Aso Kujū National Park

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Aso-Kujū National Park
阿蘇くじゅう国立公園
Mt.Aso and caldera01.jpg
Mount Aso and its caldera
Japan location map with side map of the Ryukyu Islands.svg
Red pog.svg
Location Kyūshū, Japan
Coordinates 32°53′06″N131°06′15″E / 32.88500°N 131.10417°E / 32.88500; 131.10417
Area726.78 km2
Established4 December 1934

Aso-Kujū National Park (阿蘇くじゅう国立公園, Aso-Kujū Kokuritsu Kōen) is a national park in Kumamoto and Ōita Prefectures, Japan. The park derives its name from Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan, and the Kujū mountains. [1] [2] Mount Aso is also one of the largest caldera volcanos in the world. [3]

Contents

History

Around 270,000 years ago, a burst of volcanic activity helped shape the area. [4]

Aso Shrine at Mount Aso in Kyushu is a Shinto shrine traditionally held to have been a center of worship before the accession of Emperor Jinmu. The shikinaisha shrine complex at Ichinomiya in what is today Kumamoto Prefecture was said to have been established in 281 BC. [5] The original location of the shrine is uncertain because it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in or near the crater of Aso-san.

Activities

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyushu</span> Island and region of Japan

Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands. In the past, it has been known as Kyūkoku, Chinzei and Tsukushi-no-shima. The historical regional name Saikaidō referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands. Kyushu has a land area of 36,782 square kilometres (14,202 sq mi) and a population of 14,311,224 in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumamoto Prefecture</span> Prefecture of Japan

Kumamoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 and has a geographic area of 7,409 square kilometres (2,861 sq mi). Kumamoto Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the north, Ōita Prefecture to the northeast, Miyazaki Prefecture to the southeast, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ōita Prefecture</span> Prefecture of Japan

Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,136,245 and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2. Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, Kumamoto Prefecture to the southwest, and Miyazaki Prefecture to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beppu</span> City in Kyushu, Japan

Beppu is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of November 30, 2023, the city had a population of 113,045 in 62702 households, and a population density of 900 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 125.34 km2 (48.39 sq mi). Beppu is famous for its hot springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taketa, Ōita</span> City in Kyushu, Japan

Taketa is a city located in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. As of 33 November 2023, the city had an estimated population of 19,456 in 9838 households, and a population density of 41 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 477.53 km2 (184.38 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyushu Railway Company</span> Japanese railway company

The Kyushu Railway Company, also referred to as JR Kyushu, is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group. It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait between Fukuoka and Busan, South Korea. It also operates hotels, restaurants, and drugstores across its service region. JR Kyushu's headquarters are in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokonoe, Ōita</span> Town in Kyushu, Japan

Kokonoe is a town located in Kusu District, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. As of 30 November 2023, the town had an estimated population of 8,536 in 3881 households, and a population density of 31 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 271.37 km2 (104.78 sq mi)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aso, Kumamoto</span> City in Kyushu, Japan

Aso is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Aso</span> Volcano in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Mount Aso, is also known as Aso Volcano and in this sense is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is among the largest in the world. Common use relates often only to the somma volcano in the centre of the Aso Caldera. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu. Its tallest peak, Takadake, is 1,592 meters (5,223 ft) above sea level. Mount Aso is in a fairly large caldera with a circumference of around 120 km (75 mi), although sources vary on the exact distance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yufu</span> City in Kyushu, Japan

Yufu is a city in Ōita Prefecture. As of 30 November 2023, the city had an estimated population of 33,556 in 15883 households, and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 319.32 km2 (123.29 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ōita (city)</span> Core city in Kyushu, Japan

Ōita is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of 30 November 2023, the city had an estimated population of 474,804 in 230,867 households, and a population density of 950 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 502.38 km2 (193.97 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aso Shrine</span> Shinto shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Aso Shrine is a Shinto Shrine in Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Aso is one of the oldest shrines in Japan. This shrine holds several Important Cultural Properties, including Ichi-no-shinden (一の神殿), Ni-no-shinden (二の神殿), and Rōmon (楼門). The Aso family in charge of the shrine is said to have the second oldest recorded lineage in Japan after the Imperial family. The Aso Shrine was heavily damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The shrine's rōmon completely collapsed. The haiden also collapsed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Yufu</span> Volcano on the island of Kyushu, Japan

Mount Yufu is a 1,583.3 m (5,195 ft) volcano, located on the border of Yufu and Beppu, Ōita, Japan. It is located within Aso Kujū National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Tsurumi</span> Volcano on the island of Kyushu, Japan

Mount Tsurumi is a 1,374.5 m (4,510 ft) volcano in Beppu, Ōita, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1953 Northern Kyushu flood</span>

The 1953 North Kyushu flood was a flood which hit Northern Kyushu, Japan in June 1953. The flood was caused by cloudbursts and prolonged rain from the Meiyu rain front which dropped 1,000 mm of rain over Mount Aso and Mount Hiko. This downpour resulted in the overflow of many of the surrounding rivers, such as the Chikugo River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miemachi Station</span> Railway station in Bungo-Ōno, Ōita Prefecture, Japan

Miemachi Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Bungo-Ōno, Ōita Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Kujū</span> Highest mountain on the island of Kyushu,Japan

Mount Kujū, located on the border of Kokonoe and Taketa in Ōita Prefecture, Japan, is a stratovolcano in Kyushu Island, Japan, with a summit elevation of 1,791 metres (5,876 ft). It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. It is part of the Aso-Kujū National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hatchōbaru Geothermal Power Plant</span>

The Hatchōbaru Geothermal Power Plant is a large geothermal power station in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. At 112 MW, it is the largest geothermal power plant in the country. The plant comprises 3 generation units. The first unit, with a capacity of 55 MW, was activated in June 1977. A second unit started operation in June 1990, with an additional 55 MW capacity. A third binary unit rated at 2 MW is operational since April 2006. The first unit was among the first double flash geothermal generation units. The second unit is very similar to the first, with some technical improvements based on the experience gained from the operation of unit 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Kumamoto earthquakes</span> Earthquake in Japan

The 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes were a series of earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.0 mainshock which struck at 01:25 JST on April 16, 2016 beneath Kumamoto City of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu Region, Japan, at a depth of about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), and a foreshock earthquake with a magnitude 6.2 at 21:26 JST (12:26 UTC) on April 14, 2016, at a depth of about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aso Caldera</span> Caldera in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Aso caldera is a geographical feature of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. It stretches 25 kilometers north to south and 18 kilometers east to west. The central core "Aso Gogaku" is the five major mountains in the area. Aso valley (Asodani) runs along the northern base of Mount Aso and Nango valley (Nangodani) along the south. According to research of caldera sediment, lakes used to exist in these valleys. The dried up lake areas have come to be called Old Aso Lake, Kugino Lake, and Aso Valley Lake. The Kikuchi, Shirakawa and Kurokawa rivers now drain the caldera.

References

  1. "Introducing places of interest: Aso-Kuju National Park". Ministry of the Environment. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  2. Sutherland, Mary; Britton, Dorothy (1995). National Parks of Japan. Kodansha. pp. 143–5. ISBN   4-7700-1971-8.
  3. 1 2 "Aso-Kuju National Park". National Parks of Japan. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  4. "Aso-jinja Shrine". JNTO . Archived from the original on 15 October 2017.
  5. "Aso-jinja Shrine". JNTO . Archived from the original on 15 October 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Aso-Kujū National Park - Basic Information". Ministry of the Environment. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2012.