Rock Spots in Japan

Area

Japan
- Japan
- Hokkaido / Tohoku
  
  Hokkaido
  
  Aomori
  
  Iwate
  
  Miyagi
  
  Akita
  
  Yamagata
  
  Fukushima
- Kanto
  
  Ibaraki
  
  Tochigi
  
  Gunma
  
  Saitama
  
  Chiba
  
  Tokyo
  
  Kanagawa
- Koshinetsu / Hokuriku
  
  Niigata
  
  Toyama
  
  Ishikawa
  
  Fukui
  
  Yamanashi
  
  Nagano
- Tokai
  
  Gifu
  
  Shizuoka
  
  Aichi
  
  Mie
- Kinki
  
  Shiga
  
  Kyoto
  
  Osaka
  
  Hyogo
  
  Nara
  
  Wakayama
- Chugoku
  
  Tottori
  
  Shimane
  
  Okayama
  
  Hiroshima
  
  Yamaguchi
- Shikoku
  
  Tokushima
  
  Kagawa
  
  Ehime
  
  Kochi
- Kyushu / Okinawa
  
  Fukuoka
  
  Saga
  
  Nagasaki
  
  Kumamoto
  
  Oita
  
  Miyazaki
  
  Kagoshima
  
  Okinawa

Category

Travel / Tourism

Nature

ALL
- All categories
- Mountain
- Coast / Beach
- Waterfall
- Lake
- Plateau
- Valley
- Sea
- Island
- Cave
- Special Terrain
- River
- Pass
- Cape
- Wetland / Marshland
- Rock
- Whale Watching
- Peninsula
- Dune
- Other Natural Terrain

Umikongo

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Pref. Higashimurogunkushimotochou Kashino

Named after Mt. Kumgang, a Place of Scenic Beauty on the Korean Peninsula, this picturesque scenery features a series of precipitous cliffs. The sight of the huge rocks rising perpendicularly almost like a pyramid with raging waves smashing against the cliffs makes for a powerful sight. The Japan-U.S. Friendship Memorial Museum on the premises has displays of photos and a diorama which tell about the time when two US merchant ships, the Lady Washington and the Grace, landed at Oshima.
Monkey Rock

Travel / Tourism

Nagasaki Pref. Ikishi Gounourachoushindenfure 870-3

The Saruiwa, or Monkey Rock, is a marine eroded basalt cliff 45 meters tall located on the tip of the Kurosaki Peninsula. The cliff resembles a monkey looking away and the green moss growing on it only increases the startling resemblance.
Mushikui-iwa Rock

Travel / Tourism

Wakayama Higashimuro-gun Kozagawa Cho Ikenoyama

"A 10-minute drive from JR Koza Station. This rock formation is located right next to Roadside Station Mushikui-iwa and has been designated a National Natural Monument. The name of the formation could literally be translated as ""Moth-eaten Rock,"" and just as its name suggest, the huge mass of liparite has been eroded by wind and rain resulting in holes which make it look like moth-eaten cloth. It is believed the curious erosion pattern is a result of minute crystals forming when water evaporates on the rock; this in turn results in the surface of the rock slowly being removed. A part of the natural Kozagawa Dike, an area selected for inclusion in a list of Geology 100 selections of Japan, legend has it that visiting the formation aids in the healing of ear ailments."
Kanman-iwa Rock (Ebb-and-flow rock)

Travel / Tourism

Hiroshima Pref. Hatsukaichishi Miyajimachou

Located in Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, this rock is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Mt. Misen. Though located over 500 meters above sea level, the water in the mysterious grotto in the rock ebbs and swells with the tide. Furthermore, the water there is salt-water and the reason for this has yet to be discovered.
Piemontite Schist

Travel / Tourism

Saitama Pref. Chichibugunminanomachi Minano

A large rock located close to the Oyahana Bridge on the Arakawa River in Minano, Minano Town, Chichibu County, Saitama Prefecture. Consisting of exposed piemontite schist containing piemontite, quartz, sericite, and other minerals, a large pothole in the rock was formed via erosion long ago when the rock was a part of the river bottom. As only a few such rocks such as this are found anywhere in the world, it has been designated a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument.
Tategamiiwa Rocks

Travel / Tourism

Okinawa Prefecture Yaeyama-gun Yonaguni-cho

These are oddly-shaped rocks which tower up and are located on the south-eastern coast of Yonaguni Island. As legend has it, in olden times, a young person climbed these rocks in order to try to get sea bird eggs, but could not get down from the rocks. He fell asleep when praying to God and when he awoke he had safely returned from the rocks. There are two observation platforms which command a view of Tategamiiwa Rocks: one is an old observation platform which is located 600 meters west of the “Sanninu” parking lot. The other is a new observation platform which is located approximately 500 meters west of the old observation platform.
Furuiwaya

Travel / Tourism

Ehime Pref. Kamiukenagunkumakougenchou Naose

These giant conglomerate stone spires, which towers over its surroundings and has some 20-million years of stratum, has been the nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty. The sight of 20-some strange spires ranging in height from 60 to 100 meters tall will take your breath away. The naked rock face has had countless holes carved into it by water erosion over the years, leading to it being named Furuiwaya. Known for beautiful autumn colors, tourists flock to the area when the trees start changing in early November to see the contrast between the vivid fall colors and the unyielding rock face.
Hakusan Domon

Travel / Tourism

Kouchi Pref. Tosashimizushi Ashizurimisaki

This natural tunnel is located at Cape Ashizuri in Tosashimizu City. Formed from marine erosion, the 16 meter-tall, 17-meter-wide natural granite tunnel is the largest of its kind in Japan. Designated as a prefectural natural monument, the tunnel can be viewed up close from the beach by using the promenade.
Mitsuishi Rocks

Travel / Tourism

Kanagawa Pref. Ashigarashimogunmanadurumachi Manaduru

This scenic spot on the Manazuru Peninsula has been selected as one of the top 50 views in Kanagawa Prefecture. The three enormous formations that constitute the Mitsuishi Rocks rise from the water at the tip of the Manazuru Peninsula. Manazuru Peninsula is said to have been created from a lava dome produced by the Hakone volcano that erupted from the seabed. A roughly 20-meter high cliff extends down its coast and a shore reef reaches about 200 meters from Manazuru Cape, so you can walk across to the rocks at low tide. It is a popular spot for exploring the rocky shore with the superb view stretched out before you.
Byobuiwa Rock

Travel / Tourism

Nara Pref. Udagunsonimura Nagano

Byobu Rock is a rock formation located to the west of Kabuto Dake Peak in the village of Soni, Uda County, Nara Prefecture. It extends for two kilometers, and when viewed from the south, it looks like a byobu (folding screen), due to the series of sheer cliffs that look like a sharp saw blade. Mitsuba azaleas grow wild on the rock wall, and 300 large mountain cherry trees in the park at the foot of the rock bloom from mid to late April and are illuminated at night. In the fall, visitors can enjoy fantastic views of the autumn leaves. In 1934, the rock was designated a National Natural Monument.
Tategami-iwa Rocks

Travel / Tourism

Saga Pref. Karatsushi Minatomachi

"Located a 50-minute drive from the Taku Interchange on the Nagasaki Expressway, these two huge basaltic pillars that are particularly eye-catching even among the many boulders lined up along the shore of the Minato district, a scenic area facing the Genkai Pass. The rocks, with circumferences of six meters and heights of 30 meters, were created by the erosion of waves and appear to stand side by side, which it why they are also called ""Meoto Iwa"" (the Wedded Rocks.) The coast just west of Tategami Rock is a popular spot that is said to be the birthplace of surfing in Kyushu. Throughout the year, there is an endless line of surfers fighting against the rough waters of the Genkai Sea."
Hanasaki Lighthouse Kurumaseki

Travel / Tourism

Hokkaido Nemuro-shi Hanasakiminato

This shaped stone that is as high as six meters tall on Cape Hanasaki is a designated national Natural Monument. It is academically valuable with a unique shape, and it has become a sightseeing spot along with Hanasaki Lighthouse towering up on the tip of the cape.
Sanshuen Menhir

Travel / Tourism

Ehime Ochi-gun Kamijimacho Ikina

This megalith is located along Prefectural Route 173 in Ikina, Kamijima Town, Ochi County. The massive stone stands some seven meters above Sanshuen, the Japanese garden built by the cross-dressing heroine Ito Aso. Aso was the model for the main character of Toko Kon’s novel “Akumyo.” The stone is believed to have been left behind by a Yayoi period megalith culture. It has been designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of the town.
Mimidodake Rock

Travel / Tourism

Ehime Kamiukena-gun Kumakogencho Shide

"This is a rock formation along the Omogokawa River in Kumakogen Town in Kamiukena County. Pine trees flourish on top of this limestone rock wall, 37 meters tall and 137 meters wide. Due to its shape, it is also called ""Battleship Rock.” It has been designated as a Prefectural Famous Place. Many people enjoy camping and other outdoor activities along the riverbanks in the summer."
Gama Ishi (Toad Rock)

Travel / Tourism

Ibaraki Tsukuba-shi Tsukuba 1

"This is a rock formation on Mt. Tsukuba in Tsukuba, Tsukuba City. It is located along the path from Tsukuba Sancho Station on the Mount Tsukuba Cable Railway Line to the main building of Nyotaisan Shrine and got its name from its resemblance to a toad or frog with an open mouth. Tsukuba's famous product, toad oil, is said to have first been promoted in front of this rock. It is believed that if you throw a stone and it lands in the ""toad's"" mouth, your wish will come true."
Benkei Nana Modori

Travel / Tourism

Ibaraki Tsukuba-shi Tsukuba 1

This is a rock formation along the hiking path to Nyotaisan on Mt. Tsukuba in the city of Tsukuba. The path passes under a giant rock wedged between cliff walls, and it makes hikers uneasy, because it looks unstable, as if it might fall down from overhead. Even the legendary hero Musashibo Benkei is said to have hesitated to pass under it.
Kigan Meoto Ishi (Husband and Wife Rock Formation)

Travel / Tourism

Iwate Ichinoseki-shi Senmayacho Senmaya Ishido

This giant natural rock formation is said to represent a married couple. The rocks are about five meters high and ten meters in circumference and are linked by a shimenawa, a sacred Shinto rope. A large represents the man, and another large rock behind him represents the woman. People have been fond of this rock formation since ancient times and consider it to be a divine symbol of marital harmony. Visitors can climb the stairs to see a statue of Kodakara Jizo, the god who grants children to couples, and he is venerated here along with the rocks. Beyond the rocks is a small hill, and beyond that is a small shrine, where the male rock is venerated.
Dewa-jinja Shrine, Haguro Boulders

Travel / Tourism

Iwate Tono-shi Ayaoricho Nissato 8-chiwari

Huge boulders on the grounds of Dewa-jinja Shrine, which honors the Shinto deity Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto. Dewa-jinja Shrine is registered as an Oshu Heritage Site. Since it is located at the summit of Mt. Haguro, to see the boulders you need to pass through Mt. Haguro's torii gate and climb a trail. A legend says the boulders were once even larger but were kicked by a tengu (long nosed goblin), breaking them into smaller pieces. There are a number of the Haguro Boulders, starting with a nine-meter high cracked megalith.
Rosoku Iwa (Candle Rock)

Travel / Tourism

Iwate Miyako-shi Sakikuwagasaki Dai12-chiwari

This rock is located in the north of Jodogahama Beach that juts out of the Ozawa Coast, and a 15-minute bus ride from Miyako Station on the Sanriku Railway (Miyako to Kuji) Rias Line. At Jodogahama Terminal Bus Stop, visitors get off and walk for five minutes. This giant rock created by igneous rock smashing through the surrounding rocks. It is 40 meters tall, 7 meters wide at the top, and 3 meters wide at the bottom. It is an unusual rock, in that the igneous dike is exposed and visible. It has been designated a National Monument, and it is also recognized by Sanriku Geo Park. Since visitors cannot approach the rock from the land, they need to take advantage of Miyako Jodogahama Boat Cruise.
Anatooshi-iso Rock

Travel / Tourism

Iwate Ofunato-shi Massakicho

These rocks are a scenic area in Akadokura, Massaki-cho, Ofunato City. Visitors can admire the massive and beautiful formations created by the forces of nature, which have eroded three large holes in the large rocks. Tourists can take small excursion boats from Ebisuhama along the same coast to pass through the holes in the rocks.