Yatsugatake Mountains
The Yatsugatake Mountains are a volcanic mountain range on the border between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture on the island of Honshū in Japan.
Description
The mountain range consists of two volcanic groups, Northern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group and Southern Yatsugatake Volcanic Group. The two volcanic groups of Yatsugatake, North and South, have different characteristics. The North Yatsugatake mountains are gradual and lower while the South Yatsugatake mountains are steep and are more alpine in nature.The southern group ranges from the Natsuzawa Pass to the end of the mountain range. The northern range includes Mount Yoko to the other end of the range. Mount Tateshina is also included.
These mountains form a major part of the Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park.
Geology
These mountains consist of older eroded complex volcanoes, which were made by repeated volcanic eruptions over many thousands years. The last eruption was estimated from 600 to 800 years ago at Mount Yoko of North Yatsugatake Mountains. This is the only remaining active volcano. The other volcanoes are extinct.The volcanoes consist mostly of pyroxene andesite. Yatsugatake also lies nearby to the Fossa Magna.