Showashinzan
Encyclopedia
is a volcanic lava dome
in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park
, Hokkaidō
, Japan
, next to Mount Usu
. The mountain was created between 1944 and 1945. Initially, a series of strong earthquake
s shook the area, and wheat fields were rapidly uplifted. Lava broke through the surface and the current peak was created. The peak is now 398 m (1,306 ft) tall, and still actively smoking.
The name Shōwa-shinzan literally means "Showa new mountain", as it formed during the reign of Emperor Hirohito
, known as the Showa period
. When Shōwa-shinzan first appeared, the Japanese authorities were worried that it might be interpreted as an unlucky wartime omen
, and its existence was kept secret. Much of the information about peak's formation during these years comes from local postmaster Masao Mimatsu
, who kept detailed measurements of its progress.
Lava dome
|250px|thumb|right|Image of the [[rhyolitic]] lava dome of [[Chaitén Volcano]] during its 2008–2009 eruption.In volcanology, a lava dome is a roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano...
in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park
Shikotsu-Toya National Park
is a national park in the central part of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. Named after the volcanic caldera lakes of Lake Shikotsu and Lake Tōya, it has a total area of 993.02 square kilometers...
, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, next to Mount Usu
Mount Usu
is an active stratovolcano in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan. It has erupted four times since 1900: in 1910, 1944–45 , August 7, 1977, and on March 31, 2000. To the north lies Lake Toya...
. The mountain was created between 1944 and 1945. Initially, a series of strong earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s shook the area, and wheat fields were rapidly uplifted. Lava broke through the surface and the current peak was created. The peak is now 398 m (1,306 ft) tall, and still actively smoking.
The name Shōwa-shinzan literally means "Showa new mountain", as it formed during the reign of Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
, known as the Showa period
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
. When Shōwa-shinzan first appeared, the Japanese authorities were worried that it might be interpreted as an unlucky wartime omen
Omen
An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change...
, and its existence was kept secret. Much of the information about peak's formation during these years comes from local postmaster Masao Mimatsu
Masao Mimatsu
Masao Mimatsu was a Japanese postmaster who recorded the growth of the Showashinzan mountain in 1944–1945....
, who kept detailed measurements of its progress.