Sakurajima, an active stratovolcano in Kyushu, Japan, was once an island until lava flows from its massive 1914 eruption connected it to the Osumi Peninsula (seen at left in this Overview). Since 1955, it has been in a near-constant state of eruption, producing thousands of small explosions each year. Just 8 km (5 mi) away, the city of Kagoshima—home to more than 600,000 people—is one of the largest urban centers in such close proximity to an active volcano.

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