Volcano eruption

浅間山 (Mount Asama) is a 火山 (volcano) between 群馬県 (Gunma Prefecture) and 長野県 (Nagano Prefecture).

It’s about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

Yesterday, the 気象庁 (Japan Meteorological Agency) issued a level 3 warning* that 浅間山 (Mount Asama) could erupt within 48 hours. About 45,000 residents near the volcano were told they may need to evacuate.

* (There are five volcano warnings. Level 1 is normal / safe. Level 2 is stay away from crater. Level 3 is non-residents should stay away from the volcano. Level 4 is nearby residents need to prepare to evacuate. Level 5 is evacuation / major eruption imminent.)

Japan has many 火山 (volcanoes)…the most famous is the symbol of Japan, 富士山 (Mt. Fuji)…but most are dormant.
浅間山 (Mount Asama) is one of Japan’s most active 火山 (volcanoes).

The 気象庁 (Japan Meteorological Agency) was correct.

浅間山 (Mount Asama) had a minor eruption this morning (Monday, February 2, 2009) just before 2:00AM (JST).
No one was injured and there was no reported property damage.

The last time 浅間山 (Mount Asama) erupted was on September 1, 2004. That eruption was also fairly minor…although ash from that eruption went 200 kilometers from the volcano.
It’s biggest eruption was about 220 years ago. There were 1500 casualties and alot of property damage in that eruption.

湯島天神

Yesterday we went to 湯島天神 (Yushima-Tenjin Shrine) in 上野 (Ueno, Tokyo).

The 梅の花 (Plum blossoms) were beginning to bloom. (They had posters up advertising their annual 梅の祭 (Plum Festival) that they will hold beginning next week.)

It’s a beautiful shrine…especially when the plum blossoms are in bloom.

At the shrine, my wife and I each bought a cup of 甘酒 (a hot, sweet fermented rice drink. (lit. sweet sake)). It’s often sold at Japanese shrines in the winter.
It was good.

Here are a few photos I took yesterday:

Booth selling "Daruma".

千羽鶴 ("1000 Paper Cranes") for luck.

Plum blossom

From the shrine, we went to a nearby department store (I have a wife and three teenage daughters. Of course, they love to shop!).

The floor selling make-up and women’s clothes also had a display of Valentine’s chocolates (I mentioned in a previous post that women give hand-made chocolate to men on Valentine’s Day in Japan. Click here to read it.)

「ハートチョコ」 (♥-shaped chocolate) and 「ハートせんべい」 (♥-shaped rice crackers)

「ハートせんべい」 ( ♥-shaped rice crackers)

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By the way, those visitors to my site who are in Japan…did you feel that 地震 (earthquake) at about 6:30AM yesterday?