Living on an island can be nice. This dream drives some families to move across the world to beautiful tropical paradises. But not all island paradises are as benign as they may look. For over 200 people, home is a ticking time bomb. That’s because these people have built their lives atop the island of Aogashima, in a city that lies inside of an active volcano that could blow at any moment.
Aogashima is an absolutely beautiful island located 200 miles south of Tokyo that might look picturesque, but the island is hiding a deadly secret, and that’s the fact that this beautiful island paradise could come tumbling down at any moment.
The island has been inhabited for hundreds of years, DMARGE reports. And for many within the Japanese city, the active volcano beneath their feet is just part of their lives. Despite being considered active, the volcano hasn’t experienced a major eruption since 1785, when it decimated the island population.
That eruption hasn’t changed just how idyllic and beautiful the island is, though, or how many people flock to call it home. The city lies within the main crater of the Japanese volcano, under constant watch by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the nation’s department of volcano experts.
Despite the risk, many local citizens consider the island a perfect place to live. As one islander says, “no one can win over nature.” It’s easy to see why so many are still content to call Aogashima home. The island is absolutely beautiful and provides a paradise to call home, so long as you can overlook the ticking time bomb of volcanic mass beneath your feet.
The hope is that the volcano will continue to keep its peaceful nature, allowing the people within the Japanese city to continue enjoying their little slice of paradise. If things should change, though, the islanders seem more than willing to take their chances with the tremors that might one day lead to a full-blown explosion of lava and fire.
And, honestly, who can blame them? Aogashima is so beautiful I might even be tempted to call some place like it home, even with the added risk. After all, this tiny Japanese city isn’t the only one gambling with the power of mother nature.
