Unzen Volcano

Updated: Nov 24, 2025 21:16 GMT - refresh

stratovolcano

Kyushu Island, Japan, 32.76°N / 130.29°E

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Summit height: 1486 m / 4,875 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Unzen Volcano (雲仙岳 in Japanese, also Unzendake) is located on the Island of Kyushu about 40 kilometers east of Nagasaki city. It is one of Japan's most active and dangerous volcanoes. It killed 43 people during its latest eruption in 1991.

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News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: Explosive
Unzen volcano eruptions: 1996, 1990-95, 1798(?), 1792, 1690-92, 1663, 1663, 860(?)

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
Nov 24, 07:58 am (GMT +9)	0.2 14 km	30 km (19 mi) to the SW	Japan: Near Unzendake	Info
Nov 24, 04:20 am (GMT +9)	0.7 9.9 km	23 km (14 mi) to the NE	Japan: Northern Ariakekai Region	Info
Nov 24, 01:49 am (GMT +9)	0.2 9.3 km	17 km (10.7 mi) to the W	Japan: Near Unzendake	Info
Nov 23, 07:56 pm (GMT +9)	0.1 12 km	25 km (15 mi) to the E	Japan: NW Kumamoto Pref	Info
Saturday, November 22, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Nov 23, 04:15 am (GMT +9)	0.2 12 km	11 km (6.8 mi) to the E	Japan: NW Kumamoto Pref	Info
Nov 22, 09:02 am (GMT +9)	0.6 3.1 km	29 km (18 mi) to the E	Japan: NW Kumamoto Pref	Info
Friday, November 21, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Nov 22, 03:09 am (GMT +9)	0.6 3.1 km	29 km (18 mi) to the E	Japan: NW Kumamoto Pref	Info
Nov 21, 07:30 pm (GMT +9)	0.9 8.1 km	22 km (14 mi) to the NW	Japan: Near Unzendake	Info
Thursday, November 20, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Nov 20, 09:09 pm (GMT +9)	1.1 2.7 km	29 km (18 mi) to the E	Japan: NW Kumamoto Pref	Info

View recent quakes

Background

Unzen is a group of several overlapping active stratovolcanoes (including Kinugasa on the north, Fugen-dake at the east-center, and Kusenbu on the south) located near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island. The massive basaltic to andesitic Unzen volcanic complex occupies much of the Shimabara Peninsula east of Nagasaki. Currently, Unzen's highest peaks are Fugendake (普賢岳) at 1,359 metres (4,459 ft) and Heisei Shinzan (平成新山) at 1,486 metres (4,875 ft).
The volcanoes formed along a 30-40 km long E-W aligned graben. The historically active vent of Unzen, Mayu-yama lava dome complex, is about 4,000 years old.
In 1792, the collapse of one of its several lava domes triggered a tsunami that killed about 15,000 people in Japan's worst-ever volcanic-related disaster. The last eruptions of the volcano were from 1990 to 1995. The largest eruption in this period occurred on June 3, 1991, when a pyroclastic flow that reached 4.5 kilometres distance from the crater killed 43 people including the famous French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft.

Significant volcanic eruptions: Unzen volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Unzen has had at least 11 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 5 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 4 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Unzen volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Unzen volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Unzen can be found on the news page of Unzen volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
1996 Feb 10 - May 1	Fugen-dake Historical obs./docs.	2
1990 Nov 17 - 1995 Feb 16 ±15 d.	Fugen-dake Historical obs./docs.	1
1993 Jun 23 (eruption 1990 Nov 17 - 1995 Feb 16 ±15 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	1	1		Info
1993 Jun 23: A homeowner entered the avalanche zone to watch his house being burned by a pyroclastic flow and was killed by a second pyroclastic flow. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1991 Jun 3 (eruption 1990 Nov 17 - 1995 Feb 16 ±15 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	1	43		Info
1991 Jun 3: A pyroclastic flow and surge killed 43, including 3 volcanologists. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1957 Jul (eruptive episode 1957 Jul)	Historical obs./docs.	0	13		Info
1957 Jul: Heavy rains produced debris flows on the NW flank of Mayuyama; 13 dead or missing. (reference #9675) Cited references #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1798 Nov 13 - Dec	Uncertain Eruption	?
1792 Feb 10 - Jul 22	Fugen-dake (summit, NNE), Mayu-yama Historical obs./docs.	2
1792 May 21 (eruption 1792 Feb 10 - Jul 22)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	2	15,000	very heavy	Info
1792 May 21: Reference #9675: 1792, May 21. 14,524 deaths. Figures from Katayama indicate 9,528 fatalities along the Shimabara peninsula and an additional 4,996 fatalities in Higo and Amakusa provinces across Ariake Sea. The vast majority were killed by the tsunami, the avalanche reaching only the southern outskirts of Shimabara city. Reference #2140: The eastern part of Maye-yama collapsed to cause an avalanche toward the eastern foot which caused approximately 10,000 casualties in Simabara. Tsunami was produced by this avalanche and killed over 4,300 persons (REF #2140) on the coasts to the east and south of Simabara. The tsunami was caused by collapse of nearly 0.5 km³ of one of the lava domes on Unzen, Mayeyama. From November 13, 1791, earthquakes, rumblings, and avalanche had taken place, and on February 10, 1792, rock fragments were thrown out from the summit of Hugendake. On March 1, 1792, when the summit eruption had already stopped, lava began to be extruded from a vent 1 km NNE of the summit, which traveled to a distance of 3 km with a volume of 0.11 cb. km. On March 5, landslide occurred, and on April 21, about 300 earthquakes were felt, one of which destroyed the houses of Simabata. On May 21, the eastern part of Maye-yama collapsed to cause an avalanche toward the eastern foot which caused 10,000 casualties in Simabara. Tsunami was produced by this avalanche and killed 4,300 persons on the coasts to the east and south of Simabara. The avalanche, totaling 0.48 cb. km in volume, was caused either by an explosion (I) at Maye-yama or by earthquake shocks. Reference #1686: The disaster at Simabara, Japan, and neighbouring coasts on 21 May 1792, which killed more than 15000 people, was caused by the collapse of nearly 0.5 km³ of one of the lava domes on Unzen Volcano, Mayeyama, situated some 4 km from vents which had been active a month or two previously. The collapse was caused either by an explosion at Mayeyama, or by a strong swarm of volcanic earthquakes. The landslide generated waves which reached a height of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 m), causing devastations... for a distance of 77 km. Reference #1645: The Shimabara Catastrophe broke out on the Shimabara peninsula, Kyushu, at about 20 oclock, 21st of May, 1792, according to the present standard time of Japan. More than 14,500 persons were lost by the collapse of Mt. MaCyama (Mayuyama) and tsunami. Reference #132: May 21, 1792. Japan, Shimabara in Hizen. Eruption of Mount Unsen accompanied by sea wave. Reference #414: In the winter of 1791-1792, there was a strong eruption of Unzen volcano (Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu Island), which lasted four months. It did great damage to the vicinity of the volcano and was accompanied by frequent underground shocks, as a result of which homes collapsed here and there. Some people were killed. The side of the mountain collapsed at the end of the eruption, and this caused a destructive tsunami. The accounts of the eruption in the Japanese literature are somewhat contradictory, especially with respect to dates. Reference #12371: About 15,000 deaths. Cited references #132 Heck, N.H. (1947): List of seismic sea waves. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, vol. 37, no. 4, p. 269-286. #414 Soloviev, S.L., and Ch.N. Go (1974): A catalogue of tsunamis on the western shore of the Pacific Ocean [dates include 173-1968. Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Nauka Publishing House, Moscow, 439 p. [Canadian Translation of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences no. 5077, 1984, translation available from Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A OS2, 447 p.] #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #1645 Katayama, Nobuo (1974): Old records of natural phenomena concerning the Shimabara catastrophe. The Science Reports of the Shimabara Volcano Observatory, the Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, vol. 9, p. 1-45. [Abstract in English; text and figures in Japanese.] #1686 Latter, J.H. (1981): Tsunamis of volcanic origin; summary of causes with particular reference to Krakatoa, 1883, Bulletin Volcanologique, Vol. 44, p. 467-490. #2140 Kuno, Hisashi (1962): Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes of the World including Solfatara Fields, Part XI, Japan, Taiwan, and Marianas. International Association of Volcanology, Rome, Italy, 332 pages. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. #12371 Japan Meteorological Agency (2019): Volcanic disaster that occurred in the past. Contributed to "Japan Niigata Volcano Summary (4th Edition)" (Meteorological Agency ed. Heisei 20th). (Accessed 21 February 2019) Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1690 AD - 1692	Uncertain Eruption	?
1664 AD Apr 15 (eruption 1663 AD Apr - May)	Historical obs./docs.	2	30		Info
1664 AD Apr 15: In the spring of 1664 water poured out of Tsukumo-jima pond at the summit of Fugen-dake, producing floods that killed > 30 in the Mizunashi river valley. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1663 AD Dec 11 - Dec 27 or later	NE flank of Fugen-dake (1200 m) Historical obs./docs.	2?
1663 AD Apr - May	Fugen-dake (Tsukumo-jima Pond) Historical obs./docs.	2?
1657 AD	Discredited Eruption
?? 860 AD	Uncertain Eruption	?
1150 ±500 y. BC	Fugendake-Sancho	?
1450 ±500 y. BC	Fugen-dake (Kazaana)	?
2150 ±800 y. BC	Mayu-yama (Tengu-yama)	?
2640 ±500 y. BC	Mayu-yama (Shichimen-zan)	?
2720 ±300 y. BC	Fugen-dake	?
4050 ±3000 y. BC	Fugen-dake (Shimanomine)	?

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Unzen volcano

1991-93 eruption
In 1991, Unzen woke up from its 200-year slumber and started to extrude a new lava dome at the summit. The eruption quickly intensified, and in June, repeated collapses of the new lava dome generated pyroclastic flows that swept down its slopes at speeds as high as 200 kilometers per hour. The largest flow occurred on June 3, 1991 and killed 43 people caught by surprise by the unusually strong flow. ...more info

1792 landslide-triggered tsunami disaster at Unzen volcano
Unzen is infamous for Japan's greatest volcanic disaster. In 1792, about a month after lava stopped erupting from the volcano, a landslide from nearby Mount Mayuyama swept through ancient Shimabara City, entered the sea, and generated a tsunami that struck nearby areas.
More than 15,000 people were killed by the landslide and tsunami. The amphitheater-shaped scar of the landslide is still clearly visible on Mount Mayuyama just above the city.
From: Brantley and Scott, 1993, The Danger of Collapsing Lava Domes: Lessons for Mount Hood, Oregon: IN: Earthquakes & Volcanoes, v.24, n.6

Unzen Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Unzen volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Unzen occurred in 1996.

+How often does Unzen volcano erupt?

Since 1663 AD, Unzen volcano has had at least 5 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 72 years.
Many eruptions of Unzen have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 9 out of 362 years until now. In other words, Unzen has been active at least one in 40.2 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Unzen is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Unzen volcano at present?

Unzen volcano is infrequently active: Since 1900, it has had 7 eruptions, and been active during 7 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Unzen has been in eruption one in 18 years on average. The last eruption was in 1996 and ended 30 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Unzen volcano?

The largest eruption of Unzen volcano in historic times occurred in 1996. It ranks as a strombolian to vulcanian eruption with a magnitude 2 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Unzen Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).