[Shimokita Peninsula, Aomori Prefecture] The mysterious world of Geopark Shimokita Peninsula ``Shimokita Peninsula, where the souls of the dead return and the world's northernmost monkeys live''

Shimokita Peninsulais a peninsula that juts out onto the Pacific Ocean side of Aomori Prefecture, the northernmost tip of Honshu. often" Kintaro's surprise"AndShaped like an axIt can be compared to Omazaki (Oma Town, Aomori Prefecture), the northernmost tip of the Shimokita Peninsula, is about 8 minutes in latitude from Shirakami Misaki (Matsumae Town, Hokkaido), the southernmost tip of Hokkaido beyond the Tsugaru Strait. It is approximately 15km north (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

Mount Osore, an active volcano representing the Shimokita Peninsula, is a sacred place where the souls of the dead gather.

The Shimokita Peninsula is a peninsula formed by volcanoes belonging to the Nasu Volcanic Belt, which extends south from Rishiri Island in Hokkaido to Mt. Asama in Nagano Prefecture. is.

The volcano that represents the Shimokita Peninsula isOsorezanThere is a caldera lake (Usori Lake/Usoriko/official name: Usori Mountain Lake) with a diameter of 3 km at its center, and a somma consisting of several lava domes. The highest peak of the somma is Mt. Kamafuse (878m above sea level).

The desolate land covered with rocks and smelling of sulfur dioxide gas spreads around the crater of an old volcano.hell”The white sandy beach on the shore of Lake Usori”paradise” and has been around for about 1,200 years.A sacred place where “the souls of the dead gather”It has been believed as. It is said that it can summon the souls of the dead. Itako” also makes you feel that it is a sacred place.

INFORMATION

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

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“Butokegaura” is a spectacular natural monument created by a volcano.

The landscape of huge rocks and strangely shaped rocks that can often be seen on the western coast of the Shimokita Peninsula was created by volcanoes. especially" Hotokegaura” (Sai ​​Village) is a national scenic spot.natural monumentIt is a spectacular view designated as

At Butsugaura, there are a series of strangely shaped rocks with names such as ``Gohyakurakan'', ``Nyorai no Kubi'', and ``Byobu Rock''. Masu.

``Butsugaura'' is located due west of the sacred place ``Osorezan''.The place where the dead depart to the afterlifeIt is believed that this is the entrance for the souls called back by the Itako to return, and the rocks and beaches were given Buddhist names. During the green season, sightseeing boats operate and you can enjoy the scenery from the sea side.

INFORMATION

• Facility name: Hotokegaura
• Phone number: 0175-38-2244 (Butokegaura Marine Tourism)
• *Sightseeing boats usually operate from late April to the end of October.
• URL: Hotokegaura Maritime Tourism

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Natural Monument “Shimokita Peninsula Monkeys and the Northern Limit of Monkey Habitat”

Shimokita Peninsula is the northern limit of HonshuHowever, it is also the northern limit of animals that live on Honshu. Asian black bears, Japanese serows, Japanese deer, wild boars, Japanese foxes, Japanese macaques, etc., but on the other hand, Hokkaido's brown bears, sika deer, red foxes, and squirrels do not live south of the Shimokita Peninsula.

This is because the Tsugaru Strait is about 450m at its deepest point and about 130m at its shallowest point, Honshu and Hokkaido have never been connected by land, and the ocean currents are fast, so the animals that live in Honshu and Hokkaido are completely different. It is considered. Thomas Brakestone, a British zoologist who was staying in Japan, noticed this difference and presented it at an academic conference in 1883 (Meiji 16). Therefore, the division of living animals by the Tsugaru Strait is called “ Brakestone line (line)” is called.

Shimokita Peninsula - The world's northernmost Japanese macaque expands its range

The Shimokita Peninsula is the northernmost animal, and the animals that are not found in Hokkaido include monkeys and wild boars.The Japanese macaque, which lives on the Shimokita Peninsula, is the ``most northern primate in the world'' other than humans, not just in Japan.

The Japanese macaques of the Shimokita Peninsula became known nationwide in the 1960s when they were sighted along the coast of the Wakinosawa district in the southwest. In 1970, it was prohibited to capture any of the four groups of macaque monkeys in the entire Shimokita Peninsula, and three of those groups living in the Wakinozawa area were designated as national natural monuments for the purpose of preserving their wild state. In surveys conducted in the 1970s, approximately 230 individuals in six groups were confirmed, but their habitat was limited to the west coast area including Wakinozawa.

However, according to a survey conducted in March 2000, the number had increased to about 800 individuals in 20 groups, and they were now being sighted throughout the Shimokita Peninsula. Now, about 20 years later, the number has increased to about 2,500.

Japanese macaques originally live in the south, but they have gradually adapted to Japan's climate and have adapted to live even in the extremely cold Shimokita Peninsula. Of course, conservation policies have something to do with the proliferation of Japanese macaques in the Shimokita Peninsula in such a short period of time, but it is also true that global warming has raised average temperatures and made it easier to live there. is.

world's northernmost monkeyA valuable existence as “Japanese macaques of Shimokita Peninsula” However, if their numbers increase to this extent, they will face major problems when it comes to interacting with humans. One of them is crop damage. Japanese macaques remain an important presence for the people of Shimokita, but in a sense they have also become hostile animals. It may be time to reconsider how we can successfully coexist with humans, including our protection policies.

``Wakinosawa Monkey Park'' where you can see the ``northern limit of Japanese macaques''

「Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park” (Wakinozawa, Mutsu City) is a facility where approximately 50 Japanese macaques are kept and can be viewed. Located on the grounds of the roadside station Wakinosawa, you can see the northernmost Japanese macaques, which are kept in a similar state to the wild.

INFORMATION

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

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Nature, animals, gourmet food, hot springs. The charming Shimokita Peninsula

The entire Shimokita Peninsula isShimokita Geopark” and also,Quasi-National Park (Shimokita Peninsula Quasi-National Park)is specified. You can also encounter the natural formations created by the volcano, ``Mt. Osore'' and ``Butsugaura,'' as well as animals that live at the northern limit, including Japanese macaques. Earth Park (Geopark)is.

Also recommended are the exquisite seafood such as Oma tuna brought by the complex ocean currents surrounding the peninsula and scallops from Mutsu Bay, as well as the hot springs brought by the volcano. Why not take a trip to the charming Shimokita Peninsula?

INFORMATION

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