Karakunidake - Karakunidake

It is the highest peak of the Kirishima volcano, located in the southwest of Miyazaki Prefecture, on the border with Kagoshima Prefecture. It has an elevation of 1,700 meters. It is a Homate-type volcano (mortar-shaped volcano) with a large crater about 900 meters in diameter and 280 meters deep. There are explosion craters on the northwestern and southeastern slopes, which gouge out large areas of the mountainside. At the foot of the northwestern explosion crater is the parasitic volcano Mount Iou, which is subject to intense fumarolic activity. The surrounding area is a field of volcanic bombs and lava. The mountain is covered with coniferous and deciduous trees, except for the summit and the crater, and the scenery of the Miyamakirishi colony on the summit and the red pine forest on the north side is beautiful. In winter, the phenomenon of frost-covered trees caused by sub-zero seasonal winds can be seen. The western part of the mountain is connected to the Ebino Plateau, and the elevation difference with Karakunidake is about 500 meters. It belongs to Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park.

[Junichi Yokoyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宮崎県の南西部、鹿児島県境に位置する霧島火山の最高峰。標高1700メートル。直径約900メートル、深さ約280メートルの大火口をもつホマーテ型火山（臼状火山(うすじょうかざん)）。北西部、南東部斜面には爆裂火口があり、山腹を大きくえぐっている。北西部爆裂火口の麓(ふもと)には寄生火山硫黄山(いおうやま)があり、噴気活動が激しい。付近は火山弾、溶岩の原である。山体は山頂、火口を除き、針葉樹、落葉樹林に覆われ、山頂部のミヤマキリシマ群落と北側の赤松樹林の景観は美しい。冬季は氷点下の季節風による樹氷現象もみられる。西部はえびの高原に連なり、韓国岳との標高差は約500メートルである。霧島錦江湾(きりしまきんこうわん)国立公園に属する。

［横山淳一］

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