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Akan Volcano | John Seach
Hokkaido, Japan
43.38 N, 144.02 E
summit elevation 1499 m
caldera
Akan volcano is a 24 x 13 km diameter caldera with a group of andesite cones. The summit is Ponmachineshiri.
Nakamachineshiri crater in the center of the volcano and Ponmachineshiri crater have active fumaroles. At least 17 phreatic eruptions have occurred since 1900's.
The largest eruption was in 1956 with the emission of 70,000 cubic m of tephra.
Lake Akan is located in Akan National Park. It contains a rare green algae (marimo) which can grow to about the size of a soccer ball. The lakeside hot spring resort of Akankohan is the only town around the lake. Bokke are bubbling mud pools on the side of the lake.
2008 Eruptions
On the 17th November 2008, tremor was recorded at the volcano. On the 18th November erupted material was observed 400 m from Ponmachineshiri crater. An ash eruption occurred on 28th November, with a plume to a height of 2 km.
2006 Eruption
A small eruption occurred from NE flank on 21st March 2006. Ashfall was observed 10 km SE of the volcano.
1998 Eruption
A small ash eruption occurred on 9th November 1998.
1996 Eruption
A small phreatic eruption occurred on 21st November 1996.
Further Reading
Kuritani, T. et al. 2021. Conditions of magma generation at the Me-akan volcano, northern Japan. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, p.107323.
Hasegawa, T. and Nakagawa, M., 2016. Large scale explosive eruptions of Akan volcano, eastern Hokkaido, Japan: a geological and petrological case study for establishing tephro-stratigraphy and-chronology around a caldera cluster. Quaternary International, 397, pp.39-51.
Akan Volcano Eruptions
2008, 2006, 1988, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1962, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1954, 1951?-52, 1927?, 1808?, 1800.