This Japanese Volcano Just Shot Ash 3 Miles Into the Air

Let's get this straight: Kagoshima is a major Japanese city that was built on the doorstep of Mount Sakurajima, a volcano constantly bellowing with earth-shaking eruptions that are sometimes streaked with awesome lightning. And what does the city choose for its mascot? A weird dancing pig. Go figure.

That somebody in Kagoshima's government missed a primo adventure-tourism branding opportunity once again was on display Sunday afternoon, when Sakurajima blew its top and shot ash about 16,404 feet into the air, the highest-ever recorded plume for the volcano. Descending clouds of gritty particles quickly addled normal activity in the city, which is located on the southern tip of Kyushu and has a population of roughly 606,000. Commuter trains posted delays as ash accumulated on the tracks. Umbrella-carrying pedestrians felt their way through streets that had grown dark as night. There were no reported injuries.