Yakushima - Pillow lava in Yakucho
What is pillow lava in Yakucho?
Yakucho pillow lava is a lava formation found on the Tashiro Coast in the northeastern part of Yakushima.
It is designated as a natural monument of Yakushima Town, and is believed to have been formed when lava spewed from an undersea volcanic explosion solidified more than 100 million years ago.
As the name implies, it is a rare type of lava that has a pillow-like shape due to rapid cooling by seawater.
It is thought to have originally originated on the seafloor beyond this site, moved northward due to crustal movement, fused with local strata in the Ryukyu Trench, and appeared at sea as it does today with the Kumage Formation.
Pillow lava is formed when basalt-based magma erupts from the seafloor. Kilaway Volcano in Hawaii and Mt. Mihara on Izu Oshima Island in Japan have similar compositions.
How to get to the pillow lava in Yakucho
Yakucho's pillow lava is located about 25 minutes by car from Miyanoura Port.
Exit the port and head south along Route 77 with the ocean on your left.
Follow the road and turn left at the intersection with the Passion Pavilion sign and continue for a short distance to the pillow-shaped lava rock in Yakucho.
Detail of pillow lava in Yakucho
| Location | Ekiho, Yaku-cho, Kumage-gun, Kagoshima, Japan (View on Map) |
| Access | - |
| parking lot | existence (at the present moment) |
| toilet | - |
| Business Hours | - |
