Akan
Kuril Volcanic Arc, Japan. This page separates the permanent volcano catalogue, historical eruption records, and selective weekly activity reports.
- Coordinates
- 43.39° N, 144.01° E
- Elevation
- 1,499 m
- Last recorded eruption
- 2026 CE
- Historical eruption records
- 39
- Primary type
- Caldera
- Evidence
- Eruption Observed
- GVP database
- 5.4.0
- Catalogue revision
- Revision 2
Volcano profile
- Volcanic landform
- Caldera
- Tectonic setting
- Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
- Geologic epoch
- Holocene
- Major rock type
- Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
- Region
- Northwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions
- Subregion
- Kuril Volcanic Arc
Geological summary
Akan is a 13 x 24 km caldera located immediately SW of Kussharo caldera in eastern Hokkaido. The elongated, irregular outline of the caldera rim reflects its incremental formation during major explosive eruptions from the early to mid-Pleistocene. There are four post-caldera stratovolcanoes, three at the SW end of the caldera and the other on the NE side. Conical Oakandake was frequently active during the Holocene. The 1-km-wide Nakamachineshiri crater of Meakandake was formed during a major pumice-and-scoria eruption about 13,500 years ago. The Meakandake group, composed of nine overlapping cones E of Lake Akan, has produced mild phreatic eruptions since the beginning of the 19th century. The main cone of Meakandake proper has a triple crater at its summit. Although recorded eruptions at Meakandake have consisted of minor phreatic explosions, four major magmatic eruptions with pyroclastic flows have also occurred during the Holocene.
Separate activity dataset
Weekly volcanic activity reports
Smithsonian/USGS weekly reports are selective and preliminary. They are not a comprehensive list of all eruptions or volcanic activity.
No weekly report appears on this page. Absence from the weekly report does not establish an absence of volcanic activity.
Historical catalogue records
Eruption history
Dates can be approximate, incomplete, or BCE. These are historical catalogue observations, not a statement about present activity.
| Start | End | Activity | Confirmation | VEI | Evidence | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-07 CE (day uncertainty +/- 1) | 2026-03-14 CE (day uncertainty +/- 1) | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 22653Database 5.4.0 |
| 2025-09-15 CE | 2025-09-16 CE | Confirmed Eruption | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 22636Database 5.4.0 |
| 2008-11-18 CE | 2008-11-28 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18707Database 5.4.0 |
| 2006-03-21 CE | 2006-03-21 CE | Confirmed EruptionNE flank of Me-Akan | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18704Database 5.4.0 |
| 1998-11-09 CE | 1998-11-09 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18703Database 5.4.0 |
| 1996-11-21 CE | 1996-11-21 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri crater no. 4) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18702Database 5.4.0 |
| 1988-01-05 CE | 1988-02-18 CE (day qualifier ?) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (SE rim of Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18701Database 5.4.0 |
| 1984-05-01 CE | 1984-05-01 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18700Database 5.4.0 |
| 1966-06-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | 1966-06-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18699Database 5.4.0 |
| 1965-05-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | 1965-05-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18698Database 5.4.0 |
| 1964-06-18 CE | 1964-07-04 CE (day qualifier ?) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18697Database 5.4.0 |
| 1962-04-28 CE | 1962-04-28 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18696Database 5.4.0 |
| 1960-09-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | 1960-09-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18695Database 5.4.0 |
| 1959-05-15 CE (day uncertainty +/- 5) | 1959-10-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Naka- and Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18694Database 5.4.0 |
| 1958-02-23 CE | 1958-02-23 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18693Database 5.4.0 |
| 1957-02-26 CE | 1957-09-05 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18692Database 5.4.0 |
| 1956-03-18 CE | 1956-10-31 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18691Database 5.4.0 |
| 1955-11-19 CE | 1955-11-19 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18690Database 5.4.0 |
| 1954-01-07 CE (day qualifier ?) | 1954-04-13 CE | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18689Database 5.4.0 |
| 1951-07-31 CE | 1952-03-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Uncertain EruptionMe-Akan (NE foot) | Uncertain | 1 | Not supplied | GVP 18688Database 5.4.0 |
| 1927-04-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | 1927-05-16 CE (day uncertainty +/- 15) | Uncertain EruptionMe-Akan | Uncertain | 1 | Not supplied | GVP 18687Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 1808-07-02 CE (day uncertainty +/- 182) | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan | Confirmed | Not supplied | Observations: Reported | GVP 18686Database 5.4.0 |
| 1780 ±75 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan | Confirmed | 1 | Observations: Reported | GVP 18685Database 5.4.0 |
| 1600 ±50 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18684Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 1550 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18683Database 5.4.0 |
| 1250 ±300 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18682Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 950 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18681Database 5.4.0 |
| 600 ±300 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18680Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 250 CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) | GVP 18679Database 5.4.0 |
| 100 ±100 years CE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18678Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 51 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | P4 | Isotopic: 14C (calibrated) | GVP 18677Database 5.4.0 |
| 301 ±100 years BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18676Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 551 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionAkan-Fuji | Confirmed | Not supplied | Correlation: Tephrochronology | GVP 18675Database 5.4.0 |
| 801 ±250 years BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18674Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 2051 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionKita-yama, Me-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18673Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 3051 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionNishi-yama, O-Akan | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18672Database 5.4.0 |
| 3551 ±500 years BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 3 | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18671Database 5.4.0 |
| 4551 ±500 years BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Ponmachineshiri) | Confirmed | Not supplied | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18670Database 5.4.0 |
| ? 7051 BCE | Not supplied | Confirmed EruptionMe-Akan (Nakamachineshiri) | Confirmed | 4 | Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated) | GVP 18669Database 5.4.0 |
Source and attribution
Source: Data: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Volcanoes of the World.
View the original Smithsonian GVP recordGlobal Volcanism Program, 2026. Volcanoes of the World 5.4.0.
The GVP database is scientific documentation that changes as evidence is reviewed. Historical dates may be approximate or uncertain. This platform is not an official emergency-warning service.
Read the GVP terms of useData freshness
- Source updated
- Not supplied
- Retrieved
- 11 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC
- GVP database version
- 5.4.0
- Catalogue revision
- 2
Source-update and retrieval times describe this catalogue record. Each weekly report carries its own publication date and preliminary status.