Unzen Disaster Museum

What to know

Mount Unzen has experienced several major eruptions in recent history, the deadliest occurring in the late Edo Period, which killed 15,000 people. The most recent eruption lasted from 1990 to 1995, sending pyroclastic flows—superheated clouds of gas and ash—down toward the town. While most residents were evacuated safely, 43 journalists, scientists, and their taxi drivers lost their lives. The eruption also destroyed buildings on the outskirts of Shimabara City.

The Mount Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall (雲仙岳災害記念館, Unzendake Saigai Kinenkan) is an excellent museum built to commemorate the 1990s eruption. It features hands-on displays and videos that teach visitors about volcanic activity and its impact on nearby communities. The highlight is the eruption simulator, an immersive film that recreates a pyroclastic flow using motion and heat.

A free English audio guide provides in-depth explanations of exhibits and videos. The guide automatically syncs with films, so be sure to stop it before entering a theater.

Much of the volcano's destruction was caused by large mudflows of volcanic ash, known as lahars, which swept down the mountainside, burying homes and buildings in their path. A small collection of these Buried Houses can be seen at the Michinoeki Himawari roadside park, with some houses protected under a dome.

Further up the mountain lies the former Onokoba Elementary School, destroyed by a pyroclastic flow. Only twisted metal and glass remain inside, but the school's basic structure is intact, preserved as a reminder of the disaster. A small Memorial Museum next to the school displays photos and explanations of the eruption and offers an observation deck with views of the mountain peak and nearby erosion canals.

The Mount Unzen Disaster Museum and Buried Houses are accessible by bus from central Shimabara City. Take a bus bound for Katsusa (加津佐) and get off at the Fukko Arena Iriguchi bus stop (復興アリーナ入口), then walk 5-10 minutes to the disaster museum, or get off at the Michi no Eki Fukae bus stop next to the buried houses. The ride from Shimabara Station takes 20 minutes and costs 250 yen, with about one bus per hour. The buried houses are also a 15-20 minute walk from the disaster museum.