Aogashima Volcano, Jepang

One of the best things about Japan’s volcanoes is that they’re really easy to get to – you don’t have to dedicate days of your holiday journeying to the back of beyond. That certainly can’t be said about Aogashima – a tiny island in the Philippine Sea, more than 350km south of Tokyo. Aogashima isn’t an option for a whistle-stop fast-paced see-everything trip to Japan – but it is very rewarding if you’re prepared to splurge a few days on an adventure.

Aogashima isn’t an island with a volcano – the island is the volcano – or at least its top. Despite being incredibly isolated and just 3.5km long by 2.5km wide, some 206 brave people call it home: The last eruption in 1785 killed 140 people – almost half the population at the time. Aogashima may have been quiescent since then, but it is still active, and it’s only a matter of time till it once again flaunts its ferocious temper. Thankfully volcanology has advanced to the stage where we can expect advance warning of the next eruption, so there’s no need to worry about being blown sky-high.

A bigger concern should be getting to and from Aogashima. You have two options: a 20 minute flight by helicopter or a 2½ hour boat trip. Both services connect to Hachijojima Island 71km to the north, the nearest inhabited location. Unfortunately, neither is particularly reliable owing to unpredictable and often extreme weather. The seas around Aogashima are notoriously rough, and the ferry is cancelled as often as not. The daily helicopter flight is more dependable, but if a storm comes along you could end up stranded on the island for several days.

It’s probably not sounding very appealing yet, is it? Well, there must be some reason that 200 people choose to live here – and Aogashima does have plenty of appealing qualities. Officially there are two hamlets on the island: Yasundogo and Nishigo, but they’re so near each other they almost touch – effectively forming a single village. They lie on the north side of the island, precariously perched on the outside of the volcano cone. Unfortunately, as with most Japanese architecture, the village is an eyesore: ugly concrete boxes and rusting iron roofs. There’s a post office, several #minshukus ( http://www.unmissablejapan.com/sleeping/minshuku ) and a school. There aren’t any cafes or restaurants, but the minshukus all provide meals and there is a village store and an izakaya (a pub that serves food). So far, none of this has given much reason to visit, so let’s move on and consider Aogashima itself.

Generally Aogashima is a bit warmer and a bit wetter than Tokyo. At 1.5km across, the main crater takes up most of the island. It’s a lushly vegetated bowl of greenery surrounded by a steep ridge that reaches a maximum height of 423 metres. Cliffs descend to the sea on all sides except the north, where the village sits atop a gentler slope. Within the volcano is another smaller cone, with its own mini-crater. A few small plots are used for farming, and in places steam rises from the ground – reminding you that this island is still alive.