Shōwa-shinzan

About

Shōwa-shinzan (Shōwa-shinzan) is a volcanic lava dome in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, Japan, next to Mount Usu. The mountain was created between 28 December 1943 and September 1945. Initially, a series of strong earthquakes 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 means "Shōwa new mountain", as it formed during the reign of Emperor Hirohito, known as the Shōwa 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 the peak's formation during these years comes from local postmaster Masao Mimatsu, who kept detailed measurements of its progress.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.