Preparing for Volcanic Activity of Mt. Azuma

Outline of Mt. Azuma

Mt. Azuma belongs to a group of active volcanoes, consisting of Mt. Nishi-azuma, the highest peak among the group (elevation 2,035 m) located at the border between Yamagata and Fukushima Prefecture, and a number of volcanoes including Mt. Higashi-azuma, Mt. Issaikyo, and Mt. Azuma-kofuji.

These volcanoes are scattered in the area of about 22 kilometers east-west by about 15 kilometers north-south, and roughly divided into two rows, the south row and the north row, in the east-southeast to west-northwest direction.As a whole, the mountains in the north row are younger than those in the south row. In each row, the mountains located in the west are younger than those in the east.

Many volcanoes in the north row have a crater on top: there are a number of new pyroclastic cones and craters, such as Goshikinuma, Oana, Okenuma, Mt. Azuma-kofuji, especially near Mt. Issaikyo in the east.

The volcanic eruptions in the recorded history have been restricted in Mt. Issaikyo (elevation 1,949 m) of the north volcanic row; the eruption in 1893, the largest volcanic eruption in the recorded history, occurred in Mt. Issaikyo. Some volcanic gas activities have been observed currently between the south and east slope.