Showa Shinzan

昭和新山

Est. 60Toyako, Hokkaido

Overview

A red-brown lava dome that rose 290 meters from a wheat field over two years of eruptions starting in 1944.

Between 1944 and 1945 a section of farmland east of Lake Toya pushed up through 17 successive eruptions to form a new mountain, documented in real time by local postmaster Masao Mimatsu. His sketches of its growth (the Mimatsu Diagram) are still cited in volcanology textbooks. The dome continues to lose heat through fumaroles and is warm enough to melt snow on contact. A small glass museum at the base preserves Mimatsu's notebooks.

Local tips

The dome is best viewed from the parking lot at its base. The Bear Ranch beside it is a tourist trap; skip it.

Practical info

Japanese name: 昭和新山

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