About the volcano
Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is a stratovolcano in central Honshu and Japan's highest peak. Its regular, often snow-capped cone has been a subject of art for centuries – think of Hokusai's woodblock prints – and a place of pilgrimage. Its last eruption, known as the Hōei eruption, began in December 1707 on the south-eastern flank and lasted for more than two weeks; ash fell on Edo, today's Tokyo, about 100 kilometres away. The volcano is considered active, and the Japanese authorities maintain plans for its next eruption. Since 2013 Fuji has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.
Eruption history
VEI – Volcanic Explosivity Index: 0 = lava outpouring, 4 = like Eyjafjallajökull 2010, 6 = like Pinatubo 1991, 7 = like Tambora 1815. The scale is logarithmic – each step is about 10 times more material.
| Start | End | VEI | Vent and dating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 December 1707 | 24 February 1708 | 5 | SE flank (Hoei Craters) · Observations: Reported |
| 1700 | — | 2 | Observations: Reported |
| 1 September 1511 | — | 2 | Observations: Reported |
| 31 December 1435 | — | 2 | North flank (Onagare lava?) · Observations: Reported |
| 17 April 1083 | — | 2 | Observations: Reported |
| 19 January 1033 | — | 2 | Summit, SSE flank (Nishi-Asakizuka) · Observations: Reported |
| March 999 | — | 2 | South flank ? · Observations: Reported |
| 18 December 937 | — | 2 | North flank (Kenmarubi II?) · Observations: Reported |
| 19 November 932 | — | 2 | North flank (Kenmarubi I) · Observations: Reported |
| August 870 | — | 2 | Observations: Reported |
| 12 June 864 | 1 February 866 | 3 | NW flank (Nagao-yama, Kudari-yama) · Observations: Reported |
| 830 | — | 2 | NW flank (Koriana) · Observations: Reported |
| 31 December 826 | — | 2 | Observations: Reported |
| 11 April 800 | 6 February 802 | 4 | Summit, NE and NW flanks (Tenjin-yama) · Observations: Reported |
| July 781 | July 781 | 3 | Observations: Reported |
| 720 ± 100 years | — | 2 | NW flank (Kori-ike, Hakudairyuo) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 530 | — | 3 | South flank (Takabachi) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 520 ± 100 years | — | 2 | SE flank (Makuiwa, Nishi-Futatsuzuka) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 470 ± 100 years | — | 3 | SE flank (Kita-Kansu-yama) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 400 | — | 2 | SE flank (Akatsuka) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 370 ± 200 years | — | ? | SSE flank (Obuchi Craters) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 350 ± 300 years | — | 3 | SE flank (Kurotsuka) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 300 | — | 1 | NW flank (Oniwa-Okuniwa) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| c. 250 | — | 2 | NW flank (Kita-Koriike) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 240 ± 150 years | — | ? | SE flank · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 220 | — | 2 | NE flank (Hinokimarubi lava flow) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| c. 200 | — | 2 | NW flank (Sajiki-yama) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| c. 100 | — | 2 | NW flank (Ohira-yama) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| c. 50 | — | 2 | NW flank (Futatsuzuka) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 100 BCE ± 150 years | — | ? | South flank · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 190 BCE ± 100 years | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 520 BCE ± 300 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) |
| 780 BCE ± 500 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) |
| c. 930 BCE | — | 5 | Upper SE flank · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 1,010 BCE ± 100 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) |
| c. 1,030 BCE | — | 4 | NW flank (Omuro-yama) · Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 1,300 BCE ± 150 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) |
| c. 1,350 BCE | — | 5 | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 1,450 BCE ± 100 years | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 1,510 BCE ± 100 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) |
| 1,850 BCE ± 150 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 2,050 BCE | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 2,450 BCE ± 500 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 2,550 BCE | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 2,800 BCE ± 300 years | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| c. 3,050 BCE | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 3,690 BCE ± 100 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 4,120 BCE ± 300 years | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 4,730 BCE ± 500 years | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 5,070 BCE ± 200 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 5,540 BCE ± 200 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 6,050 BCE | — | ? | Correlation: Tephrochronology |
| 6,240 BCE ± 300 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 6,580 BCE | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 7,310 BCE ± 500 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 7,530 BCE ± 300 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| 7,820 BCE ± 200 years | — | ? | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
| c. 8,540 BCE | — | ? | South flank? (Mishima) · Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) |
Data: Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution (#283030) · Wikipedia (pl) · Wikipedia (en)