Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows – Minamishimabara, Japan - Atlas Obscura
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Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows

Minamishimabara, Japan

Buried nine feet under, these houses are preserved as a stark reminder of the disastrous 1991 Unzen eruption. 

Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows View all photos
One of the buried houses in the memorial park. Sanjo (Creative Commons)
Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows
One of the buried houses in the memorial park. Sanjo (Creative Commons)
Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows
Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows. NY066
Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows
The devastating aftermath of the eruption, 1991. Frank Gualtieri
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In June 1991, Mount Unzen erupted and caused major damage to the surrounding towns, taking 43 lives and burying many houses in the debris flows.

To memorialize the disaster, the city of Shimabara preserved some of the buried houses in situ as a park. Known as the Memorial Park of Houses Destroyed by Debris Flows, it consists of 11 structures, three inside a pavilion and the rest outside.

Together, the disaster-stricken houses warn visitors of the dangers of volcanic eruptions and debris flows, buried nine feet deep on average, a surreal, incredible sight hardly found elsewhere.

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Fred Cherrygarden
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Fred Cherrygarden
Published
October 10, 2023
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