Mount Tarumae, Active stratovolcano in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Japan
Mount Tarumae is an active stratovolcano in Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Japan that reaches 1,041 meters above sea level. The crater contains a lava dome formation with steam vents, and its position offers views toward both Lake Shikotsu and the Pacific coast.
Large eruptions in the 17th and 18th centuries formed the current cone shape and crater of the volcano, with the 1739 event being particularly extensive. A phreatic eruption in 1982 marked the most recent documented outburst from the mountain.
The name Tarumae comes from the Ainu language and roughly means "hollow mountain", referencing the broad crater basin that hikers encounter when they reach the summit rim.
The starting point for the climb lies at a seventh station parking lot, from which a steep trail leads to the crater in about an hour. Sturdy footwear and enough drinking water are necessary for the hike, as the path rises over loose volcanic rock.
At the northwestern base lies the Koke-no-domon cavern, a moss-covered lava tunnel formed by earlier eruptions. Visitors can reach the site and observe the green moss layers that have grown across the rock walls.
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