Akahoya eruption
The Akahoya eruption was the strongest known volcanic eruption of the Kikai Caldera in Kyūshū, Japan. It ejected about of volcanic material, giving it a '7' on the Volcanic Explosivity Index.Retrospective dating
Archaeologically it has been dated around 7,300 cal. BP during the earliest stage of the Jōmon period, but it has also been radiocarbon dated to 6,500 BP.Aftermath
This eruption has been linked to the end of the initial Jōmon culture in southern Kyūshū. It took nearly 1000 years to recover. However, Jōmon who lived further away survived such as on Honshu and Hokkaido.
This would make the fate of the initial Jōmon culture on south Kyūshū parallel the demise of the Minoan civilization, both ending as a consequence of massive volcanic eruptions.
These events give more credence to cultural traditions that maintain stories of established cultures vanishing quickly and completely, since it is known to have happened at least twice in human history, in two very different parts of the world. The events also call for deeper study into the effects of volcanic activity on human cultural development.
