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Field Excursions

C. Post-conference Excursions

C1: Unzen Volcano and new lava dome climb  full

C1:Spine of the new lava dome, Heisei Shinzan
Dates: November 24 (Sat.) - 26 (Mon.) (3 days)

Leaders: S. Takarada and H. Hoshizumi (Geol. Surv. Japan), S. Nakada (Univ. Tokyo), H. Shimizu and T. Matsushima (Kyushu Univ.), Y. Miyabuchi (Forestry Forest Prod. Res. Inst.), M. Yoshimoto (Hokkaido Univ.), Y. Goto (Muroran Inst. Technol.), T. Sugimoto (Kyoto Univ.), D. Nagai (Nihon Univ.)

Contact Person: S. Takarada: s-takarada@aist.go.jp

Cost: 31,500 yen
Participants: 25 (min.) - 60 (max.)
Includes: Two stays in Unzen Hot Spring area, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), transportation by bus, beverages, insurance and guidebook


Map C
Itinerary:

Nov. 24: Unzen 1991-95 pyroclastic flow
Shimabara Gaiko ferry terminal and Shimabara City Office, at 8:00 a.m. - 1993 pyroclastic flow deposits at northeastern (Minami-Senbongi area) viewpoint - Ruins of Onokoba Elementary School, hit by Sept. 15, 1991 surge - Lahar deposits in Mizunashi River - Pyroclastic flow deposits of 1991-93 and surge deposits at eastern foot (Kita-Kamikoba area of Mizunashi and Oshigadani rivers) - Memorial site where 43 people were killed by June 3, 1991 surge

Nov. 25: New lava dome climb
Nita Ropeway Station - Ropeway - Myoken Station - Myoken Amphitheater - Summit of Mt. Fugen (previous summit at 1,359 m a.s.l.) - Climb new lava dome (Heisei Shinzan) - Summit of Heisei Shinzan (1,486 m a.s.l.) - No. 11 lava lobe (optional) - Summit of Mt. Fugen - Nita Ropeway Station - Museum at Unzen hot spring area

Nov. 26: Growth History of Unzen Volcano
Kureishibaru pyroclastic flow deposit (14 ka) - Shin-yake lava flow (AD 1792) - Mutsugi pyroclastic flow deposit (5 ka) - Unzen scientific drilling site (USDP-1) - Tarukidaichi debris avalanche deposit (20 ka) - Mayuyama Amphitheater (source of 1792 Mayuyama debris avalanche) - Mayuyama debris avalanche deposit (AD 1792) - Shimabara Gaiko ferry terminal* - Nagasaki Airport


Unzen Scientific Drilling Project
Description:

This field trip will focus on the dome collapse-type pyroclastic flow of 1991-95, a new lava dome (Heisei Shinzan), and the growth history of Unzen Volcano. Depositional features, the emplacement process, and disasters of the pyroclastic flow/surge and lahars will be discussed on day 1. We will climb to the top of the new lava dome and observe its growth pattern and discuss the degassing mechanism on day 2. The growth history of Unzen Volcano starting from 500 ka will be examined on day 3. The Mayuyama debris avalanche deposit of 1792 (produced the worst volcanic disaster in Japan, killing 15,000 people) will also be visited. Participants will be separated into two groups on day 1 and day 3 and separated into three groups on day 2 (lava dome climbing day). The lava dome climbing day (day 2) may switch to day 1 or day 3 due to weather conditions. The summit area will be cold (5 - 15°C). Warm clothes, a rain jacket, a hat, hard boots and gloves are essential.

*Note: Participants also joining excursion C3 (Aso Volcano) can take a ferryboat from the Shimabara Gaiko ferry terminal to Kumamoto at the end of this excursion.




C2: Sakurajima and Kaimondake volcanoes, southern Kyushu  full

C2:Sakurajima Volcano
Dates: November 24 (Sat.) - 26 (Mon.) (3 days)

Leaders: T. Kobayashi (Kagoshima Univ.), M. Iguchi (Kyoto Univ.), Y. Kawanabe (Geol. Surv. Japan)

Contact person: T. Kobayashi: koba@sci.kagoshima-u.ac.jp

Cost: 53,000 yen
Includes: Three nights' accommodation (three breakfasts and Monday dinner included), transportation by bus, lunches, beverages, snacks, bathing fee and guidebook
Participants: 15 (min.) - 30 (max.)

Itinerary:

Nov. 24: Shimabara - Jomon-no-mori archeological site on the Aira caldera rim - International Sabo Center - Kagoshima
Approx. 4-hour bus ride from Shimabara to Kagoshima. Visit first Jomon-no-mori, an archeological park on the northern rim of the Aira caldera. We will learn at this site about the history of the Sakurajima eruptions and human life since about 13,000 years ago, getting a wonderful view of the Aira caldera and Sakurajima Volcano. We will also visit the International Sabo Center on the way to Kagoshima.

Nov. 25: Ikeda caldera and Kaimondake Volcano
Approx. 2-hour drive to the south of Kagoshima. We will first visit Ikeda caldera, formed about 6.5 ka, which is now filled with water. The second stop will be Kaimondake Volcano, to observe historical tephra. We will have a special noodle lunch at Tosenkyo. In the afternoon, we will visit the outcrop of Ikeda ignimbrite along the coast, where we can observe many secondary vents penetrating the deposits. You may enjoy a sand bath on the beach. Stay in Kagoshima.

Nov. 26: Aira caldera and Sakurajima Volcano
The first stop will be the Sakurajima Volcano Research Center at Kyoto University. Observations will focus on the monitoring systems for eruption prediction. The geology of Sakurajima will mainly focus on the historical lava flows of 1914 and 1946. We will have a farewell party in Kagoshima at night.

Description:

This trip visits two active volcanoes in Kagoshima, southern Kyushu, to observe the volcanic deposits and their impacts on residents. We also experience how we use geothermal energy. Temperature will be mild to cold (10 - 20°C). Warm clothes and light boots are recommended.

Three nights (Nov. 24 - 26) will be spent at the same hotel in downtown Kagoshima. It takes about 50 minutes to Kagoshima Airport by limousine bus (1,200 yen), and 15 minutes to the Kagoshima JR Station by the city tram (160 yen).




C3: Aso Volcano: Gigantic pyroclastic flow eruptions and post-caldera activity  full

C3:Aso Caldera
Dates: November 27 (Tue.) - 28 (Wed.) (2 days)

Leaders: Y. Miyabuchi (Forestry Forest Prod. Res. Inst.), H. Hoshizumi (Geol. Surv. Japan), K. Kaneko and T. Kagiyama (Kyoto Univ.)

Contact person: Y. Miyabuchi: yasuo@affrc.go.jp

Participants: 25 (min.) - 35 (max.)
Cost: 21,500 yen
Includes: Transportation by chartered bus, meals (two lunches, one dinner and one breakfast), accommodation and guidebook

Itinerary: Nov. 27: Overview of Aso Volcano and its beautiful caldera
Departs from JR (train) Kumamoto Station and Kumamoto Bus Center to Aso Volcano. At first, we will visit the northern rim of Aso caldera to observe the caldera topography and post-caldera central cones. Then, we will move to the northeastern caldera wall or east of the caldera to examine gigantic pyroclastic flow deposits. We will spend the night at a small hotel located at the eastern edge of the volcano.

Nov. 28: Geology of post-caldera central cones
We will visit active Nakadake crater, Kusasenrigahama crater (source of ca. 30 ka plinian pumice-fall deposits) and Holocene scoria cones. We will arrive at Kumamoto Airport (5:00 p.m.), Kumamoto Bus Center and JR Kumamoto Station (6:00 p.m.) in the evening.

Description:

Aso Volcano, which is located about 70 km east-northeast of Unzen, is one of the most beautiful caldera volcanoes in the world. The caldera, 25 km north-south and 18 km east-west in diameter, was formed by the four gigantic pyroclastic-flow eruptions from 270 to 90 ka. Post-caldera central cones initiated their eruptive activity just after the last caldera-forming eruption and have produced large volumes of fallout tephra layers and lava flows. Nakadake Volcano, which is the only active central cone, is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan. Its recent activity is characterized by ash and strombolian eruptions and phreatic or phreatomagmatic explosions. This field trip will focus on gigantic pyroclastic flow deposits related to the caldera formation and explosive and effusive post-caldera activity of the volcano.

Note: This field trip is available for participants of excursions C1 (Unzen) and C2 (Sakurajima). Participants from C1 should move from Shimabara to Kumamoto by ferryboat and bus in the evening on November 26 and stay the night in downtown Kumamoto. Participants from C2 should move from Kagoshima to Kumamoto by JR train (shinkansen and normal trains; about 80 minutes) in the morning on November 27. This field trip fee does not cover the transportation to Kumamoto City and accommodation on November 26. Participants who need hotel reservations for the 26th should ask the field trip's contact person.
Weather may be a little cold (3 - 10°C in the summit area) and rains are always possible in Japan; therefore, warm clothes and rain gear will be required.




C4: Workshop: Fuji Volcano  full

Map B
Products of large-scale historic eruptions (AD 864 and 1707), sabo engineering activities and disaster mitigation plans for future eruption.
Dates: November 25 (Sun.) - 27 (Tue.) (3 days)

Leaders: Y. Ishii (Min. Land. Infrastr. Transp.), S. Aramaki (Yamanashi Inst. Environ. Sci.), N. Miyaji (Nihon Univ.), M. Koyama (Shizuoka Univ.)

Contact person: S. Aramaki: aramaki.shigeo@fine.ocn.ne.jp

Participants: 40 (max.)
Cost: 53,000 yen
Includes: Local transportation, hotel, and meals. Does not include air fare from Shimabara to Tokyo-Haneda (on Nov. 24), nor shinkansen train fare from Mishima to Tokyo (on Nov. 27).

Itinerary:

Nov. 24: Meet at Tokyo-Haneda airport at 4:00 p.m. Then by bus to Fujinomiya,
Shizuoka Prefecture, where the workshop will be held. Overnight stay in Fujinomiya.

Nov. 25: Workshop at Fujinomiya City Hall. Scientific and technical discussion in the morning.
Presentation and demonstration by local citizens, students and administration in the
afternoon. Overnight stay in Fujinomiya.

Nov. 26: Visit experimental stations on sabo engineering at the western foot of Mt. Fuji. Then
move to historic (AD 864) lava flow fields and visit lava tunnels. Overnight stay in
Fujinomiya.

Nov. 27: Visit several outcrops of scoria fall deposits from 1707 and sites of devastation.
Disband at Mishima Shinkansen Station. Participants will be able to return to Tokyo by
evening.

Description:

This is a special combination of one-day workshop and two-day field excursion in view of the 300th anniversary of the 1707 great eruption of Fuji Volcano. Further details are shown on page 28.

Note: All transportation by bus. No strenuous walking expected. We will follow the same schedule in case of rain. No special field equipment needed.




C5: Nagasaki tour: Christian history  full

C5:Twentiy-Six Martyrs Memorial (Nagasaki)
Date: November 24 (Sat.) (1 day)

Leaders: Jack Garrott and Taro Yamasaki (Shinsei-no-Sato Church)

Contact person: J. Garrott: christian_tour@mail.117.cx

Participants: 15 (min.)-33 (max.)

Cost: 8,500 yen
Includes: Transportation by chartered bus, road tolls, parking fees, lunch, and museum admission fees.

Itinerary: Shimabara, 8:30 a.m. - Ruins of Hara Castle (base of Christian rebellion) - Unzen
Hell (gas zone at Mt. Unzen, where many Christians were martyred) - Lunch - 26 Martyrs
Memorial - Oura Church (a famous Catholic church, designated a national architectural treasure)
and the South Yamate area - Shimabara, 6:30 p.m.


Map C
Description:

Shimabara City and Nagasaki Prefecture are famous for Christian history, with many martyrs. Three hundred years ago Christians around Shimabara rebelled against the shogun. We will start from Shimabara, where the shogun's forces were based, and go to the ruins of Hara Castle, where the rebellion was based, and then to Unzen Hell, where many Christians were executed. Next will be sightseeing in Nagasaki City. We¡Çll go to the 26 Martyrs Memorial and a famous Catholic church. The South Yamate area, where the Catholic church is, is the most popular sightseeing place in Nagasaki. November weather in Shimabara is a little cold, but there is no snow. You may wear ordinary clothes for sightseeing. You might also bring an umbrella in case of rain.

Note: On the way back to Shimabara, participants can go directly to Nagasaki Airport, taking the limousine bus departing from the terminal near the 26 Martyrs Memorial (about one hour, ¡ï800 yen). The bus leaves every 5 to 15 minutes until 6:40 p.m.


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