Earth:Mount Kusatsu-Shirane

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Short description: Stratovolcano on the island of Honshu, Japan
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
View of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane from the southeast
Highest point
Elevation2,165 m (7,103 ft)
Coordinates [ ⚑ ] 36°38′38″N 138°31′40″E / 36.6438°N 138.5279°E / 36.6438; 138.5279 
Naming
Native name[草津白根山  (Japanese)] Error: {{Native name}}: missing language tag (help)  (language?)
Geography
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane is located in Central Japan
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
Honshū, Japan
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane is located in Japan
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (Japan)
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Volcanic arcNortheastern Japan Arc
Last eruptionJanuary 23, 2018[1]

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (草津白根山, Kusatsu Shirane-san) is a 2,165 m (7,103 ft) active stratovolcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan.[2] It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping pyroclastic cones and three crater lakes. The largest of these is Yu-gama, an acidic emerald green lake with rafts of yellow sulfur sometimes seen floating on its surface.[3][4]

On January 23, 2018, a minor phreatic eruption of the volcano occurred.[5] One person was killed, and others were injured in an avalanche triggered by the eruption.[6] The next day, new activity forced police to suspend search operations.[7] One month after the eruption, it was announced by prefectural officials that only the summit of the volcano was off limits to the public.[8]

2025-2026 unrest

On August 4, 2025 the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that unrest activity had increased. They also raised the Observation alert level from 1 to a 2 "Restriction on the proximity to crater". More then 40 volcanic earthquakes were reported.[9] As of January 8, 2026, volcanic unrest has continued.[10]

  • Relief map of Kusatsu-Shirane Volcano
    Relief map of Kusatsu-Shirane Volcano
  • Yugama crater
    Yugama crater

See also

  • List of volcanoes in Japan
  • List of mountains in Japan

References

  1. ↑ (in Japanese)NHK News Web (NHK). https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20180123/k10011298881000.html. Retrieved 23 January 2018. 
  2. ↑ "Kusatsu-Shirane". Oregon State University. http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/kusatsu-shirane. Retrieved 23 January 2018. 
  3. ↑ "Mt. Kusatsu-Shiranesan". Bureau of Tourism, GUNMA Prefectural Government. https://www.visitgunma.jp/en/sightseeing/detail.php?sightseeing_id=9. Retrieved 24 January 2018. 
  4. ↑ "Kusatsu-Shiranesan". Smithsonian Institution. https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=283120. 
  5. ↑ "Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane saw repeated eruptions in the past". The Mainichi (The Mainichi Newspapers). 24 January 2018. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180124/p2a/00m/0na/021000c. Retrieved 24 January 2018. 
  6. ↑ McCurry, Justin. "Japan: fatal avalanche engulfs skiers after volcano erupts". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/23/japan-avalanche-engulfs-skiers-after-volcano-erupts-at-ski-resort. Retrieved 23 January 2018. 
  7. ↑ "Volcanic tremors halt search ops after eruption". Japan Today. AFP. 24 January 2018. https://japantoday.com/category/national/fresh-tremors-halt-search-ops-after-japan-volcano-eruption. Retrieved 24 January 2018. 
  8. ↑ "One month since eruption of Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane". NHK World (NHK). 23 February 2018. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180223_28/. Retrieved 23 February 2018. 
  9. ↑ Shimbun, Yomiuri (4 August 2025). "Eruption Alert Level Raised for Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane, Gunma Pref., Japan; Caution Urged Over Rockfalls Within 1 Kilometer" (in en). Japan News. https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20250804-273636/. 
  10. ↑ "Kusatsu-Shiranesan Volcano (Japan) activity update Jan 7, 2026 - Unrest" (in en). Volcano Discovery. 8 January 2026. https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/kusatsu-shirane/news/291395/Kusatsu-Shiranesan-Volcano-Japan-activity-update-Jan-7-2026-Unrest.html. 




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