Mount Kaimon

Kaimondake (開聞岳, Kaimon-dake), or Mount Kaimon, is an undissected volcano – consisting of a basal stratovolcano and a small complex central lava dome[2] – which rises to a height of 924 metres above sea level near the city of Ibusuki in southern Kyūshū, Japan. The last eruption occurred in the year 885 CE. Because of its conic shape, Mt. Kaimon is sometimes referred to as "the Fuji of Satsuma".

Kaimondake
開聞岳
Seen from the NNW
Highest point
Elevation924 m (3,031 ft)
Coordinates31°10′48″N 130°31′42″E
Geography
Kaimondake is located in Japan
Kaimondake
Kaimondake
Geology
Mountain typestratovolcano
Last eruption885 CE[1]

Geography

Mt. Kaimon is located in the south of Kagoshima prefecture, Kyushu and is an important reference point for marine traffic because it is the southernmost prominence of the Satsuma Peninsula. This is one entrance marker to Kinko Bay (Kagoshima Bay) complimentary to the Ōsumi Peninsula. Together with Mt. Noma and Mt. Kinpo, it is used by marine traffic.

Geology

Part of the Ibusuki volcanic field, Mt. Kaimon defines the eastern margin of the old Ata Caldera. The total eruptive volume of tephra has been 3.1 km3 (0.74 cu mi) and 2.3 km3 (0.55 cu mi) of lava.[3]

Lake Ikeda (centre left) and Mount Kaimon (right)
An aerial photograph of Kaimondake

There is a sea scarp which is 7.8km wide and 9.3km long, the shape is similar to a horseshoe in the seabed at the southern foot of the mountain. There is a lot of sediment at the foot of the mountain due to submarine landslides. It was found that there is a sea scarp underground on the south side of the mountain and it was caused by pressure from a submarine landslide before Mt. Kaimon was formed.

The sedimentary layer of ejecta from the eruption at the end of the 7th century is called ao-kora (ao means blue and kora is soil consisting of volcanic ash found in the southern part of the Satsuma Peninsula). The sedimentary layer of ejecta by the eruption at the end of the 7th century is called murasaki-kora (Murasaki means purple). These layers are a clue to know the changes in life in this era. It has become clear that a village was isolated by a large eruption with change in life style in the latter part of the 9th century.

Eruptive History

Mt. Kaimon began volcanic activity about 4000 years ago. From 3,000 years up to 885 years ago, large eruptions occurred 9 times and eruptions resulting in large amounts of lava occurred 10 times making twelve major eruptions to date.[3]

The two large eruptions in the historic written record are in 874 CE (Jogan era) and 885 CE (Nin-na era)[2] The complex layered central dome consists of a scoria cone topped by lava flows and ultimately a lava dome which was penetrated by a plug.[3] However the explosion crater at the top was last enlarged by the 885 CE eruption.[3]

Eruptive history Mount Kaimon (dates approximate before 874 CE)[2][3]
DateDRETephraLavaComment
885 CE0.129 km3 (0.031 cu mi)0.293 km3 (0.070 cu mi)0.007 km3 (0.0017 cu mi)Km-Nn tephra pyroclastic flow to the east
874 CE0.109 km3 (0.026 cu mi)0.237 km3 (0.057 cu mi)-Km-Jo tephra
500 CE0.096 km3 (0.023 cu mi)0.260 km3 (0.062 cu mi)0.19 km3 (0.046 cu mi)Km-11
200 CE0.02 km3 (0.0048 cu mi)0.041 km3 (0.0098 cu mi)-Km-10
0 CE0.368 km3 (0.088 cu mi)0.835 km3 (0.200 cu mi)-Km-9
- 100 BCE0.102 km3 (0.024 cu mi)0.220 km3 (0.053 cu mi)0.01 km3 (0.0024 cu mi)Km-8
- 300 BCE0.097 km3 (0.023 cu mi)0.255 km3 (0.061 cu mi)0.015 km3 (0.0036 cu mi)Km-7
- 500 BCE0.039 km3 (0.0094 cu mi)0.097 km3 (0.023 cu mi)-Km-6
- 900 BCE0.004 km3 (0.00096 cu mi)0.009 km3 (0.0022 cu mi)0.65 km3 (0.16 cu mi)Km-5 under sea lava flows
- 1200 BCE0.128 km3 (0.031 cu mi)0.266 km3 (0.064 cu mi)-Km-4 large tephra fall to north west
- 1400 BCE0.002 km3 (0.00048 cu mi)0.004 km3 (0.00096 cu mi)-Km-3
- 1600 BCE0.002 km3 (0.00048 cu mi)0.004 km3 (0.00096 cu mi)-Km-2
- 2000 BCE0.274 km3 (0.066 cu mi)0.57 km3 (0.14 cu mi)1.339 km3 (0.321 cu mi)Km-1

Transition of height

In 1895, the official height of Mt. Kaimon was 922.23 m (3,025.7 ft) from a second triangulation point which was at the summit of the mountain, but this was updated to 924 m (3,031 ft) by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan in July 2001, because climbers pointed out that the height of the rocks on the top of the mountain were higher than the triangulation point.[4]

Climbing

The spiral-shaped hiking trail climb of Mt. Kaimon takes about 3 hours. Mt. Kaimon is considerably lower than most of the mountains on the 100 famous Japanese Mountains list but as climbing starts from close to sea level there is an ascent of 900 metres (3,000 ft). Mt. Kaimon is a single peak but with summit rocky outcrops that allow views on all sides, such as Lake Ikeda to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

  • The eighth station of Mt. Kaimon (“station” is unit of itinerary of climbing from the base to the top. Regardless mountain height, all itineraries are divided into 10.)
    The eighth station of Mt. Kaimon (“station” is unit of itinerary of climbing from the base to the top. Regardless mountain height, all itineraries are divided into 10.)
  • Ladder directly beneath the summit
    Ladder directly beneath the summit
  • The summit of Mt. Kaimon with Lake Ikeda in the background
    The summit of Mt. Kaimon with Lake Ikeda in the background
  • Maehara coast and Lake Ikeda from the summit
    Maehara coast and Lake Ikeda from the summit
  • Nagasakibana from the summit
    Nagasakibana from the summit

Tourism
  • Kaimon Sanroku Nature Park - The Tokara horse, is breed at the base of the mountain. [5]
  • Kaimon Sanroku Fureai Park - There are log houses as well as camp sites. [6]
  • Lake Ikeda - It is said that a mystery creature “Issie” lives there. The Canola flowering in January is very attractive. [7]
  • Bohi Park - Memorial to those killed in the Pacific War in Philippines.

See also

References
  1. "Ata: Eruptive History". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  2. Okuno, M.; Nakamura, T.; Kobayashi, T. (1997). "AMS 14C Dating of Historic Eruptions of the Kirishima, Sakurajima and Kaimondake Volcanoes, Southern Kyushu, Japan". Radiocarbon. 40 (2): 825–832. doi:10.1017/S0033822200018786. S2CID 133569925.
  3. Fujino, N.; Kobayashi, T. (1997). "Eruptive history of Kaimondake Volcano, southern Kyushu, Japan". Kazan. 42 (3): 195–211. doi:10.18940/kazan.42.3_195. ISSN 0453-4360.
  4. 「開聞岳少しだけ高かった/新標高2メートル伸び924メートル=最高地点移動、登山者が指摘」南日本新聞2001年8月17日朝刊27面
  5. "Kaimon Sanroku Nature Park". Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  6. "Kaimon Sanroku Fureai Park". Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  7. "Lake Ikeda". Retrieved 2022-05-31.
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