Aogashima, Volcanic island in Izu archipelago, Japan
Aogashima is an inhabited double volcanic island in the Philippine Sea, part of the Izu group, located roughly 360 kilometers (224 miles) south of Tokyo. The landmass shows steep coastal walls of dark rock, while a smaller cone rests inside the older caldera.
The eruption in the late 18th century forced survivors to flee, and only after fifty years did people return to the island. Resettlement began in the 1830s under difficult conditions.
The name comes from the green shades of vegetation on the crater rim. Residents use the geothermal heat from the inner cone for cooking and sauna rooms.
Both means of transport run only in calm weather, so travel plans may shift by several days. There is a small guesthouse and basic facilities in the village near the coast.
Seen from the sea, the landmass looks like a closed green dome, as the opening of the caldera is not visible from below. Only a few hundred people live here year-round.
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