It is primarily based in the city of Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The group dates from 800,000 years ago and was active into the Holocene era.

The group of volcanoes consists of basalt and dacitic lava flows, small shield volcanoes, cinder cones, and lava domes.

Volcanic activity in the region is related to subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate.

The erupted magmas of Abu are mainly alkaline basalt and calc-alkaline andesite - dacite in composition.