• title Nishikurosawa Beach
    one word explanation Natural History Museum of Fossils
    keywords geologydiscoveryhealing
    confirm, register Oga Quasi-National Park
    conservation laws and ordinances Natural Parks Act

    Until about 20 million years ago, Oga Peninsula was part of the mainland. At Nishikurosawa Beach, you can see the stratum from the formation of the Sea of Japan 15 million years ago. In this stratum you can find fossils of scallops, sand dollars (a type of sea urchin), and operculina (large forams), fossilized plants such as pinecones, and even fossils of paleoparadoxia (a small hippo-like mammal). It was a warmer climate with a higher sea temperature. The flat surface along the beach is called a wave-cut terrace and was formed by wave erosion.

  • title Kohama Beach
    one word explanation Kobo-daishi’s “streaked rock folklore”
    keywords geologylegenddiscovery
    confirm, register Oga Quasi-National Park
    conservation laws and ordinances Natural Parks Act

    To the west of Nishikurosawa Fishing Port is a beautiful beach truly befitting the name Kohama (small beach). You’ll wish you could have this quiet, peaceful sandy shore for your own private beach. The beautiful small rocks here are decorated with a striped pattern. According to the legends of Nishikurosawa Village, the Buddhist monk Kobo-Daishi turned potatoes into these rocks after suffering abuse from his grandmother.