Aogashima, Volcanic island village in Hachijō Subprefecture, Japan
Aogashima is an inhabited volcanic island in the Pacific that belongs to Hachijō Subprefecture and rises from the ocean with steep cliffs on all sides. Its form reveals a double crater, with a smaller inner cone sitting inside the larger caldera.
After heavy earthquakes and steam bursts in 1783, the volcano erupted two years later and forced all residents to flee to the neighboring island of Hachijō-jima. The island remained uninhabited for decades until returnees established a new settlement.
Residents live on roughly nine square kilometers of volcanic ground, forming one of Japan's most remote communities. They distill Aochu, a sweet potato spirit brewed nowhere else.
You reach the island only via Hachijō-jima, either by boat taking two and a half hours or by helicopter covering the distance in 20 minutes. Weather in the Pacific can be unpredictable, so plan for flexible travel dates.
The volcano is classified as Class C by monitoring authorities, meaning it remains active even though its last eruptions occurred in the 18th century. Visitors can see geothermal fumaroles at the base of the inner caldera, still releasing steam today.
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