Facing the Japan Trench, where the Pacific tectonic plate subducts, Sanriku is an important area because, as the so-called origin of the Japanese archipelago, it contains a continuous geological record extending back 500 million years. It is also a region that has experienced several historically strong earthquakes and resulting tsunamis, including the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011. At the Sanriku Geopark, young people are taught the history of the Earth and about the area’s natural disasters. Jodogahama Beach, which is located at the central part of the Sanriku Coast, is a place where you can sense an active nature of the Earth. The form of the cape and the white rocks are characteristic features of Jodogahama beach. The landscape is so beautiful that it has been named Pure Land Beach, and it has become a representative scenic spot of the Sanriku Coast. In addition to the scenic beauty of Oku-Jodogahama and Usuki-Yama along the walking trails at Jodogahama, traces of magma flows, showing the flow structure before the magma cooled and hardened, can also be observed in the rocky outcrops. Furthermore, geological formations and scenic beauty can be observed at close proximity to the sea when taking sightseeing cruises and Sappa boat trips.
(Photograph and explanation: Shinichi SUGIMOTO)
