Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and volcanic debris. It's a rugged place. Where it's not buried by lava fields, it is sometimes
referred to as the “Green” volcanic island as its other sections are lushly covered with veget-
ation. A decent road encircles and connects all the island's several villages, so it's easy to get
around. In fact, to climb to the volcanoes, it's less than a half mile from the main circle-island
road.
As for that climb, take an experienced guide. One of the last victims not to do so was
University of Wyoming professor and poet Craig Arnold. A well-known author and experi-
enced in volcanoes, he was visiting the island in April 2009, doing research for an upcoming
topic. He disappeared and has never been seen since. It's assumed that he had a fatal fall in-
to one of the craters. Kuchierabu is completely dominated by the twin peaks of 2,130-foot
(649-meter) tall Mt Furu (
古岳
; furu-daké, meaning “old peak”) and 2,155-foot (657-meter)
Mt Shin (
新岳
; shin-daké or “new peak”).
If you like
onsen
(and who doesn't), the entire island is really an underground bubbling
cauldron of volcanic activity, and there are a number of
onsen
sprinkled around the island.
Several nice ones are the Yumugi Hot Springs near Yumugi Port, Nemachi Onsen near
Nemachi Village and the Nishino Hot Springs, which are the closest to Kuchierabu Port.
Relaxing in hot volcanic springs is the other reason that people come to the island.
Aerial View of Kuchinoerabujima
The twin craters/peaks of Furu-daké and Shin-daké are at the center, the road is just below, while the
harbor is visible at top left.
What Exactly is a Volcano
?
The Japanese word for volcano is
kazan
(
火山
). Our word comes from the Lain
vulcanus
, the myth-
ological Roman god of fire and the use of fire. He is the patron of blacksmiths, the arts of metal-
lurgy (including the manufacture of arms and jewelry) and trades related to ovens (cooks, bakers
and confecioners). His forge was underneath Sicily's Mt Etna. For a wife, Jupiter gave him Venus,
the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality and ferility, but not faithfulness. Every ime Venus was fool-
