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Area D Hidaka Yabakei Area

D1Geological

Ana-iwa in Fuyushima

D2Geological

Fault at the Higashi Fuyushima Tunnel

D3Geological

Metagabbro at the Kotoni Tunnel

D4Geological

Taisho Tunnel

D5Geological

Geological fold at the Ruranbetsu Tunnel

D6Historical

Samani Mountain Path and Wasuke Jizo

D7Geological

Former Plate Boundary at the Fuyushima Ooma

Hidaka Yabakei is a 7-km stretch of precipitous cliffs along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, into which the foot of Mt. Apoi plunges. It is believed to mark the place where the Eurasian Plate and the North American Plate once collided. Part of the boundary (the Hidaka Main Thrust) between the plates remains in this area.

Located at the southern end of the Hidaka Mountains along with National Route 336 (also known as the Golden Road) in Erimo Town, this area used to be notoriously difficult to pass. The Samani Mountain Path was built on the cliffs around 200 years ago to facilitate passage, and is now used as a footpath. At the bottom of the cliffs, high-quality Hidaka Kombu kelp (also known as Mitsuishi Kombu or Laminaria angustata Kjellman) grows on nutrients from the region's peridotite. Surf boats harvesting kelp and locals sun-drying the crop are typical summer scenes in this area.