Aira Caldera

What it is

• A 20-kilometer wide volcanic complex located in the northern part of Kagoshima Bay.
• Formed roughly 30,000 years ago during a massive eruption that created Shirasu plateaus.
• The primary magma source for the nearby active Sakurajima volcano.
• A complex of multiple calderas including the Osaki and Wakamiko sites.

What to see

• The steep caldera walls that surround the bay and are prone to landslides.
• Niijima Island which sits near the center of the caldera structure.
• Active submarine volcanoes including the Wakamiko site beneath the water surface.
• Views of the bay which was originally a freshwater lake before the sea entered.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.