KAGOSHIMA, Jun 08, 2026 - A prolonged eruption at Sakurajima on June 7th blanketed parts of Kagoshima City in volcanic ash, turning roads gray and prompting long lines of vehicles seeking car washes after a plume of smoke rose 1,300 meters above the crater.
Dark volcanic ash covered much of the skyline, with particles even clinging to camera equipment recording the event.
Sakurajima, located in Kagoshima Bay, erupted at around 7:30 a.m. on June 7th. The eruption continued for approximately one hour, sending a column of ash and smoke 1,300 meters into the air above the crater.
The effects were felt across Kagoshima City. Roads near the city's bus terminal were coated in gray ash, while the normally green streetcars appeared darkened by the fallout.
At gasoline stations, long queues formed as residents sought to wash ash-covered vehicles.
Weather conditions contributed to the widespread distribution of the ash. A low-pressure system that had developed from a tropical depression was approaching southern Kyushu on the day of the eruption. Meteorologists believe the system generated easterly winds that carried volcanic ash westward over Kagoshima City and surrounding areas.
Although volcanic activity had subsided by the time of the report, authorities warned that similar eruptions and further ash fall remain possible, urging residents to stay alert for continued volcanic activity.
Source: FNN
