Takachiho-no-mine

It is the second highest peak of the Kirishima Mountains after Karakuni-dake (1,700 meters) located in the southwest of Miyazaki Prefecture on the border with Kagoshima Prefecture. It has an altitude of 1,574 meters. It is a typical cone-shaped composite volcano, with a beautiful shape accompanied by parasitic volcanoes Ohachi (Kagoshima Prefecture) in the west and Futatsuishi (Futatsuishi) in the east. On the eastern foot is the crater lake Miike, and in the northwest are volcanoes ranging from Nakadake, Shinmoedake to Karakuni-dake. Ohachi has a wide homate-shaped crater about 550 meters in diameter from east to west, and is about 200 meters deep. Futatsuishi has a crater about 500 meters in diameter, but the eastern part has been eroded and its shape is unclear. Takachiho-no-mine has a cone-shaped summit and its crater is completely sealed. The history of volcanic activity at Takachiho-no-mine is relatively recent, and the Ohachi crater continues to be fumarolic today.

There are 36 recorded eruptions of Kirishima since 742 (Tenpyo 14), but only 13 can be confirmed as eruptions of Ohachi, with the most recent recorded being in 1913-1914 (Taisho 2-3). There are records of Kirishima Mine Shrine and other sites being burned down by these eruptions. For this reason, the gentle foothills are covered in thick natural forests, but above an altitude of about 1,000 meters the reddish-brown bare earth is exposed.

At the summit stands Amanosakahoko, a copper spear 140cm long that is the object of worship in Mount Kirishima faith. Takachiho-no-mine, along with Takachiho Town in Miyazaki Prefecture, is also a legendary site in the myth of the descent of the heavenly grandson, but there are various theories and no deity has been confirmed. Kirishima Jingu Shrine is located on the Kagoshima Prefecture side of the southwestern foot of the mountain, while Kirishima Higashi Shrine and Sano Shrine are located on the Miyazaki Prefecture side of the eastern foot of the mountain, but they were established separately after damage caused by the eruption of Kirishimamine Shrine. It takes about an hour and a half on foot from Takachiho-gawara to the summit.

[Junichi Yokoyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宮崎県の南西部、鹿児島県との境にある韓国(からくに)岳（1700メートル）に次ぐ霧島山(きりしまやま)第2の高峰。標高1574メートル。典型的なコニーデ型複合火山で、西部に御鉢(おはち)（鹿児島県）、東部に二ツ石(ふたついし)（二子石）の寄生火山を従えた美しい山容である。東麓(とうろく)には火口湖御池(みいけ)、北西部は中岳、新燃(しんもえ)岳から韓国岳に至る火山が連なっている。御鉢は直径東西約550メートルのホマーテ型の広い火口があり、深さは約200メートルある。二ツ石は直径約500メートルの火口があるが、東部は侵食が進んで形は不明瞭(ふめいりょう)である。高千穂峰は円錐(えんすい)状の山頂で、火口は完全にふさがっている。高千穂峰の火山活動の歴史は比較的新期に属し、御鉢は今日も噴気活動を続けている。

　霧島噴火の記録は742年（天平14）以来36回を数えるが、御鉢の噴火と確認できるのは13回で、最近年の記録は1913～1914年（大正2～3）である。これらの噴火によって、霧島岑神社(きりしまみねじんじゃ)などが焼失した記録が残る。このため、なだらかな山麓は厚い自然林に覆われるが、およそ標高1000メートル以上は赤褐色の地肌がむきだしになっている。

　山頂には天ノ逆鉾(あまのさかほこ)があり、銅製で長さ140センチメートル、霧島山信仰の御神体である。また、高千穂峰は、宮崎県高千穂町とともに、天孫降臨神話の伝説地であるが、諸説があり確定はしていない。南西部山麓鹿児島県側に霧島神宮、東部山麓宮崎県側に霧島東神社、狭野(さの)神社があるが、霧島岑神社の噴火による被災の後、それぞれ分かれて設立されたという。高千穂河原(がわら)より山頂まで徒歩約1時間30分。

［横山淳一］

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