Sakurajima is the symbol of Kagoshima.
It erupts almost every day! Since 2015 year started, more than 200 times of eruption have been observed.

Geography

Sakurajima is located in the center of Kagoshima.
It is located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay and at the south of Kyushu Island, Japan.
It has an elevation of 1,117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.

Explanation

Sakurajima is an active volcano. Minor eruption occurs almost every day.
Sometime massive eruption takes places, but there have not been the lost of human life in the past decades. My aunt has climbed up to the top of Sakurajima when she was an elementary school student. But now, it is prohibited for people to climb Sakurajima because eruption has increased and got active recently.

Life in Kagoshima with Sakurajima

If the wind flows from west, volcanic ashes fall on Kagoshima City.
The ash causes my eyes ache. I cannot go out without a mask covering my mouth. I cannot wash my hair easily due to ash.
If eruption produces much amount of ash, it is hard to drive a car because you cannot see in front of you. If wiper moves fast, it can damages windshield of the car. Please be careful! The ash will be surprising for travelers, but local people get used to the ash to some extent.

Many Japanese children made the sandy mountain with my friends in the public park, but I collected Sakurajima’s ash at the garden of house and made many ASH mountains in my childhood.

History of the Island

The most powerful eruption happened in 1914.
Sakurajima was an island, but the much lava sprang up at the time. As a result, the Sakurajima was connected to the Osumi Peninsula.

Much ashes fall on Kagoshima City and the sky was not visible for several days.

I visited the Kurokami Shrine at the Sakurajima. Half part of TORII (shrine gate) was buried by the ash.

See the article and videos of buried shrine gate

How powerful Sakurajima is!

My Private Observatory of Sakurajima

I can see Sakurajima from the balcony of my apartment.