August 3, 2018, 9:37 am | Read time: 2 minutes
The Japanese town of Aogashima is likely unique worldwide, as it is located on an island in the middle of the crater of an active volcano. The last time it erupted, about half of the residents died–today, thermal heat is used to run a sauna and cook food.
Imagine living in a town situated within an active volcano. That’s exactly what the residents of the Japanese town of Aogashima do, located on the island of the same name, about 360 kilometers from Tokyo. The volcano is not dormant but still active. Over 230 years ago, specifically in the 1780s, it last erupted, and about half of the island’s population perished in the disaster.
According to the website “Smithsonian,” Aogashima is just one of 110 active volcanoes in Japan, and despite the risk of an eruption, around 200 residents still remain on the island. However, island life is not as uncomfortable as one might think. For example, there is a large community sauna heated by the volcano’s geothermal energy.
Also interesting: This island can only be visited with a gas mask
Food Can Be Cooked in the Hot Springs
Due to this phenomenon, heating and hot water on the island are free, and food can even be cooked in the hot steam vents, as noted in an article by the “Daily Mail.” Tourists can swim, hike, and fish on Aogashima, to name just three of the islanders’ favorite activities.
Hard to believe: Although the island is just under six square kilometers in size, residents prefer to get around by car rather than by bike. One reason for this is the constant strong winds on Aogashima. The island even has a car repair shop, a few grocery stores, and its own distillery for Shochu, the Japanese national spirit.
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Those wishing to visit Aogashima can reach the island by ferry or helicopter from the nearby island of Hachijo-jima, naturally at their own risk–but according to “Smithsonian,” the Japan Meteorological Agency has not issued an eruption warning for Aogashima in nine years. The ferry costs approximately 12 euros.