The mysterious world of the Shimokita Peninsula of Geopark: "The northern limit of monkeys on Osoreyama and Butsugaura" [Aomori Prefecture]

The Shimokita Peninsula is the northernmost tip of Honshu, a peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean from Aomori Prefecture.

often "Kintaro's axe" or an axe . Omazaki (Oma Town, Aomori Prefecture), the northernmost point of the Shimokita Peninsula, is located about 8 minutes in latitude, or 15km north, of Shirakami Cape (Matsumae Town, Hokkaido), the southernmost point of Hokkaido, across the Tsugaru Strait (1 minute of latitude is 1,852m = 1 nautical mile).

* Cape Oma 41 degrees 32 minutes north latitude / Cape Shirakami 41 degrees 24 minutes north latitude

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Osorezan, an active volcano that represents the Shimokita Peninsula, is a sacred place where the souls of the dead gather

The Shimokita Peninsula is a peninsula formed by volcanoes that belong to the Nasu Volcanic Belt, which stretches from Rishiri Island in Hokkaido south to Mount Asama in Nagano Prefecture

The Shimokita Peninsula's most representative volcano is Mount Osore , which has an outer rim made up of several lava domes centered around a caldera lake (Lake Usori, officially Lake Usoriyama) with a diameter of 3km. The highest peak of the outer rim is Mount Kamafuse, 878m above sea level.

The desolate land around the crater of the old volcano, full of rocks and scented with sulfur dioxide gas, hell , while the white sandy beaches along the shores of Lake Usori paradise . For about 1,200 years, it has been worshipped as a sacred place where the souls of the dead gather

itako who are said to be able to summon the souls of the dead , also adds to the sense of this sacred place.

Osorezan Bodaiji Temple <Information>

• Facility name: Osorezan Bodaiji Temple
• Address: 3-2 Usoriyama, Tanabe, Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture
• Telephone number: Osorezan Temple Office 0175-22-3825, Temple lodging 0175-22-3826
• Opening period: May 1st to the end of October every year
• Entrance fee: Adults 500 yen, elementary and junior high school students 100 yen
• URL: Osorezan Bodaiji Temple

Google Map

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Hotokegaura: A spectacular natural monument created by a volcano

The landscape of towering giant rocks and strangely shaped rocks that can be seen in abundance on the western coast of the Shimokita Peninsula was created by volcanoes. In particular, Hotokegaura is a spectacular sight that has been designated a national scenic spot and natural monument

Hotokegaura is home to a series of strangely shaped rocks with names such as Gohyaku Rakan (500 Arhats), Nyorai no Kubi (Nyorai's Head), and Byobu Rock

Hotokegaura, located directly west of the sacred Mount Osore, the place where the dead depart for the afterlife and the entrance where souls called back by itako return, leading to the rocks and beaches being given Buddhist names. Tourist boats operate during the green season, allowing you to view the scenery from the sea.

Hotokegaura <Information>

• Facility name: Hotokegaura
• Phone number: 0175-38-2244 (Hotokegaura Marine Tourism)
• *The sightseeing boat usually operates from late April to the end of October
• URL: Hotokegaura Marine Tourism

Google Map

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Natural Monument "Monkeys of the Shimokita Peninsula and their northernmost habitat"

The Shimokita Peninsula is the northernmost point of Honshu, but it is also the northernmost point for animals that live on Honshu. Animals that live there include the Asiatic black bear, Japanese serow, Japanese deer, wild boar, Japanese fox, and Japanese macaque. However, animals that live in Hokkaido, such as the brown bear, Ezo deer, Ezo red fox, and Hokkaido squirrel, do not live south of the Shimokita Peninsula.

This is because the Tsugaru Strait is about 450m deep at its deepest point and about 130m shallowest, Honshu and Hokkaido have never been connected by land, and the ocean currents are fast, so it is thought that the animals that live on Honshu and Hokkaido are completely different. This difference was noticed by Thomas Brakeston, a British zoologist who was staying in Japan, and was presented at an academic conference in 1883 (Meiji 16). For this reason, the dividing line between the animal inhabitants caused by the Tsugaru Strait is called the Brakeston Line

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Shimokita Peninsula: The world's northernmost Japanese macaques expand their habitat

The Shimokita Peninsula is the northernmost limit for this animal, and monkeys, wild boars, and other animals are not found in Hokkaido, but the Japanese macaques that live on the Shimokita Peninsula are the "northernmost primates" not only in Japan but also in the world, other than humans

The Japanese macaques of the Shimokita Peninsula became known nationwide in the 1960s when they were spotted on the coast of the Wakinosawa area in the southwest

In 1970, the capture of monkeys was banned throughout the Shimokita Peninsula, where there were four groups at the time, and three of the groups living in the Wakinosawa area were designated as national natural monuments in order to protect their wild state

A survey conducted in the 1970s confirmed six groups of approximately 230 individuals, but their habitat was limited to the west coast area, including Wakinosawa

However, a survey conducted in March 2000 showed that the number had increased to 20 groups of approximately 800 individuals, and they could be spotted throughout the Shimokita Peninsula. Now, some 20 years later, the number has increased to an astonishing 2,500 individuals

Japanese macaques are originally animals that live in the south, but they have gradually adapted to Japan's climate and are now able to live in the extremely cold Shimokita Peninsula. Of course, conservation policies are involved in the rapid proliferation of Japanese macaques on the Shimokita Peninsula, but it is certain that a major factor is that global warming has made the average temperature higher, making it more livable

the northernmost monkeys in the world , but their rapid increase has led to serious problems in their interactions with humans. One of these is damage to crops. While Japanese macaques remain important to the people of Shimokita, they have also become hostile in some ways. Perhaps it is time to rethink how we can coexist peacefully with humans, including through conservation policies.

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Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park: See the northernmost Japanese macaques

Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park (Wakinosawaya Park , Mutsu City) is a facility where you can see around 50 Japanese macaques being raised. Located on the grounds of the Wakinosawa Roadside Station, you can see the northernmost Japanese macaques being raised in a manner close to the wild.

Wakinosawa Monkey Park <Information>

• Facility name: Wakinosawa Monkey Park
• Address: 201-211 Wakinosawa 7-biki, Mutsu City, Aomori Prefecture
• Phone number: 0175-44-3252 (Wakinosawa Roadside Station "Tara no Sato Refresh Center")
• Opening hours: 10:00-15:00
• Admission fee: Adults 200 yen, elementary, junior high and high school students 100 yen
• Closed: Open all year round

Google Map

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Nature, animals, gourmet food, hot springs... The Shimokita Peninsula is full of charm

The entire Shimokita Peninsula the Shimokita Geopark also designated as a quasi-national park (Shimokita Peninsula Quasi-National Park) This geopark is

Other recommended points include the exquisite seafood, such as tuna from Oma and scallops from Mutsu Bay, brought by the complex ocean currents surrounding the peninsula, and the hot springs brought about by the volcanoes. Why not take a trip to the fascinating Shimokita Peninsula?

Shimokita Peninsula <Information>

• Shimokita Navi URL: Shimokita Navi
• Shimokita Geopark URL: Shimokita Geopark Council

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