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Nikko-Shiranesan

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Volcanic Region
  • Landform | Volc Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  • 36.799°N
  • 139.376°E

  • 2,578 m
    8,458 ft

  • 283140
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number


Most Recent Bulletin Report: March 2013 (BGVN 38:03) Citation IconCite this Report

Felt earthquakes nearby during April-September 2011

This is our first report on Nikko-Shirane (also known as Nikko-Shiranesan). The volcano is located in the Nikko National Park in central Honshu, the main island of Japan (figures 1 and 2).

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. A photo and a sketch map highlighting the Nikko-Shirane's morphology and location. The volcano sits ~124 km NNW of Tokyo. Courtesy of JMA.
Figure (see Caption) Figure 2. Photo of Nikko-Shirane taken on 8 October 2012 with Goshikinuma Pond in the foreground. Courtesy of futurelight(*busy*) on Flickr.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), after the massive 11 March 2011 MW 9.03 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku (38.297°N, 142.372°E), seismicity briefly increased 5-10 km E and SE of Nikko-Shirane at a depth of about 5 km W and NW. On 9 April 2011, an M 3.5 earthquake occurred about 5 km W of the summit, followed by several aftershocks. On JMA's earthquake intensity scale, the M 3.5 earthquake ranged from 1 (felt slightly by some people in quiet environments) to 3 (felt by most people in buildings and some people walking; many people awoken). (JMA's earthquake intensity scale is explained on their website.)

In May, two small earthquakes occurred NW of the volcano. Afterward, seismicity gradually declined through December 2011, although several additional small earthquakes through September 2011 were felt in nearby Nikko city, about 4-5 km E of the summit. No volcanic tremor or fumaroles were observed. No changes were also noted during a 2 November 2011 field survey.

The next JMA-translated report on Nikko-Shirane, in February 2013, noted that volcanic seismicity remained low. However, on 25 February an M 6.3 earthquake occurred, the hypocenter of which was 10 km NNE of the summit and 3 km below sea level. The earthquake's maximum seismic intensity on JMA's scale was 5+ in Nikko City (scale of 5 indicates that many people find it hard to move and walking is difficult). Aftershocks with maximum seismic intensities between 1 and 4 on the JMA scale continued until 28 February, when seismicity declined. This seismicity was not accompanied by volcanic tremor, fumarolic activity, crustal deformation, or any other volcanic activity.

Information Contacts: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Otemachi, 1 3 4, Chiyoda ku Tokyo 100 8122, Japan (URL: http://www.jma.go.jp/).

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Nikko-Shiranesan.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

03/2013 (BGVN 38:03) Felt earthquakes nearby during April-September 2011




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


March 2013 (BGVN 38:03) Citation IconCite this Report

Felt earthquakes nearby during April-September 2011

This is our first report on Nikko-Shirane (also known as Nikko-Shiranesan). The volcano is located in the Nikko National Park in central Honshu, the main island of Japan (figures 1 and 2).

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. A photo and a sketch map highlighting the Nikko-Shirane's morphology and location. The volcano sits ~124 km NNW of Tokyo. Courtesy of JMA.
Figure (see Caption) Figure 2. Photo of Nikko-Shirane taken on 8 October 2012 with Goshikinuma Pond in the foreground. Courtesy of futurelight(*busy*) on Flickr.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), after the massive 11 March 2011 MW 9.03 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku (38.297°N, 142.372°E), seismicity briefly increased 5-10 km E and SE of Nikko-Shirane at a depth of about 5 km W and NW. On 9 April 2011, an M 3.5 earthquake occurred about 5 km W of the summit, followed by several aftershocks. On JMA's earthquake intensity scale, the M 3.5 earthquake ranged from 1 (felt slightly by some people in quiet environments) to 3 (felt by most people in buildings and some people walking; many people awoken). (JMA's earthquake intensity scale is explained on their website.)

In May, two small earthquakes occurred NW of the volcano. Afterward, seismicity gradually declined through December 2011, although several additional small earthquakes through September 2011 were felt in nearby Nikko city, about 4-5 km E of the summit. No volcanic tremor or fumaroles were observed. No changes were also noted during a 2 November 2011 field survey.

The next JMA-translated report on Nikko-Shirane, in February 2013, noted that volcanic seismicity remained low. However, on 25 February an M 6.3 earthquake occurred, the hypocenter of which was 10 km NNE of the summit and 3 km below sea level. The earthquake's maximum seismic intensity on JMA's scale was 5+ in Nikko City (scale of 5 indicates that many people find it hard to move and walking is difficult). Aftershocks with maximum seismic intensities between 1 and 4 on the JMA scale continued until 28 February, when seismicity declined. This seismicity was not accompanied by volcanic tremor, fumarolic activity, crustal deformation, or any other volcanic activity.

Information Contacts: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Otemachi, 1 3 4, Chiyoda ku Tokyo 100 8122, Japan (URL: http://www.jma.go.jp/).

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 11 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1952 Jul 16 ± 15 days - 1952 Sep 16 ± 15 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1952 Jul 16 ± 15 days - 1952 Sep 16 ± 15 days Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
1952 Jul    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1890 Aug 22 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1890 Aug 22 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
1890 Aug 22    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1889 Dec 4 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san (west flank)
1889 Dec 4 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san (west flank)

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
1889 Dec 4    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1873 Mar 12 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1873 Mar 12 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
1873 Mar 12    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1872 May 14 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san (SW flank)
1872 May 14 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san (SW flank)

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
1872 May 14    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1871 Apr ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1871 Apr - Unknown Evidence from Unknown

1649 Feb Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1649 Feb - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
   - - - -    - - - - Crater Summit.
1649 Feb    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1625 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3

Episode 1 | Eruption Shirane-san
1625 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Shirane-san

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity Uncertain
1625    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

0800 (?) Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Nks-1 tephra
0800 (?) - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Nks-1 tephra

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash

0400 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Nks-2 tephra
0400 BCE (?) - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Nks-2 tephra

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Ash

2000 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Nks-3 tephra
2000 BCE (?) - Unknown Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Nks-3 tephra

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity

4150 BCE ± 200 years Confirmed Eruption  

Episode 1 | Eruption Nks-4 tephra
4150 BCE ± 200 years - Unknown Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (calibrated)

List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Nks-4 tephra

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Nikko-Shiranesan.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Nikko-Shiranesan.

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Nikko-Shiranesan in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites