩なぎさ遊歩道

3. Karasujima Observatory 烏島展望所

4. Nojiri-kawa Observation Deck 野尻川展望所

5. Arimura Lava Observation Deck 有村溶岩展望所

6. Kurokami Buried Shrine Gate 黒神埋没鳥居

7. Lava Field From the Eruption During the Showa Period 黒神ビュースポット (昭和溶岩地帯)

8. Remains of Residence of feudal lord Shimazu Yoshihiro 島津義弘蟄居跡

So, that said, if you are on short trip I would say rent a car OR if you are in need of a calorie burn to work off all the calories from the massive amounts of food you've been eating, then alternatively I would say, rent a bike.

In my case, I have a van but stayed in Kagoshima the night previously at Richmond Hotel Kagoshima Kinseicho リッチモンドホテル鹿児島金生町 that I had booked through booking.com and turned out to be one of the best deals to room ratio that I have ever had. The hotel appeared very new, the rooms were large, very clean and comfortable. The only issue was parking was a couple blocks over. No view of Sakurajima but amazing room for only 5500 Yen.

In the morning I checked out fairly early, grabbed some coffee then took the first ferry over to the island then pretty much followed the route 1-8 above. I did buy a bunch of souvenirs from the lady at the Arimura Observation Deck area where there are a couple small sourvenir shops by the road. I also stopped at Sakurajima Coffee & Bakery (桜島コーヒー＆ベーカリー) on the way out as well. Took ferry back across to Kagoshima, then drove down to Lake Ikeda from there where I slept in van at Unagi Onsen area that evening.

Youtube video coming soon...

Demographics:

Volcano No.- K20

Volcano name- Sakurajima

Geologic code **Q3m

Main activity period - Late Pleistocene - Holocene

Activity period / recent activity - From 22,000 yBP. 

Latest eruption - AD 2025

Volcano type - Composite (compound) volcano

Representative rock type - Intermediate

Main rock type - Andesite, Dacite

Height above sea level - 1117 m (Kitadake)

Location (Prefecture)KAGOSHIMA - Latitude (WGS84)31.5925E. Longitude (WGS84)130.6567

Active volcano name by JMA - Sakurajima

Source - Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ)

Record of eruption & disaster:

764: Phreatoplinian eruptions: Pumice cone; lava flow.

1471-1476: Plinian eruptions: Major pumice fallout; lava flows. Many fatalities. Many houses buried (Bunmei Eruption).

From 8 Nov 1779: Plinian eruptions: Major pumice fallout; lava flows. Ca. 150 fatalities (An-ei Eruption).

9 Sep and 31 Oct 1780: Submarine eruptions accompanied by tsunami.

11 Apr 1781: Submarine eruptions accompanied by tsunami resulting in 8 fatalities.

1 May 1781 and 18 Jan 1782: Submarine eruptive activity.

20 Nov 1785: Minor eruptive activity: Ash fallout.

1790, 1791, 1794, 1797, 1799: Eruptive activity: Ash fallout.

Sep 1899: Ash cloud.

From 12 Jan 1914 (Taisho Eruption): Plinian eruptions: Pumice fallout, lava flow and pyroclastic flow. Island was connected to Osumi Peninsula. 58 fatalities. 120 houses burnt.

Sep 1935: Eruptive activity: Ash fallout.

Mar 1938: Ash cloud: Ash fallout.

Oct and Nov 1939: Vulcanian eruptions (Showa Crater formed): Ash fallout and minor pyroclastic flows.

Apr-Jun 1940, Apr-Jun, Aug 1941, Jul 1942: Vulcanian eruptions: Ash fallout.

1943-1945: Ash cloud.

Jan-Nov 1946 (Showa Eruption): Vulcanian eruptions: Ash fallout, lava flow on 9 Mar. 1 fatality.

Jul 1948: Vulcanian eruptions: Ash fallout. Activity at Showa Crater stopped.

Jun-Sep 1950: Minor Vulcanian eruptions (Minamidake Summit Crater): Ash fallout.

1954: Ash cloud.

Oct 1955: Vulcanian eruptions (Minamidake Summit Crater): Ash fallout. 1 fatality.

1956-1974: Sporadic Vulcanian eruptions: Ash fallout.

Jun and Aug 1974: Lahars. 8 fatalities.

1975-1985: Sporadic Vulcanian eruptions: Ash fall and frequent lahars.

Apr 1985: Minor pyroclastic flows.

1985-2015 (except 2010 and 2013): Sporadic Vulcanian eruptions (Minamidake Summit Crater): Ash fallout and frequent lahars.

4-20 Jun 2006: Vulcanian eruptions at the Showa Crater (east of summit crater of Minami-dake) since 1946: Ash fallout and lahars.

16 May to 20 Jun 2007: Minor Vulcanian eruptions (Showa crater): Ash fallout.

3-6 Feb and 3-14 Apr 2008: Vulcanian eruptions (Showa crater): Ash fallout and minor pyroclastic flows.

From May 2008 to Sep 2015: Vulcanian eruptions (Showa crater): Ash fallout.

From Apr 2009 to Apr 2015: Minor pyroclastic flows (ca. 20 times).

2009: 735 eruptions at Showa Crater (Vulcanian eruptions: 545 times) and 20 eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

2010: 1026 eruptions at Showa Crater (Vulcanian eruptions: 896 times) and no eruption at Minamidake Summit Crater.

2011: 1353 eruptions at Showa Crater (Vulcanian eruptions: 994 times) and 2 eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

2012: 883 Vulcanian eruptions at Showa Crater and 2 eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

7 Feb 2011, 24 Jul and 2 Dec 2012: Vulcanian eruptions (Minamidake Summit Crater): Ash fallout.

2013: 1097 times of eruptions at Showa Crater (835 Vulcanian) and no eruption at Minamidake Summit Crater.

2014: 655 times of eruptions at Showa Crater and 1 eruption at Minamidake Summit Crater.

2015 (Jan to Sep): 1250 times of eruptions at Showa Crater and 2 eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

Eruption at Minamidake Summit Crater (after 8-month dormancy). Minor pyroclastic flow.

From 26 Apr 2017 to Apr 2018: Vulcanian eruptions at Showa Crater. Storombolian-like eruptions were observed after late Aug.

From Apr 2017 to Feb 2023: Eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

From Feb 2023 to Aug 2023: Eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater and Showa Crater. Showa Crater erupted after 5-year dormancy since Apr 2018.

From Sep 2023 to Jan 2025 (ongoing): Eruptions at Minamidake Summit Crater.

Additional comments - 

Source - Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ)

About: Sakurajima (Japanese: 桜島, lit. 'Cherry Blossom Island') is an active stratovolcano, formerly an island and now a peninsula, in Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. The lava flows of the 1914 eruption connected it with the Ōsumi Peninsula. It is the most active volcano in Japan.

As of April 2021, the volcanic activity still continues, dropping volcanic ash on the surroundings. Earlier eruptions built the white sand highlands in the region. On September 13, 2016, a team of experts from Bristol University and the Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre in Japan suggested that the volcano could have a major eruption within 30 years; since then two eruptions have occurred.

Sakurajima is a stratovolcano. Its summit has three peaks, Kita-dake (northern peak), Naka-dake (central peak) and Minami-dake (southern peak) which is active now.

Kita-dake is Sakurajima's highest peak, rising to 1,117 m (3,665 ft) above sea level. The mountain is in a part of Kagoshima Bay known as Kinkō-wan. The former island is part of the city of Kagoshima which is only 4km across the bay. The surface of this volcanic peninsula is about 77 km2 (30 sq mi).

Sakurajima has a population of a few thousand residents, formerly incorporated as Sakurajima town, with a number of schools, shrines, and shops on the island. It is serviced by the Sakurajima Ferry which runs 24/7. It is a tourist destination known for its onsen, local pottery made from volcanic ash, and produce such as the Sakurajima daikon radish and Sakurajima komikan orange which grow in the immensely fertile volcanic soil.

Sakurajima has many natural areas and the ecosystems in different areas where recent eruptions have taken place have been researched as an example of ecological succession.

Geological history - Sakurajima is in the 25 km (15 mi)-wide Aira caldera, which formed in an enormous "blow-out-and-cave-in" eruption around 22,000 years ago. Several hundred cubic kilometres of ash and pumice were ejected, causing the magma chamber underneath the erupting vents to collapse. The resulting caldera is over 20 km (12 mi) across. Tephra fell as far as 1,000 km (620 mi) from the volcano. Sakurajima is a modern active vent of the same Aira caldera volcano.

Sakurajima was formed by later activity within the caldera, beginning about 13,000 years ago. It is about 8 km (5 mi) south of the centre of the caldera. Its first eruption in recorded history was in 963 AD. Most of its eruptions are Strombolian, affecting only the summit areas, but larger Plinian eruptions have occurred in 1471–1476, 1779–1782 and 1914.

Volcanic activity at Kita-dake ended around 4,900 years ago: later eruptions have been centered on Minami-dake. Since 2006, activity has centred on Showa crater, to the east of the summit of Minami-dake.

1914 eruption - Start date January 11, 1914 Type Peléan VEI4 Impact Pre-eruption earthquakes killed at least 35 people and an additional 23 people died; caused an evacuation and significant changes to the local topography.

The 1914 eruption began on January 11 and was the most powerful in twentieth-century Japan. The volcano had been dormant for over a century until 1914. Almost all residents had left the island in the previous days; several large earthquakes had warned them that an eruption was imminent. Initially, the eruption was very explosive, generating eruption columns and pyroclastic flows, but after a very large earthquake on January 12, and another the day after, it became effusive, generating a large lava flow. The January 12 earthquake killed 35, and in total, 58 people died. Lava flows filled the narrow strait between the island and the mainland, turning it into a peninsula. Lava flows are rare in Japan—because the silica content of the magmas is high, explosive eruptions are far more common—but the lava flows at Sakurajima continued for months. The island grew, engulfing several smaller islands nearby, and eventually became connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Parts of Kagoshima Bay became significantly shallower, and it made tides higher.

During the last stages of the eruption, emptying of the underlying magma chamber sank the centre of the Aira Caldera by about 60 cm (24 in). This showed that Sakurajima draws its magma from the same magma reservoir that fed the ancient caldera-forming eruption. The eruption partly inspired a 1914 movie, The Wrath of the Gods, centering on a family curse that ostensibly causes the eruption.

Recent activity - Sakurajima's activity became more prominent in 1955, and the volcano has been erupting almost constantly ever since. Thousands of small explosions happen each year, throwing ash to heights of up to a few kilometers above the mountain. The Sakurajima Volcano Observatory was set up in 1960 to monitor these eruptions.

Monitoring of the volcano and predictions of large eruptions are particularly important because it is in a densely populated area, with the city of Kagoshima's 680,000 residents just a few kilometers from the volcano. The city conducts regular evacuation drills, and a number of shelters have been built where people can take refuge from falling volcanic debris.

In light of the dangers it presents to nearby populations, Sakurajima was designated a Decade Volcano in 1991, identifying it as worthy of particular study as part of the United Nations' International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

Sakurajima is part of the Kirishima-Yaku National Park, and its lava flows are a major tourist attraction. The area around Sakurajima contains several hot spring resorts. One of the main agricultural products of Sakurajima is a huge basketball-sized white radish (Sakurajima daikon).

On March 10, 2009, Sakurajima erupted, sending debris up to 2 km (1.2 mi). An eruption had been expected following a series of smaller explosions over the weekend. It is not thought there was any damage caused.

An eruption occurred from the Minami-dake summit crater at 5:38 on Sunday, August 9, 2010, sending debris up to 5000 m (16,000 ft).

In 2011 and 2012, Sakurajima experienced several significant eruptions; volcanic activity continued into 2013. Photographer Martin Rietze captured a rare picture of lightning within the ash plume in January 2013 during a magma ejection, which was a NASA astronomy pic of the day in March 2013.

On August 18, 2013, the volcano erupted from Showa crater and produced its highest recorded plume of ash since 2006, rising 5,000 meters high and causing darkness and significant ash falls on the central part of Kagoshima city. The eruption occurred at 16:31 and was the 500th eruption of the year.

In August 2015, Japan's meteorological agency issued a level 4 emergency warning, which urges residents to prepare to evacuate. Scientists warned that a major eruption could soon take place at the volcano; it eventually did erupt around 20:00 on February 5, 2016.

After a long pause of eruptions at the vent, the eruptions abruptly stopped there and returned to the Showa crater, on April 4, 2016, some 8–9 days preceding major earthquakes on the Median Tectonic Line near Kumamoto, Japan. Then, three months later, on July 26, it spewed volcanic ash 5,000 m (16,000 ft) into the air.

On October 3, 2020, at 07:35 UTC, the volcano erupted once again, this time from the Aira caldera. A volcanic ash advisory for aviation was issued by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) at 07:43 UTC, showing the ash cloud to be stationary and reaching FL100 (10,000 feet).

On July 24, 2022, at 20:05 JST, an explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of the volcano, and cinders scattered up to 2.5 km from the crater. Following this eruption, at 20:50 JST, the Japan Meteorological Agency raised the eruption alert level from Level 3 to Level 5, the highest level, and urged maximum precaution and evacuation. This was the first time an eruption alert level 5 has been issued for Sakurajima.

On February 9, 2023, an eruption occurred at the Showa crater on Sakurajima at 10:52 JST. The plumes had risen to 1000 meters at 11:10 JST, according to the Kagoshima Meteorological Office. People in a 2-km radius were sent a warning by the local weather observatory against pyroclastic flows and falling rocks.

On February 14, 2024, an eruption occurred at the Minamidake crater on Sakurajima at 18:33 JST, emitting plumes of over five kilometers in height and spewing rocks as far as 1.3 kilometers away.

Source - Wikipedia

Geological Summary: The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim and built an island that was joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent eruptions since the 8th century have deposited ash on the city of Kagoshima, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest recorded eruption took place during 1471-76.

Source - Global Volcanism Program