Mt. Myōkō（妙高山, Myokosan）
| Elevation | 2454 m |
|---|---|
| Classification | 100 Famous Mountains of Japan |
| Location | Niigata Pref. (新潟県 妙高市) |
| Coordinates | 36.89138, 138.11339 |
Highlights of Mt. Myōkō
- Selected as one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan
- Elevation 2454 m
- Located in Niigata Pref.
Weekly weather (reference)
About Mt. Myōkō
Mount Myōkō (妙高山, Myōkō-san) is an active stratovolcano in Honshu, Japan. It is situated at the southwest of Myōkō city, Niigata Prefecture, and a part of Myōkō-Togakushi Renzan National Park. Mount Myōkō is listed as one of 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and together with Mount Yahiko (弥彦山, Yahiko-yama), it is well known as the "famous mountain" of Niigata Prefecture.
Name
Echigofuji (越後富士) is another name given to this mountain. Being close to the border with Nagano Prefecture, it is linked to those on the Nagano side as one of the Five Peaks in Hokushin (北信五岳, hokushingogaku). The mountain was originally named Mount Koshinonaka (越の中山, koshinonakayama) but was later changed to Mount Myōkō (名香山, Myōkōsan). This can be also written as 妙高山, in order to make use of two "lucky" characters.
Geology and geography
Mount Myōkō was formed beginning about 300,000 years ago, in a series of eruptions producing a broad spectrum of lava types including basalt, andesite, and dacite. Its maximum height is estimated to have been between 2,800 metres (9,200 ft) and 2,900 metres (9,500 ft), but it presently reaches only 2,454 metres (8,051 ft). Around 19,000 years ago, the top was blown...