Yakedake

Geography & Climate

Yakedake is located in Japan, within the Nankai Volcanic Arc of the broader Western Pacific Volcanic Regions. Situated at 36.23° N, 137.59° E in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a temperate climate zone. At 2,455 meters above sea level, Yakedake rises above the surrounding terrain into montane or subalpine conditions. The elevation creates distinct ecological zones along its flanks, from forested lower slopes to exposed rocky terrain near the summit. The volcanic landform is characterized as a composite, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.

Geological Context

Yakedake sits in a subduction zone, where one tectonic plate dives beneath another, creating intense heat and pressure that generates magma. Subduction zones are responsible for many of the world's most explosive volcanoes and deadliest eruptions. For communities in Japan near Yakedake, this tectonic setting means the volcano is capable of producing powerful explosive eruptions, pyroclastic flows, and lahars that can threaten populated areas within tens of kilometers of the summit. The dominant rock type is andesite / basaltic andesite, a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that forms from rapidly cooling, low-viscosity lava. Basaltic eruptions tend to be less explosive and produce fluid lava flows that can travel long distances. While less immediately dangerous than explosive eruptions, basaltic lava flows can destroy structures and infrastructure in their path, and volcanic gases released during these eruptions can affect air quality over a wide area.

Eruption History Summary

Yakedake has 38 recorded eruptions in the geological database, spanning from 7450 BCE to 1995 CE. The most powerful recorded event was a cataclysmic eruption with ash columns reaching the stratosphere in 350 BCE, reaching VEI 4 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Notable eruptions include 1585 CE (VEI 3), 350 BCE (VEI 4). With an average interval of roughly 249 years between eruptions over a span of 9,445 years, this is one of the more frequently active volcanoes in the database. This persistent activity suggests a robust and well-supplied magma system beneath the volcano. The most recent eruption in 1995 CE places this volcano within the modern era of volcanological observation.

Significance

With a maximum recorded VEI of 4, Yakedake has demonstrated the capacity for significant explosive eruptions that can impact regional aviation, agriculture, and communities tens of kilometers from the summit. VEI 4 eruptions produce ash columns reaching 15-25 kilometers into the atmosphere. Its 38 recorded eruptions make it one of the most prolific volcanoes in our database, reflecting a persistent and well-documented eruptive history that has provided volcanologists with extensive data for understanding eruption patterns and forecasting future activity. Given its recent activity, Yakedake is closely monitored by geological survey organizations to provide early warning of future unrest.

GVP Reference Summary

Yakedake rises above the popular resort of Kamikochi in the Northern Japan Alps. The small dominantly andesitic stratovolcano, one of several Japanese volcanoes named Yakedake or Yakeyama ("Burning Peak" or "Burning Mountain"), was constructed astride a N-S-trending ridge between the older volcanoes of Warudaniyama and Shirataniyama. Akandanayama, about 4 km SSW, is a stratovolcano with lava domes that was active into the Holocene. A 300-m-wide crater is located at the summit, and explosion craters are found on the SE and N flanks. Frequent small-to-moderate phreatic eruptions have occurred during the 20th century. On 11 February 1995 a hydrothermal explosion in a geothermal area killed two people at a highway construction site.

— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program