Sakurajima Eruption Monument, Natural disaster monument in Higashisakurajima-chō, Japan.
The Sakurajima Eruption Monument is a stone memorial at Higashisakurajima Elementary School that commemorates the volcanic disaster and its consequences. It bears inscribed text describing the historical event and its impact on the local region.
In January 1914, the Sakurajima volcano erupted, causing many deaths and destroying several villages in the area. The memorial was built later to remember this tragedy and warn future generations about such volcanic hazards.
The monument earned the name 'Monument of Scientific Distrust' because its inscriptions warn residents against relying solely on scientific predictions about disasters. This message reflects how the community learned to trust its own observations and instincts alongside expert knowledge.
The memorial is located right at the school grounds and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors can stop by at any time to read the inscribed message and learn more about the area's local history.
A local newspaper reporter wrote the monument's inscriptions with intentionally ambiguous language to emphasize the limits of predictions. This unconventional approach makes the memorial a thought-provoking place that speaks to the boundaries of human knowledge.
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