Shinmoedake
Volcano on the island of Kyushu, Japan
title: "Shinmoedake" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["volcanoes-of-kyushu", "mountains-of-kagoshima-prefecture", "volcanic-plugs-of-asia", "volcanoes-of-kagoshima-prefecture"] description: "Volcano on the island of Kyushu, Japan" topic_path: "general/volcanoes-of-kyushu" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinmoedake" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Volcano on the island of Kyushu, Japan ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Shinmoedake |
| photo | Kirishima Shin-moedake.jpg |
| photo_caption | View of Shinmoedake in July 2008 |
| elevation_m | 1700 |
| elevation_ref | |
| coordinates | |
| last_eruption | 2025 |
| :: |
| name = Shinmoedake | photo = Kirishima Shin-moedake.jpg | photo_caption = View of Shinmoedake in July 2008 | elevation_m = 1700 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = | range = | location = | map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | map_size = | label = | label_position = | coordinates = | coordinates_ref= | topo = | type = | age = | last_eruption = 2025 | first_ascent = | easiest_route =
Shinmoedake () is a volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan, and a part of the Mount Kirishima cluster of volcanoes. It is believed to have formed between 7,300 and 25,000 years ago.
Eruptions from Shinmoedake have been recorded in 1716, 1717, 1771, 1822, 1959, 1991, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2018 and 2025. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Shinmoedake_crater.jpg" caption="Caldera viewed from [[Mount Karakuni"] ::
2011 eruptions
The 2011 eruptions began on 19 January. On 26 January, at 7:30 AM, increased eruption activity spewed ash over the surrounding area. The ash closed four railroad lines, and some airline service was cancelled due to heavy ash in the air. It was the largest eruption from Shinmoedake since 1959. On 27 January, the volcano alert level was raised to 3.
On 1 February, an even larger eruption sent a column of smoke up to 2.5 km into the air and threw volcanic bombs up to 1.5 km away from the vent.
During February 2011, a lava dome formed in Shinmoedake's crater. On February 17, an evacuation advisory was put in place for the Miyakonojo area for 2,500 people after heavy rains threatened to produce lahars, and at least 63 people evacuated.
On 13 March, two days after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, the volcano once again erupted. The eruption forced the evacuation of several hundred residents.
2018 eruptions
On 6 March 2018, a large eruption began launching rocks and ash to a height of 4.5 km. On 22 June 2018, another eruption occurred, four days after a 6.1 Mw earthquake struck Osaka on 18 June, sending smoke and rocks thousands of meters into the air.
Cultural references
Shinmoedake was used as a location in 1967 James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, as the volcano in which the villains' secret rocket base is located.
References
References
- {{cite gvp
- Earthquakes and volcanoes, U-Tokyo. "Eruption of Shinmoedake (a stratovolcano of the Kirishima volcano group), Japan, 2011". Outreach and Public Relations Office.
- [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110129003347.htm Experts warn recent Japanese volcanic eruptions similar to those 300 years ago] Jan. 30, 2011. [[Yomiuri Shimbun]]
- "Kyushu's Shinmoedake volcano erupts for first time in six years". The Japan Times.
- (22 June 2025). "Mt. Shinmoe in southwestern Japan erupts, alert level maintained". [[Kyodo News]].
- Fujita, Akiko. (January 27, 2011). "Volcano Erupts in Southern Japan, Smoke Seen 5,000 Feet Above the Crater". ABC News.
- Johnston, Eric, "[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110301i1.html Latest volcano show: Shinmoe]", ''[[Japan Times]]'', 1 March 2011, p. 3.
- Takano, Saika. (February 17, 2011). "Residents near Japanese volcano urged to evacuate". Reuters.
- [http://www.peoplestar.co.uk/index.html?news=503 « Shinmoedake volcano erupts as Japan struggles in earthquake aftermath »], ''peoplestar.co.uk'', Retrieved on 2011-03-15.
- (March 13, 2011). "Japanese volcano erupts". Times Live.
- Kennedy, Helen. (March 13, 2011). "Hundreds flee in Japan after Shinmoedake volcano begins spewing ash, boulders". New York Daily News.
- (10 March 2018). "Mount Shinmoedake: Warning over Japan's James Bond volcano". BBC News Asia.
- (22 June 2018). "Japan volcano featured in 'James Bond' movie erupts, ejecting smoke and rocks". Reuters.
- (January 27, 2011). "Japan volcano Mount Shinmoedake, scene of Sean Connery 'You Only Live Twice' James Bond film, erupts". NY Daily News.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::