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Hakone Volcano

Updated: Mar 29, 2024 13:50 GMT -
complex volcano 1438 m / 4,718 ft
Honshu (Japan), 35.23°N / 139.02°E
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 12 Dec 2021 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Hakone (Hakoneyama) volcano is located 80 km SW of Tokyo. It is a massive stratovolcano truncated by 2 overlapping calderas, the largest being 11 x 10 km wide. It contains several younger vents, mostly lava domes, on a SW-NE trend cutting through the center of the caldera. The Kami-yama stratovolcano, the youngest of these, forms the high point of the volcano.
The calderas are breached to the east by the Haya-kawa canyon. The scenic Lake Ashi (Ashinoko) was created by a phreatic eruption 3000 yeas ago, which followed the collapse of the NW flank of the largest and youngest of the lava domes and dammed the Haya-kawa valley.
The last activity of Hakone volcano was ca. 800 years ago and consisted in phreatic explosions.
Lake Ashi and other major thermal areas in the caldera are a tourist destination SW of Tokyo.

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Typical eruption style: phreatic explosions
Hakone volcano eruptions: 1170 AD ± 100 years (radiocarbon dated), 50 BC (?), 1050 BC (?), 1200 BC (?), 1400 BC ± 100 years, 3700 BC ± 100 years, 6000 BC ± 100 years

Latest nearby earthquakes

TimeMag. / DepthDistance / Location
Mar 24, 03:35 am (GMT +9)
Mar 23, 18:35 GMT
2.8

191 km
17 km (10.9 mi) to the S Japan, 10 km southeast of san dao, Shizuoka Info
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 20, 02:02 am (GMT +9)
Mar 19, 17:02 GMT
2.6

191 km
19 km (12 mi) to the SW Japan: EASTERN SHIZUOKA PREF Info

Background

The Hakone volcano calderas were formed as a result of 2 major explosive eruptions about 180,000 and 49,000-60,000 years ago.
Dome growth after the caldera formation occurred progressively to the south. Ōwakudani (大涌谷, lit. "Great Boiling Valley") is a valley with intense hydrothermal activity and the location of several phreatic explosions in the past.
The latest magmatic eruption from Hakone was ca. 2900 years ago and produced a pyroclastic flow and a lava dome in the explosion crater. Phreatic eruptions have last occurred in the 12-13th centuries AD. Seismic swarms occurred at Hakone during the 20th century.
(Source: Smithsonian / GVP volcano information)

Eruptions of Hakone volcano



1991 seismic swarm
On 22 April 1991, 300 earthquakes were recorded 5 km beneath the central part of the caldera, but no eruption has followed.

Latest satellite images

Hakone satellite image sat1Hakone satellite image sat2
Wed, 2 Oct 2019, 06:00

Hakoneyama volcano (Honshu, Japan) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 2 October-8 October 2019 (Continuing Activity)

On 7 October JMA lowered the Alert Level for Hakoneyama to 1 (the lowest level on a 5-level scale), noting that the number of volcanic earthquakes had decreased to background levels after a spike in seismicity was recorded in May. Inflation had been detected but had become almost stagnant after late August. Fumaroles in the Owakudani hot springs area continued to be active, with gas-and-steam plumes rising 100-400 m above their vents. ... Read all
Wed, 22 May 2019, 06:00

Hakoneyama volcano (Honshu, Japan) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 22 May-28 May 2019 (New Activity / Unrest)

JMA reported that the number of earthquakes at Hakoneyama increased on 18 May and remained elevated through 27 May. The epicenters were centered around the W bank of Lake Ashinoko and around Komagatake. Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) data continued to indicate a trend of inflation. ... Read all

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