Mount Rausu, Stratovolcano on Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan
Mount Rausu is a stratovolcano on the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, on the border of Shari and Rausu, reaching 1,661 metres. Its summit is a lava dome of rhyolite to andesite, with a small notch between two highs, and gullies and landslide scars cut its flanks. Trails leave from the Rausu Onsen and Iwaobetsu Onsen trailheads.
The volcano had major activity roughly 1,400 years ago with a significant eruption, followed by pyroclastic flows around 500 years later. These events shaped the mountain's current form.
The Ainu name Chacha-nupri means "old man mountain", which the scholar Yamada Shuzo linked to its status as the highest peak of the Shiretoko Peninsula. It is also called Shiretoko Fuji, and was once written in kanji as Ryogyu-dake. In 1965 a 10-yen stamp showing the peak from Lake Rausu was issued.
The climbing season opens with a festival on July 3, and hikers can reach the summit via established routes from Rausu and Shari towns. Visitors should be ready for changing weather and wear sturdy footwear for the steep terrain.
The Ainu name Chacha-nupri means "old man mountain", a reference to its status as the highest peak of the Shiretoko Peninsula. The mountain also appears on a 10-yen stamp issued in 1965 showing the view from Lake Rausu, and it is counted among the Rakko Hachikei, eight noted views of Rausu.
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