Mount Haruna, Stratovolcano in Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Mount Haruna is a stratovolcano in Gunma Prefecture that rises to 1449 meters and contains a large caldera with a crater lake. The central cone, called Haruna Fuji, rises from the lakeshore and forms a distinct formation within the volcanic basin.
The volcano began forming more than 300000 years ago and went through several eruption phases. The last known eruption occurred around the year 550 and left the present caldera structure with the crater lake.
The central cone is named Haruna Fuji for its resemblance to Mount Fuji. The mountain has long drawn yamabushi mountain worship, and Haruna Shrine stands at its southwestern foot. In late May and June, azaleas bloom around Lake Haruna and the torii of Kurokami Shrine.
The crater lake sits in the summit caldera, reached by road; the ropeway serves the slopes but does not reach the lake itself. Trails around the lake and up Mount Kamonga, the highest peak at 1,449 m, vary in difficulty. The summit area lies on the border of Takasaki and Higashi Agatsuma.
In winter the lake becomes a destination for wakasagi fishing, where anglers catch small fish through holes in the ice. Anglers sit in heated tents on the ice surface and enjoy this local winter tradition with freshly caught fish.
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