E, the one-lettered volcano So there is a volcano in Japan, in…

E, the one-lettered volcano So there is a volcano in Japan, in…

E, the one-lettered volcano

So there is a volcano in Japan, in the Hokkaido region of northern Japan to be precise, that has a one-lettered name: E. The Japanese refer to it as (恵山（えさん a little longer) E-san. E is a 618m high andesitic stratovolcano with two lavadomes. The lavadome on the summit came formed during an eruption 9000 years ago. The other lavadome on the northwest flank has many active fumaroles. The volcano is actually quite similar to Mt St Helens in appearance displaying the characteristic bowl shape. A similar eruption as the 1980 Mt St Helens one could have caused the collapse of E.

Historically E has erupted in 1846, when a small phreatic eruption caused a lahar with considerable fatalities and 1874 when a small eruption occurred. Nowadays the area is known and visited for its hot springs. E-san Onsen hot spring is famous for its burgundy red color which has a Ph-level of 2.1. The Mizunashi hot springs reach a maximum temperature of 52.4°C.

The crater of E contains no less than 600 alpine plants of which cowberries and in May supposedly 600,000 azaleas. Also, the area is renowned for its autumn colors that seem to set the mountain ablaze.

–BO

Image: Copyright double-H at Flickr (http://bit.ly/1aN4gXg) with CANON EOS 7D.

E-San in autumn seen from Hakodate City.

References:

http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=285011

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/e-san.html

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/