Bandaisan (Japan): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Bandaisan is a stratovolcano located in Japan, standing at an elevation of 1,816 meters within a subduction zone and continental crust tectonic setting. Maintained within the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program records (volcano number 283160), the volcano has a confirmed history of 11 eruptions spanning from prehistoric tephrochronology matches to historical observations. The largest recorded eruption reached a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4.0.

Overview of Recorded Eruptions

The historical and geological record for Bandaisan details 11 confirmed eruptions. The earliest recorded activity in the official dataset dates to 7450 BCE with a start year modifier indicating uncertainty. Tephrochronology correlation and reported observations form the basis of the evidence methods used to document these events across millennia.

Among the documented events, four eruptions have associated Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) values, with the largest measured at VEI 4.0. The most recent confirmed eruption in the official record took place on July 15, 1888, at the Kobandai activity area, registering a VEI of 4.0.

Chronology of Activity by Century

Activity at Bandaisan is distributed across multiple centuries ranging from deep prehistory to the late 19th century. The confirmed eruption count by century includes:

• 75th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 64th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 51st century BCE: 1 eruption
• 47th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 39th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 18th century BCE: 1 eruption (noted at the Numanotaira activity area with a start year uncertainty of 1250 years)
• 6th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 9th century CE: 1 eruption
• 18th century CE: 1 eruption (recorded in 1787 with a VEI of 2.0)
• 19th century CE: 2 eruptions, concluding with the July 15, 1888 eruption at Kobandai