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May 17, 2026 - Kyushu, Japan
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Kyushu Island is the third largest and the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Sitting along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan’s landscape contains an assortment of volcanoes, both dormant and active—and Kyushu is no exception. According to the website Volcano Discovery, Japan is home to more than 100 volcanoes, with 26 of those found on the island of Kyushu. At least 7 of those have been active within historic times, including Sakurajima, Aso, and Kirishima.
One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima continues to undergo ongoing eruptive activity. Normally the activity is mild, with intermittent venting of ash and bits of lava. On May 8, 2026, an explosive eruption rocked the volcano, sending ash plumes as high as 3.5 kilometers (11,480 feet) into the air. In addition, the volcano ejected large lava blocks, followed by a flow of lava down the southeast flank. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, this type of pyroclastic flow last occurred in June of 2018.
In the latest explosive eruption, ashfall was reported at Kagoshima City, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the west and Tarumizu City, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the south-southeast. Millions of people live in these two cities, which sit close by the active volcano.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of Kyushu, Japan on May 15, 2026. Sakurajima volcano sits near the southern tip of the island, near the northern section of Kagoshima Bay.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/15/2026
Resolutions:
1km (93.9 KB), 500m (254.2 KB), 250m (297.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Kyushu Island is the third largest and the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Sitting along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan’s landscape contains an assortment of volcanoes, both dormant and active—and Kyushu is no exception. According to the website Volcano Discovery, Japan is home to more than 100 volcanoes, with 26 of those found on the island of Kyushu. At least 7 of those have been active within historic times, including Sakurajima, Aso, and Kirishima.
One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima continues to undergo ongoing eruptive activity. Normally the activity is mild, with intermittent venting of ash and bits of lava. On May 8, 2026, an explosive eruption rocked the volcano, sending ash plumes as high as 3.5 kilometers (11,480 feet) into the air. In addition, the volcano ejected large lava blocks, followed by a flow of lava down the southeast flank. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, this type of pyroclastic flow last occurred in June of 2018.
In the latest explosive eruption, ashfall was reported at Kagoshima City, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the west and Tarumizu City, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the south-southeast. Millions of people live in these two cities, which sit close by the active volcano. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of Kyushu, Japan on May 15, 2026. Sakurajima volcano sits near the southern tip of the island, near the northern section of Kagoshima Bay.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 5/15/2026
Resolutions:
1km (93.9 KB), 500m (254.2 KB), 250m (297.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
