String of disasters kills up to one million Japanese

Eruptions started in April 1783 and became increasingly severe during June and July. Mt. Asama's major eruption on 6-7 August and maximum eruption on 8 August killed between 20,000 and 30,000 people. Pyroclastic flows obliterated Kamaharamura 12 km to the north. Volcanic ash, 400 million cubic meters, blanketed northern Kanto, 90 centimeters in Matsuido, 30 in Fujioka and Takasaki, even 10 centimeters in Sakura near today's Narita Airport.

Bodies carried downstream washed ashore at Shibamata on the Edo River; their graves are at Shibamata Taishakuten Temple in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward. Other graves are at Zenyoji in Edogawa Ward, and Ekoin in Sumida Ward.