I learned a new expression today: “volcanic bomb” (火山弾 kazandan). According to Wikipedia, a volcanic bomb is “a mass of molten rock (tephra) larger than 64 mm (2.5 inches) in diameter, formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an eruption.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_bomb
Today, when I took another look at an NHK news program about the eruption I had recorded, heard the announcer describe the first big explosion you see as the landing of a “volcanic bomb” (the announcer said “kazandan”) near a cable-car tower. Pretty impressive bomb!
– Kirk
