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The Inhabited, Dual Volcano Island of Aogashima, Japan

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posted on Apr, 16 2013 @ 07:52 PM
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The Inhabited Dual Volcanic Island of Aogashima, Japan






I was just messing around a few moments ago when I noticed a picture of a beautiful island like none I had ever seen before. Instantly feeling like this is just my sort of paradise, the image left me wishing I were rich enough to purchase the island, or at least have enough money to move there.

It doesn’t seem like a big place, so I assumed it was uninhabitable. Maybe there is no fresh water source or other basic needs required to sustain a permanent residence. Then I read about the inhabitants. Apparently there is support for permanent residents, at least for 200 of them anyway.

In my fantasyland idea of perfect paradise, this ranks up there with the majestic and pristine mountain top lake. You know the one. The lake that is hidden in a mountain top valley, far from the masses and equally unknown to them. The one that is abundantly stocked with fish, so much so that when you go fishing they literally belly-flop into the boat (no TNT required). A place with so much wildlife that going hungry is never a worry.

This twin volcanic island is amazing and has me dreaming of a locally owned, ocean-side tiki bar with goddesses, in bikini’s of twine, who are the local women, and the smell of coconut oil lingering in the air.

Turns out, this island doesn’t really fit the bill for my fantasy, so I will leave my dream alone and share some of the facts and images of the island I am now so fond of:



Aogashima Island Stat Source

Geography:

Location Izu Islands
Coordinates 32°27′28″N 139°45′33″E
Archipelago Izu Islands
Area 8.75 km2 (3.378 sq mi)
Length 3.5 km (2.17 mi)
Width 2.5 km (1.55 mi)
Coastline 9 km (5.6 mi)
Highest elevation 423 m (1,388 ft)
Country Japan
Demographics Population 205 (as of September 2009)


Aogashima Island




Aogashima is a small, tropical volcanic island in the Philippine Sea, under the administration of Tokyo despite being located some 358 kilometers away from the country’s capital. It is the southernmost and the most isolated inhabited island of the Izu archipelago. The island itself is a giant volcanic crater, and within that crater there’s another, smaller volcano. Aogashima is still considered an active Class-C volcano though it last erupted in the 1780′s. When last erupted it killed nearly half of the island’s population and forced the remaining inhabitants to flee. It took just fifty years for the people to return. Today, some 200 brave villagers live on the island.





It’s believed that the island was formed by the overlapping remnants of at least four submarine calderas. Aogashima consists of the rims of the inner and outer craters. The southern coast rises to a sharp ridge forming one edge of a caldera named Ikenosawa with a diameter of 1.5 km. The caldera is occupied by a secondary cone named Maruyama, which is still emitting geothermal steam around an area where no plants are evident. Otonbu, the peak of the rim of the outer crater at a height of 432 meters above sea level, is the highest spot in the island. It commands a panoramic view of the entire volcano in the Pacific Ocean.





Located in the Kuroshio region of open seas and known for tidal wave generation, the island is barely reachable except by boat. The island has no real harbor to anchor boats due to the steep rugged cliffs of layered volcanic deposits that surrounds the entire island. The other option is to take a helicopter provided by Tokyo Island Shuttle Service. Both of them depart from Hachijojima, with the nearest island some 60km away. Before the helicopter service was launched in 1993, transportation of passengers, essential goods and food products used to be made by boat only, where people hardly knew when to expect arrival. The helicopter runs once a day and carries only a maximum of 9 passengers. Many times it gets cancelled due to heavy fog, depending on the season. This is why Aogashima is still a rarely-visited island.





There isn’t much to do on Aogashima though, except enjoy the serenity of a tropical paradise. In the center of the island lies a geothermal sauna. There is a public facility utilizing the geothermal power and gas and people use it to cook. This cooker using geothermal steam is available for free. Steamed fresh vegetables, potatoes or eggs are one of the specialties of Aogashima. The facility also features a sauna, a public bath, and hot showers.





Aogashima is the smallest village in Japan. As of 2009, the island's population was 205 and it’s decreasing. The island has a primary school with about 25 students. When they reach the age of fifteen, they would to go to high school on the mainland and nobody knows if and when they will be back to Aogashima. The folklore songs that people here sing are mostly about stories of leaving the island and parting with their loved ones.



posted on Apr, 16 2013 @ 08:14 PM
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I can sleep in peace tonight... Those pics say enough.



posted on Apr, 16 2013 @ 08:28 PM
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ahhh paradise exists... and its really close to hell.

Love it.



posted on Apr, 16 2013 @ 09:08 PM
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Originally posted by FidelityMusic
I can sleep in peace tonight... Those pics say enough.


I'll co-sign on that statement.

I've never heard of that place. It is absolutely gorgeous. I wonder what types of livestock and vegetables they grow? Off to read I go, I guess.

S&F



posted on Apr, 16 2013 @ 11:15 PM
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That's a beautiful little slice of heaven! On the edge of hell, though. I don't think I'll ever be visiting, it would be just my luck the thing would erupt if I did!



posted on Apr, 17 2013 @ 08:22 PM
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Thanks for the Replies!

It does seem to be one of the most incredible places I have never known. It does seem to be near an area with very high health risk and potentially one of the most dangerous places on Earth - but hey, what place isn't near an area like that in today's world?

An island paradise, made up of a volcano within a volcano, miles and miles from Anywhere, Earth, with active geothermal vents, fresh water and virtually uninhabited is something I have never heard of before.

If someone described that place to me, I would think they are describing something from a Pixar, or other animated movie, such as; 'The Incredibles' and 'Up' - or I would think they are working on the script of a fictional movie.

It made me think... you know the saying, 'When you see one cockroach, there are thousands more unseen'?

I know there are thousands of uninhabited islands in our oceans. I wonder how many islands with incrediblely fantastic features are out there, we just know nothing about them? There may even be some places that make Aogashima Island look like Key Largo.

I am gonna look around the internet and see if I can uncover some other very impressive places that not many of us know about. I'll report back to add anything I might find... but I know it will be unlikely to stumble across such places that have been able to remain off the tourist radar.




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