San’in Kaigan Geopark Trail

It is a course connecting Nagaobana protruding into the Sea of Japan and Shikano, a castle town in the mountains. Along the way, you can overlook the Hakuto Kaigan Coast, which is known for the legend of “White Rabbit of Inaba, from Uomidai. At Nagaohana, you can enjoy the powerful rocky coast.

You will mainly walk along the historical road “Shikano Orai (Traffic)” connecting Shikano Castle Town and Yoshioka Hot Springs, once flourished as the post station。 The castle town of Shikano, which was constructed about 400 years ago, retains the remnants of the time when it prospered as a transportation hub.

You walk while looking at Koyamaike Pond which is the largest pond in Japan among places classified as “Pond”. The entrance to the inner bay connected to the Sea of Japan was blocked by the development of sand dunes and it became a brackish water pond. Yoshioka Hot Spring, which is said to have been discovered during the Heian period, also has a footbath, so you can heal the tiredness of your trip.

This course goes through the mountains, along the Chugoku Natural Trails. With log bridges, trails along a river, trails in cedar forests, and other features, this course is filled with the joy of experiencing nature. Despite many up and downs, the top of Mt. Kyusho with the remains of Tottori Castle is, also, a must-visit point for viewing Tottori City.

Walk along the pear picking road, passing through the promenade and the pear farm in Yuyama, Fukube-cho, while looking sideways at the Tanegaike Pond on the edge of the Sand Dunes. You will walk on the forest road for a while, but it is an easy course because it is paved road.

It is a course crossing the Tottori Sand Dunes. Along the way, after climb up the 47-meter-high "Umanose" you will see the vast Tottori Sand Dunes and the distant coastline. Also, from the Tottori Sand Dunes Visitor Center to Iwato, you will walk on the promenade along the sandy beach while looking at the Sea of Japan and the Chinese shallot fields of the Sand Dunes.

You will walk in the mountain along the coast of Mt. Shichiyama. From the observation rest area, you can see the Chinese Shallot fields and the Tottori Sand Dunes, and on sunny days you can see Mt. Daisen in the distance. In addition, it is a course where you can see the characteristics of the Sanin coast, where the sandy beach and the rocky coast occur side by side.

You will walk on a trail along the coast. The isolated islands of Natanegoto Islands and sea caves of such as Sengan Matsushima Island have been formed by erosion of fractured granite generated by tectonic movement related to the development of the Sea of Japan.At Ajiro fishing port, you will encounter a scene of drying squids. You should pay an attention to the difference here in the drying method from Tajiri Port on the east side of the Kamogaiso coast.

It is a course to walk on paved roads and sandy beaches. From the Shirawara coast to Tajiri, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the blue sea and white cliffs and reefs. The area consists of granite that was formed when Japan was a part of the continent, so to speak, the Japanese islands are pieces of the continent. At Tajiri Port, we walk in the narrow alleys of a fishing village where houses are densely packed in the valley.

It is a course walk on the Kinki Nature Trail along the coast of Haneo Cape. From the observatory on the hill, you can overlook the Uradome beach. You can enjoy beautiful sceneries of Nishiwaki Kalgan Coast, where the contrast between white granite and green pine is superb, and the Higashihama coast, where the white sand and blue sea are attractive.

Walk on the old Route 178, which crosses over the prefectural border between Tottori and Hyogo prefectures. This road, where you can experience the jagged coastline of the ria coast, is called Nanasakayatoge Mountain Pass and has been a difficult place for transportation since ancient times. From the observatory, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Igumi fishing port and Higashihama Beach.

Walk on the Route 128 along the coast while seeing rocky reefs. The rough and powerful rocky reefs protruding into the Sea of Japan were created by the erosion of lava and other rocks generated by volcanic activities during the development of the Sea of Japan. The Anami Kaigan Coast along the way is also popular as a sunset spot.

It is a course that mainly walks through the towns "Moroyose" and "Hamasaka" built on the sandbar. Along the way, you can see the 270-degree panoramic view of the Sea of Japan from the Yajogahana Lighthouse in Shiroyama. In addition, you can see the streets around Ajiwara Komichi Road that give you a glimpse of the lives of people in the early modern period. At the top of Mt. Kannon, you can overlook the city of Hamasaka and Tajima Mihonoura.

This is the longest of the 27 courses and a paved road in the mountains. From the observatory along the way and the Amarubesaki Lighthouse, you can see the rough and varied cliffs of Tajima Mihonoura. Along the way, you will pass through the Mio village in the cove on the ria coast and Misaki village, a traditional settlement of the Heike Family.

You walk from Amarube Roadside Station to Yoroi Station through Takanosu no Mori Trail. The Takanosu no Mori Trail, about 2.8km long, is well maintained trail and it is relatively easy to walk even for beginners. Along the way, you can see the Amarube Viaduct from above. On your way back, it is recommended to take a train from Yoroi Station to Amarube Station to experience the Amarube Viaduct.

This is a course you can enjoy the beauty of the sea coast such as Tajima Matsushima.Along the way, you can find the outcrop of sedimentary rocks with fossils of animal footprints left during the time when the Japanese archipelago began to leave the Eurasian Continent about 20 million years ago. You can imagine the environment at the time when the depressions on the continental edge became rivers and lakes, and animals gathered on the waterside.

It is a course where you can see the artistic coastal topography created by the rough waves carving the lavas generated by active volcanic activity when the Japanese archipelago began to leave the continent. The mountain road that connects Imagoura, which used to be the port of call for the Kitamaebune ship, and Shibayama Port is still loved as the "Odaishi--michi".

It is a short course that connects stations through mountain roads and prefectural roads while looking down at Shibayama Port. The Shibayama Port, which is also famous for crab fishing, is a natural good port, located in a deep bay on the ria coast, and in the old days it was the wind waiting port of the Kitamaebune ship and played an important role in maritime transportation as a port of call.

From the guest house street of Satsu to the foot of the Nekozaki Peninsula, this is a course you can enjoy sculptures created by the sea such as Yodo Sea Cave and Hasakari Rock (Stuck Boulder). Along the way, you can climb the Uomidai made of logs and take a closer look at the train coming out of the tunnel. A lot of fun.

It is a course you can enjoy a beautiful white sand beach and a small fishing village in a cove on the ria coast. Along the way, at the fishing port of Takuhi, you can find the Green Rocks (Green Tuff) formed by submarine volcanic activity. There is a shrine in cave with strange landscape created by weathering and erosion and whale bones are dedicated to it.

This is a course to pass through Tai Wetland and to cross the border between Hyogo and Kyoto Prefecture along the mountain trail that has almost returned to the forest. In the Tai Wetlands along the way, you may have a chance to see Oriental White Storks, that were once extinct, returned to the wild. You can also see the Tango Peninsula in Kyoto Prefecture from the guide center on the Hiyoriyama coast.

This is a course walk on the longest beach in northern Kinki Area. Along the way, you will walk about 6km long Shoutenkyo Sand Beach, which is a sandbar separating the Sea of Japan and Kumihama Bay. In the area near Hakoishikaigan Coast, more than 50 species of precious beach plant, including endemic species of Japan, grow naturally and, in spring, you can enjoy the blue sea and colorful flowers.

This is a course that goes through the Shizu Shrine, which enshrines Shizuka Gozen (a beautiful heroine of the medieval times) who was born in Amino Town, Kyotango City. Along the way, you can also see Goshikihama, where the wave-cut terrace, composed of tuff with volcanic rock fragments of various colors, spreads, and Yuhigaura, which is famous for its beautiful sunsets. There is also a monument of the meridian tower, which indicates that it is the northernmost point of Japan where 135 degrees east longitude (meridian) passes.

It is a course you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the sandy beach and the Sea of Japan. Along the way, you will be attracted by each characteristic sandy beach, such as Kotohikihama, which is a 1.8km long singing sand beach designated as national natural monument and scenic spot, and Crystal Beach, which composed of a particularly large amount of quartz sand containing high-temperature quartz.

It is a course to walk in the land of Taiza, the name of place is said to be given by Empress Hashiudo. Along the way, you can enjoy the geological features created by ancient volcanic activities, such as the gigantic andesite rock "Tateiwa", which has a circumference of about 1 km, and the dome-shaped strata on the Taiza Coast and Shiroshma.

It is a course that passes through the Onaru Ancient Burial Mounds on the coastal terrace overlooking the Sea of Japan. During the course, you can also see the Byobuiwa Rock (Folding Screen Rock), the rocks rising from the surface of the sea during the course. From Cape Inugasaki in the middle, you can see the beautiful coastline of Tango Matsushima, which was named because it resembles Matsushima in Miyagi prefecture, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.

It is a course to walk on the marine terrace formed by the uplift of abrasion platform. The Kyogamisaki Cape, the end point of the trail, is the northernmost land of Kinki, and you can see dacite with well-developed columnar joints at the tip of the cape. From Kyogamisaki, you can see the Sodeshi rice terraces, which was selected as one of the "100 Best Rice Terraces in Japan"