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{{nihongo|'''Sakura IslandSakurajima'''|桜島|Sakura-jima}} is an active [[composite volcano]] ([[stratovolcano]]) and a former [[island]] in [[Kagoshima Prefecture]] in [[Kyūshū]], [[Japan]].<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). [http://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA814&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false "Sakurajima"] in ''Japan Encyclopedia,'' p. 814; see [[:File:Kagoshima 1914.jpg|photo, caption -- Kagoshima after Sakurashima eruption]], ''Illustrated London News.'' January 1914.</ref> The [[lava]] flows of the 1914 eruption caused the former island to be connected with the [[Osumi Peninsula]].<ref>{{cite journal |author = Davison C |title = The Sakura-Jima Eruption of January, 1914 |journal = Nature |volume = 98 |pages = 57–58 |date = 1916-09-21 |doi = 10.1038/098057b0 |bibcode = 1916Natur..98...57D }}</ref>
The volcanic activity still continues, dropping large amounts of [[volcanic ash]] on the surroundings. Earlier eruptions built the white sands highlands in the region.
Sakura-jimaSakurajima is a composite mountain. Its [[Summit (topography)|summit]] is split into three peaks, ''Kita-dake'' (northern peak), ''Naka-dake'' (central peak) and ''Minami-dake'' (southern peak) which is active now.
Today's Kita-dake is Sakura-jimaSakurajima's highest, rising to {{convert|1117|m|sigfig=4|abbr=on}} above [[sea level]]. The mountain is located in a part of Kagoshima Bay known as Kinkō-wan. The former island is part of the [[Municipality of Japan|city]] of [[Kagoshima, Kagoshima|Kagoshima]].<ref name="nussbaum447">Nussbaum, [http://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA447&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false "Kagoshima prefecture" at p. 447].</ref> The surface of this volcanic peninsula is about {{convert|77|km2|abbr=on}}.
==Geological history==
Sakura-jimaSakurajima is located in the [[Aira caldera]], formed in an enormous eruption 22,000 years ago.<ref name="VOWO">{{cite web |url = http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/vw_hyperexchange/sakura-jima.html |title = The 1914 Sakurajima explosion at Volcanoworld |accessdate = 2007-08-03 }}</ref> Several hundred cubic kilometres of [[Volcanic ash|ash]] and [[pumice]] were ejected, causing the [[magma chamber]] underneath the erupting vents to collapse. The resulting caldera is over {{convert|20|km|abbr=on}} across. [[Tephra]] fell as far as {{convert|1000|km|abbr=on}} from the volcano. Sakura-jimaSakurajima is a modern active vent of the same Aira caldera volcano.
Sakura-jimaSakurajima was formed by later activity within the caldera, beginning about 13,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.activolcans.info/fiche.php?NomVolcan=Sakurajima |title = Sakurajima at Activolcan.info |accessdate = 2007-08-03 |work = }} '''French'''</ref> It lies about {{convert|8|km|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} south of the centre of the caldera. Its first eruption in recorded history occurred in 963 CE.<ref name="VOWO2">{{cite web |url = http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/volcanoes/volc_images/north_asia/sakura.html |title = Sakura-jima, Japan |work = VolcanoWorld |publisher = Oregon State University |accessdate = 2008-10-12 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080801055601/http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/volcanoes/volc_images/north_asia/sakura.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archivedate = 2008-08-01 }}</ref> Most of its eruptions are [[strombolian]],<ref name="VOWO2"/> affecting only the summit areas, but larger [[plinian]] eruptions have occurred in 1471–1476, 1779–1782 and 1914.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://hakone.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/unzen/sakura/geol.html |title = Sakurajima at the Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo. |accessdate = 2007-08-03 }}</ref>
Volcanic activity at ''Kita-dake'' ended around 4,900 years ago: subsequent eruptions have been centered on ''Minami-dake''.<ref>
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