Mount Bandai eruption kills over 477 in Fukushima

Background. Mount Bandai is a stratovolcano in Fukushima Prefecture, part of the Bandai-Asahi National Park. It had not experienced a lava flow since approximately 10,000 years ago. In early July 1888, rumbling occurred but was not recognized as a warning. The 1888 eruption created four peaks: Mount Obandai, Mount Kobandai, Mount Akabane, and Mount Amidagamine. The pre-1888 mountain was reportedly a Fuji-shaped mountain of over 2000 meters, though historic evidence also points to earlier eruptions that changed the mountain.

Impact. The eruption devastated the eastern part of the Bandai region, burying villages on the northern foot of the mountain. At least 477 people were killed, with hundreds injured or rendered homeless. This event was the first major disaster for the modern Japanese government, which began in the Meiji period. The Japanese Red Cross organization, formed in 1887, participated in relief efforts.

Geological Changes. The eruption created a large crater and numerous lakes, including the 'Five Coloured Lakes' (Goshiki-numa). Several new peaks, such as Akahani and Kushigamine, were formed during the event. Eyewitnesses reported that at least two phreatic eruptions continued after the large collapse. A scientific report published in 1890 by Tokyo Imperial University is considered a classic in volcanology.