Sakurajima (Japan)

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, erupts hundreds of times yearly, showering ash over Kagoshima city (just 8 km away). This 1,117-meter stratovolcano, formerly an island until a 1914 lava flow bridged it to Kyushu, is a constant threat—its 2016 explosions spewed debris 5 km high. Monitored as a Decade Volcano, Sakurajima’s frequent but small-scale eruptions make it both a tourist draw and a drill ground for disaster preparedness. Its smoky silhouette symbolizes nature’s unpredictable fury in earthquake-prone Japan.