Located in the Nippo Kaigan National Park, Umagase is a stretch of spectacular cliffs that offers stellar views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. For nature lovers looking to feel the strength of a mighty ocean colliding with the rocky earth, look no further than Umagase.
Created in 1974, this national park covers Oita Prefecture’s centrally-located Saganoseki Peninsula and runs south to Miyazaki Prefecture’s Misuzu Coast. With an area of over 8,500 hectares, which includes a 120-kilometer-long coastline, Nippo Kaigan will make you fall in love with the sea with its fantastic views. The park is known for its beautiful beaches, such as Oita’s Kuroshima Island and Hamotozu Beach, as well as an abundance of seasonal fish, including horse mackerel and puffer fish. The park is also home to several islands off the coast of the Kyushu mainland which house many rare subtropical plants.
Umagase
Photo by: PIXTA/ram87 Umagase takes its name from the peculiar appearance of the cliffs that resemble the back of a horse.
One of the many highlights of Nippo Kaigan is Umagase, a ria coastline with countless hexagonal-shaped rocky columns. Rias are distinct coastline formations that are characterized by their treelike contours created by the particular way that the river valley has been drowned over time by the sea. Umagase takes its name from the peculiar appearance of the cliffs that resemble the back of a horse. Overlooking Cape Hyuga, Umagase features pillars of rock shooting up about 70 meters from the surface of the water below.
Jutting inland upwards of about 100 meters, from an aerial perspective, these indentations look like the branches of a tree that has shed its leaves. The site offers an incredible hike that brings visitors along coastlines until the final destination at the end of a cliff. From this observation deck, you’ll have a full panoramic view of the ocean, the coastline and the surrounding areas. According to a sign, you’ll be reminded of the spherical nature of the earth as you look out onto the endless horizon.
A Glass Observation Platform
Photo by: PIXTA/mandegan Try seeing the cliff from a new perspective.
Unveiled in the summer of 2022, a walled section made of glass was added to a protruding cliffside to give visitors a sense of standing on the edge of the rock face. Brave travelers can step up to the platform and feel the gravity of the deep chasm below.
