Nishinoshima was added to Your Favorites!
Ogasawara NP, Tokyo
Claim this place to tell your story your way.
Nishinoshima is just the exposed edge of a summit caldera more than 1 km wide. The submarine volcano rises over 3,000 m from the seafloor and is estimated to be 20–30 km across—roughly Fuji-sized.
A newborn island appeared beside Nishinoshima on November 20, 2013, and joined it just 36 days later. The same happened after the 1973 eruption: new land connected to the old island in 1974.
On July 4, 2020, an ash plume from Nishinoshima reached 8.3 km—the highest recorded since the volcano became active in 2013. Satellites tracked the eruption as it reshaped the island.
The 2019–20 eruption covered the entire old island with lava or ash, resetting its land ecosystem. Now scientists can watch a volcanic island’s first stages of ecological recovery unfold.
A brown booby found dead on Nishinoshima had 3 beach-vitex seeds in its digestive tract. Researchers suggest it may have swallowed floating seeds by chance—a possible route for plants to reach nesting sites.
The first plant growth since the 2019–20 eruption was confirmed in 2025. By 2026, the plant-bearing gully had eroded away, but moss was growing in another—new life on shifting ground.
A survey found the Ogasawara periwinkle (オガサワラタマキビ) in Nishinoshima’s tidal zone—the first record there since the 2019–20 eruption. Researchers also found 5 other kinds of shellfish or crabs.
A moth arrived on Nishinoshima in 2026, but it likely cannot settle: its caterpillars need food plants the island lacks. Its appearance shows that flying insects reach the island from time to time.
Remote night observations recorded beetles gathering on seabird remains after dark. Even on this young, plant-poor island, a carcass can provide a meal for scavengers.
In 2025, researchers found that black-naped terns had plunged in number and were not nesting. In 2026, their numbers rose markedly—a reminder that a seabird colony can change quickly.
In 2026, researchers tested satellite-controlled rovers, cameras and a seismometer on Nishinoshima. The equipment can remotely monitor nesting birds, nighttime insects and volcanic activity.
To avoid bringing hitchhiking species ashore, survey teams use new or carefully cleaned clothing and gear, prepare in a clean room, and make a “wet landing”—entering the sea with their equipment.
