Kirishimayama (Japan): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Kirishimayama is a shield volcano located in Japan, standing at an elevation of 1,700 meters within a subduction zone and continental crust tectonic setting (greater than 25 km depth). According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program's official record, the volcano has a confirmed total of 79 eruptions spanning thousands of years, with the earliest recorded activity dating back to 7050 BCE (with a start year uncertainty of 2350 years) and the latest recorded eruption cycle occurring in 2025 CE.

Overview of Historical Eruptions

The historical record for Kirishimayama captures volcanic events across multiple centuries using various documentation methods, ranging from early tephrochronology correlations to reported historical observations. Across the 79 confirmed eruptions in the database, the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) reaches a maximum recorded value of 4.0. Out of the total confirmed eruptions, 76 include VEI observations.

Activity at the volcano is distributed across different active areas, such as Shinmoe-dake and Ohachi. For example, early prehistoric activity is represented by the Setao Pumice at Shinmoe-dake around 7050 BCE with a VEI of 3.0. Later centuries brought notable reported observations, such as a VEI 4.0 eruption at Ohachi starting on January 25, 1235 CE, and smaller scale events like the VEI 2.0 eruption in 1677. Well-documented short-term sequences also appear in the record, such as an eruption at Ohachi that began on February 25, 1894, and ended on February 28, 1894.

Recent Activity and Latest Recorded Eruption

The latest recorded eruption phase in the official database began on June 22, 2025 CE, and concluded on September 7, 2025 CE, reaching a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3.0. In the underlying profile data, the last known eruption year is listed as 2025.

Chronological Distribution by Century

The confirmed eruptions span multiple eras, demonstrating intermittent activity across millennia:

• BCE Era: Recorded activity includes individual centuries such as the 71st century BCE, 57th century BCE, 44th century BCE, 36th century BCE, 31st century BCE, 27th century BCE, and 21st century BCE.
• CE Era: Activity continued through the 7th century CE (1 event), 8th century CE (2 events), 9th century CE (4 events), 10th century CE (2 events), 12th century CE (4 events), 13th century CE (1 event), 16th century CE (11 events), 17th century CE (10 events), 18th century CE (8 events), 19th century CE (15 events), 20th century CE (8 events), and the 21st century CE (6 events).