19

Volcanoes and Tephras in the Japan Area
Hiroshi MACHIDA
Professor emeritus, Tokyo Metropolitan University
machida@andes.metro-u.ac.jp/QYP04721@nifty.ne.jp

Abstract
Volcanic centres in and around Japan can be explained by the theory of plate tectonics. Large
quantities of lava and tephra, mainly of rhyolitic and andesitic composition, have erupted throughout the
Quaternary in thoses areas. Tephra layers, including not only fallout deposits but also flow deposits
play an important role in characterising soils and landscapes as well as stratigraphic studies. A
catalogue of tephras occurring there provides fundamental criteria for the establishment of a regional
Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The basic tephra framework is reconstructed through recognition ofwidespread marker tephras. A detailed and regional chronology based on distal tephras has been
improved with the aid of local, proximal tephras. The juxtaposition of dated marine and terrestrial
tephras with paleoceanographic, terrestrial, sea-level and tectono-geomorphic (e.g., terrace) records has
enabled a synthesis of event-associations that has improved significantly the understanding of
Quaternary events.
Key words: Aira-Tn tephra, Aso-4 tephra, identification, Japan, Kikai-Akahoya tephra, Korea,
Shikotsu-1 tephra, tephrochronology, Toya tephra, widespread tephra,

1. Regional Volcanic Framework
Volcanic centres in and around Japan occur in twozones accompanying plate subduction along the Japanisland arcs and Korean areas west of the Sea of Japan(Fig. 1). The east Japan volcanic zone lies on theedge of the North American/Eurasian and thePhilippine Sea Plates that are being underthrust by the
subducting oceanic Pacific Plate. The west Japan
volcanic zone has been formed by interaction between
the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate.
Therefore, large quantities of lava and tephra, mainlyof rhyolitic and andesitic composition, have erupted
throughout the Quaternary from about 200 volcanic
centres, of which about 80 have continued theiractivity into the Holocene.
In the west Japan volcanic zone, central andsouthern Kyushu have been the foci of large-scale
explosive volcanism producing a number of ignimbrite and widespread fallout tephra sheets from clusters of large caldera volcanoes. All of these deposits
form important Quaternary isochrons in the Japanregion as shown in a subsequent section.
In the east volcanic zone, considerable large-scale
explosive volcanism has occurred, particularly from
caldera volcanoes in Hokkaido and northern Honshu,
producing extensive tephra sheets. Volcanic centres
in central Honshu and the Izu-Ogasawara island arcs
are characterised by many stratovolcanoes with orwithout calderas, producing a large quantity of tephra
and lava of various compositions. Accordingly, amore or less continuous mantle of tephra exists oversome 40 % of the four main islands of Japan, strongly
influencing landforms and near-surface materials (Fig.
2).
Korean volcanoes occur in the three districts:
Baegdusan (Baitoshan, Changbaishan) and adjacentvolcanic fields on the border of North Korea andChina; Ulreung-do and adjacent submarine volcanic
fields; and Cheju-do volcano off the Korean Peninsula.
The former two are characterised by an alkaline
trachytic explosive volcanism that provides many
distal tephra layers to the Sea of Japan and the Japan
Island arcs. Cheju-do volcano, however, has produced mainly basaltic lava with no significant tephras.
Each has been active throughout the Quaternary
period.

2. Summaries on Development of Japanese
Tephrochronology
Japanese tephrochronology has evolved under the
influence of several discrete geoscientific disciplines
and current tephra studies continue to reflect theframework of this historical development. Thisdevelopment can be viewed as a progression throughfour distinct phases:

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H. MACHIDA

Fig. 1

Map showing localities of major source volcanoes of Quaternary tephras in and around Japan.
1, large caldera with diameter of more than 10 km; 2, caldera volcanoes with diameters of less than 10 km
often associated with composite stratovolcanoes; 3, stratovolcanoes; 4, central cones within calderas;
5, buried calderas; 6, trench and trough axis (plate boundary).

Volcanoes and Tephras in the Japan Area

Fig. 2Map showing general distribution of the representative marker-tephras of the Late Pleistocene andvolcanic ash soil with total thickness of more than 2 m in Japan and adjacent areas (stipples).

21

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H. MACHIDA

1) The impact of other disciplines on the earlystages of tephrochronological research. As early as
the 1930s, pioneer studies on Holocene tephras werecarried out in Hokkaido, northern Japan, in closely
association with soil studies (Uragami et al., 1933).
In the 1940-1950’s the discovery of Paleolithic
cultural remains from volcanic ash soils in northern
Kanto, central Japan, stimulated further thechrono-stratigraphic study of tephra (Kanto Loam
Research Group, 1956). Developments in areas suchas soil sciences, archeology, geomorphology,
radiometric dating and general Quaternary research
greatly stimulated development of a Japanesetephrochronology. Primary tephra sequences werestudied in conjunction with geomorphic surfaces(Kanto Loam Research Group, 1965) andpaleontological and geomagnetic studies (Itihara et al.,1975), reflecting the prominence of tephras ascorrelative and relative-age stratigraphic tools ininterdisciplinary group studies.
2) Volcanological studies of tephra followed fromthese pedological, stratigraphical and geomorphologic
investigations. In their initial development, Japanese
volcanological investigations focused on lavas rather
than pyroclastic materials or tephra. However, since
the early 1960s, eruptive histories of several active
volcanoes have been developed on the basis of associated tephra deposits (Katsui, 1963; Aramaki, 1963;
Nakamura, 1964; Machida, 1964). This was facilitated by the systematisation of tephrochronology
through volcanological interpretations as introduced
by Nakamura et al. (1963).
3) Land-based and local studies were predominant
in comparison with marine tephra studies in the
1950-1960’s. Because most of Japan is covered with
Quaternary volcanic ash soils, early studies focusedon proximal fallout tephra and the description of theirmegascopic features including phenocryst assemblages.
As these assemblages are generally more abundant inproximal tephras, this approach was particularly fruitful in Hokkaido, Kanto and Kyushu, which are locatednear many active volcanoes. The first studies ofmarine tephras were associated with terrestrial exposures of sediments formed under higher relative sea
levels. In the Kinki district (around Osaka andKyoto) far from Quaternary volcanoes, early to middle Pleistocene distal tephras within the Osaka group,(cyclic sediments of marine and lacustrine origin) had
already been studied as useful stratigraphic markers(e.g., Ishida et al., 1969; Itihara et al., 1975). The
study of distal tephras preserved in the present marine
realm around Japan began in the early 1970s (Furuta,
1974; Furuta et al., 1986; Machida and Arai, 1988).
4) Since the early 1970s developments in characterisation techniques for tephra identification and dating methods have placed regional tephra stratigraphies
on a more solid framework (Kobayashi, 1972; Arai,
1972; Machida and Suzuki, 1971). As a result, thelong-distance correlation of tephra became possible inthe mid 1970s (Machida and Arai, 1976), with tens ofvery widespread marker tephra now identified andgreatly facilitating Quaternary studies over extensive
areas, including the Japanese islands and adjacent seas
(Machida and Arai, 1992; Machida, 1999).
The compilation of a tephra catalogue for theJapan area now provides fundamental data forland-sea correlation and establishment of achrono-stratigraphic
frameworkforJapanese
Quaternary studies (Table 1). In addition the eruptive
history of many volcanoes and periods of recurrent
distal ash formation and large-scale explosive
volcanism can be studied from these long-term tephra
records (Machida, 1990).

3. Tephra Identification and Chronology
The characterisation of marker-tephra layers constitutes the basis of tephra studies and is carried out
using a combination of parameters. Detailed descriptions have recently been given, not only of megascopic features and mineral assemblages of proximal
tephras, but also of the refractive indices and chemicalcompositions of volcanic glass and specified minerals
of both proximal and distal tephras. In particular,
recent technical progress in rapid, high-precision
determination of refractive indices and major andminor elements has provided fundamental data fortephra identification (Machida and Arai, 1992).
In general tephras occurring in distal areas, morethan 800 km from their source volcano, are highly
vitric in composition. High precision analysis ofglass chemistry is therefore vital for their reliablecharacterisation and identification in addition to theaforementioned criteria. Major and minor element
analyses of volcanic glass shards are usually carriedout by electron microprobe (EPMA), INAA andinductively coupled plasma (ICP) methods. As aresult, it has become possible not only to correlate
tephras in remote districts with one another but also toaddress a variety of stratigraphical and volcanologicalproblems as described later.
In most of Japan and Korea, the ages of tephra
forming eruptions in the last 1,500 years have been
determined mainly from historical documents. In
general, however, eruptions older than the 10th
century were documented too insufficiently to datereliably, and therefore archeology, varved chronology
and dendrochronology have been applied forcross-checking to give a reliable calendar year
estimate for specific eruptions.
The majority of tephras ejected between ca. 50 ka
and 1.5 ka have been dated by radiocarbon methods.
However, there are some problems in dating pre-20 ka
tephra eruptions since the range of different age
determinations for a discrete tephra of this antiquity
frequently expands with the increase in the number ofdeterminations! Also a calibration system to obtaincalendar years from AMS 14C dating has not yet beenVolcanoes and Tephras in the Japan Area

fully established. The use of additional dating techniques, including fission-track, uranium series,
thermo-luminescence, electron spin resonance and
K-Ar methods ensures that the tephrochronologicalapproach can be employed both within and beyond thelimit of radiocarbon dating. In addition, a number ofTable 123

ages obtained by various methods from the same
tephra at different localities can be checked against
each other, resulting in high-quality age control withthe strictly identified tephra sequences playing animportant role in revision and refinement of various
radiometric ages.

A list of the widespread Quaternary tephra layers in and around the Japan area.

Tephra name(symbol)

Source volcano

Age in ka
methodEruptionsequence Occurrence areas

Bulk vol.
(km3)
Rock typeBaegdusan-Tm(B-Tm)

Baegdusan
1(N. Korea/China) A, C

p, i, cNE Korea, N. Japan Sea,
N. Japan50

peralkaline rhyolite,
trachyte

Machida et al (1990)

Kikai-Ah(K-Ah)Kikai(S. Kyushu)

7.3
C, V

p, i, cin and around Japan>150

px. dacite

Machida & Arai (1978)

Ulreung-Oki(U-Oki)Ulreung(Korea)

10.7
C, V

p, i

S. Japan Sea, C. Honshu>10trachyte

Machida & Arai (1983)
Machida et al (1984)

Towada-H(To-H)

Towada(N. Honshu)

15
C, Ol

p, i, cN. Honshu, NW. Pacific50

hb. px. dacite

Hayakawa (1985)
Arai et al (1986)

Aira-Tn(AT)

Aira(S. Kyushu)

26-29
C, Ol

p, i, cin and around Japan>450

px. rhyolite

Machida & Arai (1976)

Kutcharo-Shoro(Kc-Sr)Kutcharo(E. Hokkaido)

35-40
C, ST

pp, i

E. Hokkaido, NW. Pacific 100

px. rhyodacite

Arai et al (1986)

Shikotsu-1(Spfa-1, Spfl)

Shikotsu(C. Hokkaido)

40-45
C, Ol

p, i, cHokkaido, NW. Pacific200

hb. px. rhyodacite

Katsui (1959)
Arai et al (1986)

Daisen-Kurayoshi(DKP)

Daisen(W. Honshu)≧55
ST, C, Up, (i)

crossing Honshu>20

px. dacite

Machida & Arai (1979)

Aso-4(Aso-4)Aso(C. Kyushu)

85-90
Ol, KA, STi, cin and around Japan>600

px. hb. dacite

Machida et al (1985)
Ono et al (1977)

Kikai-Tz(K-Tz)Kikai(S. Kyushu)

95
ST, TLpp, i, cin and around Japan>150

px. rhyolite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Ontake-1(On-Pm1)

Ontake(C. Honshu)

100
FT, KA, ST

p

C-N. Honshu

50

bt. px. hb. rhyodacite

Kobayashi (1968)
Machida & Arai (1992)

Ata
(Ata)

Ata
(S. Kyushu)

105-110
KA, STpp, p, i, c in and around Japan>300

px. dacite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Sambe-Kisuki
(SK)

Sambe
(W. Honshu)

110-115STpcrossing Honshu

20

bt. rhyolite

Toyokura et al (1991)

Toya(Toya)Toya(C. Hokkaido)

112-115
Ol, STi, pp, i, c

N. Japan &surrounding Seas>150

hb. px. rhyolite

Machida et al (1987)

Aso-3(Aso-3)Aso(C. Kyushu)

120?, 135?
FT, KA, ST

p, i, cC. Kyushu - C. Honshu>100

px. dacite-andesite

Machida & Arai (1994)

Kutcharo-Hb(Kc-Hb)Kutcharo(E. Hokkaido)

115-120
FT, STpp, p, i, c Hokkaido, NW Pacific≫150

px. dacite

Machida et al (1987)
Okumura (1988)

Ata-Th(Th)

Ata(C. Kyushu)

230-250
Ol, FT, ST

p, i, cin and around Japan≫150

bt. px. hb. rhyolite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Aso-1(Aso-1)Aso(C. Kyushu)

255
p, i, cOl, KA, FT, ST

in and around Japan≫50

px. dacite

Shirai et al (1997)

Takayama-Ng1(Tky-Ng1)

Suien-dani(C. Honshu)

29-30
ST, FTp, (i), (c)C-W. Honshu &Shikoku50

px. hb. bt. rhyolite

Mizuno & Kikkawa (1991)
Tamura & Suzuki (2001)

Kakuto(Kkt)

Kakuto(S. Kyushu)

330-340
FT, STp, i, cS. Kyushu - Honshu>100

px. rhyodacite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Ksm5(Ksm-5)Aira(S. Kyushu)

430-450
STi, c

S. Kyushu - Honshu>100

px. rhyodacite

Mizuno (1997)
Suzuki & Fujiwara (1998)

Kobayashi-Ks(Kb-Ks)Kobayashi(S. Kyushu)

520
Oli, p, i, cin and around Japan>100

px. rhyodacite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Hiwaki(Hwk)?
(S. Kyushu)

570-580
KA, Oli, cS. Kyushu - Honshu>100

px. hb. rhyolite

Machida & Arai (1992)
This paper

Kamitakara(KMT)

Kaishio(C. Honshu)

600-620
Ol, FTi, c

C. Honshu≫50

bt. rhyolite

Suzuki (2000)

Seiganji-Toga(Se-Tg)Hohi(C. Kyushu)

610-650FTp, (i), c

C. Kyushu – C. Honshu≫50

hb. bt. rhyolite

Machida & Arai (1992)

Hakkoda-Ku1(Hkd-Ku)

Hakkoda(N. Honshu)

760
Olp, i, cN-C. Honshu≫50

px. rhyodacite

Suzuki et al. (2001)

Shishimuta-Azuki(Ss-Az)Shishimuta(C. Kyushu)

850-870
FT, Olp, i, cC. Kyushu – C. Honshu≫100

px. dacite

Kamata et al (1994)

Shishimuta-Pink(Ss-Pk)Shishimuta(C. Kyushu)

1020
p, i, cOl, KA, MGN

C. Kyushu – C. Honshu≫100

px. hb. rhyodacite

Danhara et al (1992)

Shikito(Skt)

Shishimuta?
(C. Kyushu)

1200
ST, FTi, c

C. Kyushu – C. Honshu

100?

px. bt. cgt. hb. rhyolite Yoshioka et al (1997)

Omine
(Omn)

N. Hida?
(C. Honshu)

1600-1650
KAi, cC. Honshu

50

hb. bt. rhyolite

Machida et al (1997)
Nagahashi (1998)

Ebisutoge-Fukuda(Ebs-Fkd)

Hodaka?
(C. Honshu)

1700
KA, STp, i, cC. Honshu>100

bt. px. hb. rhyodacite

Yoshikawa et al (1996)

Reference

24

H. MACHIDA

As many distal tephra layers occur in abyssal
marine sediment cores around Japan, high resolution
dating of tephra may find importance in provision ofreliable age-estimates for marine oxygen isotope
chronology. Such work has rapidly progressed inJapan as shown in Table 1 and Fig. 3.

4. Distal Tephras as Fundamental
Quaternary Isochrons
Since 1976 two widespread tephra layers fromgigantic explosive volcanism of southern Kyushu
caldera volcanoes Aira and Kikai, have been identified
over unusually extensive areas throughout Japan and
the Sea of Japan as well as over the floor of the
Pacific Ocean to the South of Honshu (Machida andArai, 1976, 1978 & 1983). Both tephra layers,
Aira-Tn tephra (AT) of ca. 26-29 ka and KikaiAkahoya tephra (K-Ah) of ca 7.3 ka, provide distinct
datum planes available for many applications of
Quaternary sciences in the Japan region. These
results have encouraged the identification of manyother widespread tephra layers, including those ofcontinental volcanic origin (B-Tm & U-Oki) and older
tephras.
The petrographic characteristics of fine-grained
tephras of the late Quaternary have been thoroughly
investigated not only on land but also in cores fromabyssal sediments around Japan. The most extensive
Quaternary tephras are listed in Table 1 and approximate outer distribution limits of typical widespread
Late Quaternary tephra layers are illustrated in Fig. 2.
The abundance of widespread tephras of Quaternary
age has contributed greatly to Quaternary studies andin particular in the interpretation of associated marine
and terrestrial sequences from Kyushu to Hokkaido(Fig. 3).
The above-mentioned tephras can be classified into
two types according to differences in their mode ofejection and distribution:
1) Co-ignimbrite fallout tephra: these deposits are
predominantly fine-grained vitric ashes produced at
the same time as unusually large-scale pyroclastic
flows (Machida and Arai, 1976; Sparks and Walker,
1977). The volume of tephra from these events often
approximates or exceeds that of the ignimbrite itself.
These eruption-types are closely associated withgigantic caldera collapses which resulted in cataclysmic environmental impacts over extensive areas.
Almost all tephras originating from the gigantic
caldera volcanoes of Kyushu and Hokkaido are of thistype. Distal deposits of these events are dominatedby bubble walled types of glass shards. Co-ignimbrite tephras often mantle wide areas surrounding thevent (e.g., K-Ah, AT, Toya tephras). This occurrence
may suggest that many secondary vents formed on theextensive, low aspect ratio ignimbrites, possibly associated with hydromagmatic eruptions. It is probablethat the transport of tephra occurred by both stratos-

pheric (dominantly westerly) and tropospheric winds.
2) Plinian tephra: a number of pumice fall layers of
this type are found throughout Japan. These consist
predominantly of pumiceous glass shards with abundant phenocrysts. An elongated fallout area is common with areal coverage not so extensive comparedwith that of the co-ignimbrite tephras. The Sambe
Kisuki and Daisen Kurayoshi tephras are of this typeand have been particularly useful in the correlation of
associated strata and geomorphic surfaces fromwestern to north-eastern Honshu. Eruptions of thistype were often followed by extrusions of pyroclastic
flow deposits.

5. Representative Late Quaternary
Widespread Tephra Layers
Co-ignimbrite tephras are clearly the most important of the two types in Japan, because of their unusually extensive coverage (Figs. 2 and 3). Selectedwidespread tephras of particular stratigraphic importance are described below. Most tephras are named
after their source volcano and the place-name of thetype-section of the distal deposit (e.g., theAira-Tanzawa tephra). In the event that the source
volcano is uncertain, only the type-section place-nameis adopted. However, there are some exceptions tothe conventional nomenclature such as Shikotsu-1,
Aso-4, etc. In all cases eruption sequences andpetrographic properties for these tephras are presented
in Table 1.
Kikai-Akahoya tephra (K-Ah)
This originated in Kikai, a major caldera largely
submerged off southern Kyushu, and forms the mostwidespread Holocene tephra layer in the Japan region.
The tephra occurs in marine and terrestrial deposits at
various localities in southwestern and central Japan(Fig. 2) and forms a good marker for the hypsithermal
stage, because it was deposited during the culminationof the Holocene transgression. It is of a critical age(ca. 7.3 ka) for understanding environmental changes
associated with postglacial sea level changes and local
tectonic movements.
Vertical changes in the foraminiferal and oxygenisotope characteristics of marine cores from the southern part of the Sea of Japan record the onset of thepresent abundant inflow of warm-current water fromthe Pacific Ocean and East China Sea into the Sea ofJapan.
The stratigraphic level of thiscirculation-shift lies between the Kikai-Akahoya
tephra and the underlying Ulreung-Oki tephra (ca.
10.7 ka), clearly indicate that the present circulation
pattern became established between the ages of these
two tephrogenic eruptions (Arai et al., 1981). This
circulation change may have depended largely on
strengthening of warm current and widening of thetwo straits, Tsushima and Tsugaru, as a result of thesea level rise.

Volcanoes and Tephras in the Japan Area

Fig. 3Time-space diagram of marker-tephras with representative marine (stippled column) and glacial (opentriangle) sequences in Japan for the last 1 Ma.

Ages in ka. Abbreviations of volcanoes: K, Kikai; At, Ata; A, Aira; Kk, Kakuto and Kirishima; Aso, Aso; Kj, Kuju; Ss,
Shishimuta; Sb, Sambe; D, Daisen; Tt, Tateyama; On, Ontake Y, Yatsugatake; As, Asama; Hr, Haruna; Ag, Akagi; Hk,
Kakone; Nr, Narugo; To, Towada; Hkd, Hakkoda; Z, Zenikame; Ty, Toya; Kt, Kuttara; S, Shikotsu; Kc, Kutcharo
Quaternary sea level curves derived mainly from marine oxygen isotope fluctuations by Chappell (1994) for the last
140 ky and Chen et al. (1995) for the earlier periods. A closed circle indicates the position of source area of eachtephra, also indicating the size of eruption: large circle, >100 km3; medium, 20-100 km3; small, 5-20 km3 in bulk
volume.

25

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H. MACHIDAThis Kikai-Akahoya isochron also provides adefinite datum plane in the Neolithic archeologicalsequence over an extensive area and indicates clearly
that a great volcanic disaster occurred in prehistoric
Kyushu (Machida, 1984). This will be mentioned in
the other paper of this volume (p.65).
Chronological studies of laminated lake sediments
have recently been carried out in the brackish lake of
Suigetsu, north of Kyoto. A detailed counting ofannual layers suggests that the K-Ah tephra wasejected at 7,324 cal. yr. BP (Fukusawa, 1995). If
reliable, this proxy-calendrical age determination
should play an important role in the application ofradiocarbon calibration to associated 14C assays.
Aira-Tanzawa tephra (AT)This rhyolitic ash is the most prominentmarker-tephra of the late Pleistocene, and occurs mostextensively on land and in abyssal sediments around
Japan (Machida and Arai, 1976; 1983; 1992; Fig. 2).
More than one hundred radiocarbon dates hitherto
obtained indicate that the cataclysmic eruption of the
Aira caldera, southern Kyushu, occurred at around 22
This tephra forms a valuable
to 25 14C ka.
time-marker indicating the Paleolithic age and the lastglaciation. Many deep sea cores around Japan indicate that this tephra was produced in a boundary
period between marine isotope stages (MIS) 3 and 2(Arai et al., 1981; Yamane and Oba, 1999). The ageof this boundary differs slightly from author to author,
ranging widely from 2.5 ka to 2.9 ka, but recent ice
core studies suggest that it should fall in the range
between 2.6 ka and 3.2 ka. Recent studies on radiocarbon calibration indicate that such an age estimate
would be conformable. In this paper an age estimateof 26 to 29 ka is adopted for this eruption.
Pollen analysis studies also suggest that a significant and abrupt vegetation change occurred at the timeof this tephra forming event, with a shift fromtemperate deciduous forest to boreal conifer forest in
the Kanto plain, central Japan (Tsuji and Kosugi,1991). Stratigraphic evidence suggests that the coldest climate and lowest sea level occurred soon after
this tephra forming eruption. In addition, a marked
decrease in oxygen isotope values in planktonic
foraminiferal tests occurs immediately below theeruption layer in the Sea of Japan indicating acontinuous decrease in the salinity of the sea. The
oceanographic change is thought to relate to apaleogeographic-controlled reduction of the inflow ofwater from the open sea at the Tsushima Straits
between Korea and Kyushu at a time when the sea
level was falling (Arai, et al., 1981).
Shikotsu-l tephra (Spfa-l)
This rhyodacitic tephra derived from the plinian
eruption of the Shikotsu caldera in Hokkaido, withtephra found in the Pacific Ocean off Hokkaido andthe northeastern coast of Honshu (Fig. 2). The radio-

carbon age of around 32 ka had long been regarded asreliable (Machida and Arai, 1992), however recent
AMS radiocarbon dates and marine tephra chronology
suggest the possibility of an older event (late to mid
MIS3, 40-45 ka, Yamane and Oba, 1999; Aoki andArai, 2000). Cryoturbated features and pollen assemblages associated with this tephra in Hokkaido suggestthat the eruption occurred in a cold climate during
MIS 3.
Aso-4 tephra
The Aso caldera in central Kyushu was the sourceof several major eruptions from the mid to late
Pleistocene. This tephra is the youngest and largestof these caldera-related products and mantles extensive areas from Kyushu to Hokkaido. The tephra has
also been identified in several piston cores from the
Sea of Japan and the northwest Pacific Ocean as aco-ignimbrite ash of the Aso-4 ignimbrite (Fig. 2;
Machida et al., 1985; Machida and Arai, 1992). The
fallout area is now known to approximate 4 × 106 km2,
the same order as that of the AT tephra. Distal Aso-4
tephra exhibits the coarsest grain size of the widespread ashes in Japan and can be distinguished by its
dacitic glass chemistry with high alkali content
together with characteristic phenocrysts and refractive
indices of glass shards.
Six radiometric dates are available ranging from ca.
70 ka to 89 ka. The K-Ar age of 89±7 ka is the mostprobable age since the tephra is found in the Stage of
5b or at the 5a/5b boundary in marine isotope chronology (Oba, 1991; ODP site 792A, Oba et al., in
prep.). The marine terrace chronology of the southern Kanto district supports this age estimate because
the tephra occurs after the Obaradai interstadial (MIS5c) with high sea levels and before the Misaki interstadial (MIS5a). The widespread distribution and theassociation of the tephra with the marine isotope andterrace chronologies ensure that Aso-4 tephra provides
a significant datum plane in the late Pleistocene
sequence in and around Japan.
Toya tephra
The major eruption of the Toya caldera in
Hokkaido started with ejection of a fine-grained pyroclastic flow and fall deposits suggesting aphreato-magmatic eruption, immediately followed by
the cataclysmic eruption forming Toya pyroclastic
flow IV. During this phase a fine-grained vitric ash
layer of rhyolitic composition was produced as aco-ignimbrite ash fall, covering extensive areas ofnorthern Japan and its adjacent seas (Machida et al.,
1987; Fig. 2). This tephra has been dated by various
radiometric methods in a range from 130 ka to 103 ka
BP. Marine stratigraphy based on diatom abundance
patterns tuned to the standard oxygen isotopic curvefrom the Japan Sea cores suggests that the Toya tephra
was produced during MIS 5d (Shirai et al., 1997). In
addition, its stratigraphic relation with other distal

Volcanoes and Tephras in the Japan Area

tephra layers of nearly the same age (Ata and SK)
suggests a most possible age of 112-115 ka for Toya.
The Toya tephra is a useful tool for correlating
marine terraces of MIS 5e and 5c in northern Japan.
Its stratigraphic position in the type-section ofHachinohe, northern Japan, shows that it erupted after
the culmination of the last interglacial period as
represented by the Takadate marine terrace (MIS5e),
and immediately after the Tagadai interstadial(post-MIS5e).
Recent progress in describing many Quaternary
distal tephras results both from developments in thecharacterisation of their component phases and fromenhanced knowledge of tephra distribution. A catalogue of tephras occurring in and around Japan
provides fundamental criteria for the establishment ofa regional Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The basic
tephra framework is reconstructed through recognitionof widespread marker tephras. A detailed and regional chronology based on distal deposits has been
improved with the aid of local, proximal tephras.
The juxtaposition of dated marine and terrestrial
tephras with paleoceanographic, terrestrial, sea-level
and tectono-geomorphic (e.g., terrace) records /features has enabled a synthesis of event-associations
that has improved significantly the understanding of
Quaternary events.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks go to Dr. F. Arai who has long beenvery helpful in characterization and identification oftephra since 1973.
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(Received 22 March 2002, Accepted 8 May 2002)