Shimabara Peninsula Geopark Leaflet: Route 4 – The Heisei Eruptions
The Heisei Eruptions of 1990–1995 is a sobering reminder of the dangers that come from living so close to the volcanoes on the Shimabara Peninsula. Memorials to this disaster commemorate the loss of life and homes, as well as the many lessons we can learn from the damage it caused.
Gamadas Dome
As the headquarters of the Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark, the Gamadas Dome brings together science, culture, and history. Inside is the Mt. Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall, which uses hands-on exhibits and simulations to introduce the natural calamities experienced by the peninsula’s inhabitants over the centuries.
Memorial Park of the Houses Destroyed by Debris Flow
This park has preserved the remains of a group of homes destroyed by the pyroclastic flows caused by the Heisei Eruptions. Many were almost completely buried under an avalanche of mud, ash, and rock.
Former Onokoba Elementary School
A hot cloud of ash burned—and in some places melted—much of this elementary school. The concrete husk has been left untouched as a memorial to the disaster. A ginkgo tree that was burned by the pyroclastic flow has regrown and now shades the former playground of the school.
Heisei Shinzan Nature Center
This scientific and educational facility is located just 2.5 km away from Mt. Heisei Shinzan (1,486 m), the tall peak created by the Heisei Eruptions. The view from the nature center is extraordinary, as is the boardwalk path through the recovering environment at the foot of the mountain.