Japan has the highest number of active volcanoes in the world, 13% of active volcanoes are located in Japan. There are more than 118 active volcanoes spread across the more than 6,000 islands that make up Japan. These volcanoes are called active because they erupted or showed data of volcanic activity over a period of 10,000 years.
Currently 47 of these volcanoes are constantly monitored, 13 of these volcanoes are at high risk and could erupt. In this article, we are going to see the 5 most dangerous volcanoes in Japan and a complete list of all volcanoes in this beautiful country.
Japan's Most Dangerous Volcanoes
The Mount Fuji (富士山 – Fujisan) has erupted 16 times since 781. That's an average of once every 76 years. The last eruption was in 1708. Mount Fuji is close to Tokyo, endangering more than 35 million lives.
The Mount Aso It is one of the largest volcanoes in the world – its caldera is 120 kilometers in circumference. An eruption 90,800 years ago released 600 km³ of lava and debris. An eruption of this size today would have devastating consequences that extend far beyond Japan's borders. To learn more about this volcano read our article clicking here.
Sakurajima (桜島) is a volcano located a few meters from the city of Kagoshima with a population of over 600,000. Sakurajima was an island that erupted in 1914 and formed a peninsula. Sakurajima erupted in 1955 and has been erupting ever since, and every year there are several small explosions.
The Shinmoedake is a volcano located in Kagoshima, it was the secret base of the 1967 James Bond movie villain 007. This volcano erupted in 2008, 2009 and 2011 days after the famous earthquake in the Tohoku region.
The Mount Asama is the most active volcano on Japan's main island (Honshu), it is close to Tokyo, Gunma and Nagano. Mount Asama erupted in 1783 and later and became quite active after 1982 causing fires etc.
Volcanoes is one of the causes of Japan having so many earthquakes, while earthquakes can be the cause of these volcanoes erupting.
List of volcanoes in Japan
Finally, here is a list of most volcanoes in Japan and their location and last eruption. The list is not 100% complete and detailed. I hope you enjoyed the article, share it with your friends and leave your comments.
| Name | Location | last eruption |
| Abu (volcano) | Honshu | – |
| Akita-Komaga-Take | Honshu | 1971 |
| Akita-Yake-Yama | Honshu | 1997 |
| akusekijima | Ryukyu Islands | – |
| Aogashima | Izu Peninsula | 1785 |
| Bayonnaise Rocks | Izu Peninsula | 1970 |
| Kikai boiler | Ryukyu Islands | 2004 |
| Fukue-jima | Kyushu | 550 BC |
| Gajajima | Ryukyu Islands | – |
| Hachijō-jima | Izu Peninsula | 1707 |
| Hakkōda Monteains | Honshu | 1997 |
| hijiori | Honshu | 8300 BC ± 1000 years |
| hiuchi | Honshu | 1544 |
| Ibusuki Volcanic Field | Kyushu | 885 |
| Iriomote-jima | Ryukyu Islands | 1924 |
| Iwaki | Honshu | 1863 |
| Iwate | Honshu | 1919 |
| Izu-Tobu | Honshu | 1989 |
| Iōtorishima | Ryukyu Islands | 1968 |
| Kanpu | Honshu | 750 BC |
| Kogajajima | Ryukyu Islands | – |
| Kuchinoerabu-jima | Ryukyu Islands | 2015 |
| Kuchinoshima | – | – |
| Kurikoma | Honshu | 1950 |
| Kurose Hole | Izu Peninsula | – |
| Kōzu-shima | Izu Peninsula | 838 |
| lake kuttara | Hokkaido | – |
| Lake Mashu | Hokkaido | – |
| lake shikotsu | Hokkaido | Holocene |
| Megata | Honshu | 2050 BC |
| Mikura-jima | Izu Peninsula | 3450 BC |
| miyake-jima | Izu Peninsula | 2010 |
| Mount Adatara | Honshu | 1990 |
| Mount Akagi | Honshu | – |
| Mount Asahi (Daisetsuzan) | Hokkaido | 1739 |
| Mount Asama | Honshu | 2009 |
| Mount Aso | Kyushu | 2016[1] |
| Mount Azuma | Honshu | 1977 |
| Mount Bandai | Honshu | 1888 |
| Mount Chokai | Honshu | 1974 |
| Mount Fuji | Honshu | 1707 |
| Mount Hachimantai | Honshu | – |
| Mount Hakone | Honshu | 950 BC ± 100 years |
| Mount Haku | Honshu | 1659 |
| Mount Haruna | Honshu | 550 ± 10 years |
| Mount Iō (Shiretoko) | Hokkaido | 1936 |
| Mount Kirishima | Kyushu | 2011[2][3] |
| mount kuju | Kyushu | 1996 |
| Mount Kusatsu-Shirane | Honshu | 1989 |
| Mount Meakan | Hokkaido | 2008 |
| mount Mutsuhiuchi | Honshu | Pleistocene |
| Mount Myōko | Honshu | 2360 BC ± 150 years |
| Mount Nantai | Honshu | – |
| Mount Nasu | Honshu | 1963 |
| Mount Niigatayake | Honshu | 1998 |
| Mount Nikko-Shirane | Honshu | 1890 |
| Mount Norikura | Honshu | 6870 BC ± 500 years |
| Mount Ontake | Honshu | 2014 |
| Mount Osore | Honshu | 1787 |
| Mount Rausu | Hokkaido | 1880 |
| Mount Rishiri | Hokkaido | 5830 BC |
| Mount Shiretoko | Hokkaido | 200000 BC |
| Mount Tate | Honshu | 1858 |
| Mount Tateshina | Honshu | – |
| Mount Tsurumi | Kyushu | 867 |
| Mount Unzen | Kyushu | 1996 |
| Mount Yake | Honshu | 1995 |
| Mount Yotei | Hokkaido | 1050 BC |
| Mount Zao | Honshu | 1940 |
| Myōjin-sho | Izu Peninsula | – |
| narugo | Honshu | 837 |
| Nigorigawa | Hokkaido | Pleistocene |
| Nii-jima | Izu Peninsula | 886 |
| Nipesotsu-Maruyama Volcanic Group | Hokkaido | 1899 |
| Niseko | Hokkaido | 4050 BC |
| Numazawa | Honshu | 2980 BC ± 150 years |
| Oki-Dogo | Honshu | – |
| Omanago Group | Honshu | – |
| Oshima | Hokkaido | 1790 |
| Otake (Naka-no-shima) | Ryukyu Islands | 1949 |
| Sakura-jima | Kyushu | 2016 [4] |
| Sanbe Group | Honshu | 1760 BC ± 150 years |
| Shiga | Honshu | – |
| Shikaribatsu Volcanic Group | Hokkaido | Holocene |
| Shinmoedake | Kyushu | 2011 |
| Shiribetsu | Hokkaido | Holocene |
| Showa-shinzan | Hokkaido | 1945 |
| Sumiyoshi-Ike | Kyushu | 4550 BC |
| Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands | 2007 |
| Takahara | Honshu | 4570 BC |
| to-shima | Izu Peninsula | 4050 BC |
| Tori-shima | Izu Peninsula | 2002 |
| towada | Honshu | 915 |
| Washiba-Kumontaira | Honshu | 4000 BC |
| Yokoate-jima | Ryukyu Islands | 1835 ± 30 years |
| Ōshima | Izu Peninsula | 1990 |
