Mount Fugen Summit
You have successfully reached the summit of Mt. Fugen. At 1,359 meters, this was once the highest peak on the peninsula before the eruption from its northeastern side beginning in 1990 created the lava dome known as Mt. Heisei-shinzan (1,486 meters). Mt. Fugen is one of the younger peaks at less than 5,000 years old, and has been one of the most active. In 1792, at a time of increased volcanic activity, a peak to the east collapsed into the Ariake Sea, creating a tsunami that took an estimated 15,000 lives. The mountains of which Mt. Fugen is the center, are collectively known as Mt. Unzen, and have been considered sacred from ancient times. Fugen Shrine, located on the eastern flank, was wiped out in the recent eruption. On clear days, Mt. Aso is visible, and sometimes the volcanic plume from Mt. Sakurajima in southern Kyushu can be seen, some 140 kilometers away!