The Gamadas Dome
Welcome to the Gamadas Dome, named after the phrase gamadasu, which in the local dialect of Japanese means “do your best.” Here, the spirit of recovery and optimism in the face of disaster is on full display. You can learn what natural disasters can teach us about our planet, find out about the surprising benefits of volcanic activity, and see how the town has prepared for future disasters.
The Gamadas Dome was built in 2002 to commemorate the destructive Heisei Eruptions of 1990–1995. The building also contains the headquarters of the Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark. Inside, you can visit the Mt. Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall, an interactive museum that displays the story of recent and long-past volcanic eruptions on the peninsula.
The Shimabara Disaster Theater will take you back to 1792, when an even more catastrophic eruption took place. Through a multimedia presentation told in the style of a traditional kamishibai story, you will learn the details of this earthshaking event and how it affected not only Shimabara, but the entire region.
In the Heisei Shinzan Eruption Cinema, an immersive video teaches viewers about the history and tragedy of the Heisei Eruptions, and brings them face-to-face with the shocking power of pyroclastic flow.
Other exhibits inform visitors about different types of volcanoes in Japan and around the world, about the benefits of living near volcanoes, and how new technology allows us to better prepare for and recover from disasters.