(Note) Major events in the history of the Earth Living together with the land and How was Sanriku created? History of the land of Sanriku Main geosites A long time ago, How were the marine How were the sawtooth-shaped From 2.59 million years ago sea of Sanriku Homosapiens appear Let’s go! Sanriku was actually terraces formed? (also known as ‘rias’)  Stalactite caves…Uchimagido Cave [Kuji City], A Geopark is an outdoor museum where you can experience 1 2 3 Rokando Cave [Sumita Town] at the bottom of the sea! coastlines formed?  Marine terraces… living as a human in symbiosis with nature’s combination of Ono kaiseidankyu (Ono coastal terrace) [Hirono Town], bountifulness and harshness The land of Sanriku traces its long history back to about 500 million years ago when Marine terraces are formed when a flat area After the glacial period, the ocean level Kurosaki [Fudai Village] Let’s try! The sea filling  Sawtooth coastline…Yamada Bay [Yamada Town], it was formed, but it was almost entirely created at the bottom of the sea. is created on the ocean bottom by the erosion rose, and when the valleys of the land were into valleys Namiita Coast [Otsuchi Town] Sanriku, facing the Trench, where the Pacific tectonic plate subducts, Fossilized coral, ammonites and sea lilies that can be found in limestone and action of waves, after which they appear on land flooded, they formed the sawtooth (rias)  Singing sand…[ City], Quaternary Period is an important area because, as the so called origin point of the Japanese sandstone are organisms that lived in the sea. Almost all of the sand, mud and the rocks due to upheavals and a lowering of the ocean coastlines. These are often seen in the southern Kukunakihama [ City], created from materials ejected by submarine volcanoes, accumulated in the ocean. level. The marine terraces created hundreds to part of Sanriku, and although land formations  Shiofukiana (Tide spouting hole)…[Miyako City], Kurosaki MAP:4-D archipelago, it contains a continuous record of the 500 million years of the land. Shiofukiiwa (Tide spouting rocks) [Kesennuma City] Also, it is a region that has experienced several historically notable strong The rocks that were create on the ocean floor appeared on the ground due to tens of thousands of years ago can be seen with many capes and inlets can increase the earthquakes and the resulting tidal waves, including the Tohoku Earthquake changes in the Earth’s crust and plate movements. throughout the Sanriku coast, and these risen height of tidal waves, the area inside calm 23 million years ago to 2.59 million years ago and Tsunami in March 2011 (the 3.11 Disaster). It is our mission to communi- flat areas have been used for cattle farming and bays is suitable for the aquaculture cultivation Formation of the Japanese archipelago, the birth of humanity other purposes. of oysters and other shellfish. Sanriku cate to future generations about the activities of previous generations in face of ❶ Eruption of submarine Neogene Period Neogene these natural disasters, and our experiences of the 3.11 disaster. Era ❷ Formation of coral reefs volcanoes In 2013, the Sanriku Geopark received certification from the Japan Geoparks 66 million years ago to 23 million years ago Network as a learning center to teach future generations about the history of the Kitayamazaki MAP:4-E Mammals flourish Earth and to pass down the memories of the area’s natural disasters.  Jodogahama…[Miyako City] ❸ Pelagic sediment We wish to love, protect and ultimately live in harmony with Sanriku’s land ❹ Accretionary Trench Hundreds to tens of thousands of years ago Present day The ancient Geopark Map and ocean waters. prism ocean surface Marine terrace Karakuwa Peninsula Oreishi MAP:3-K Mixture of ❶ – ❸ Oceanic plate

What’s required of a Geopark The soft portion of the upper mantle The ancient Sandy beach Period e beautiful land and sea of ocean surface A Geopark features not only amazing geological The present day Upheaval Jodogahama MAP:4-G , Iwate and Miyagi sights, but it also must engage in activities to help local ocean surface Bedrock Yamada Bay MAP:4-H residents nurture an understanding of the animals and Sediment 145 million years ago to 66 million years ago plants that live on the land, the climate and natural Angiospermous plants flourish features, as well as the history and culture of the people The birth of Sanriku  Amber…[Kuji City] who share that land.  Haipe and Koikorobe (unique rock outcroppings)…[Tanohata Village] Hayachine-usuyukiso e southern Kitakami e northern e variety of landscapes  Moshiryu fossil site…[Iwaizumi Town] (Leontopodium hayachinense) From the east  Horaijima Island…[Otsuchi Town] mountains used to be near were created by a mixture of created by magma activity  Granodiorite…[Hashikami Town] 1 2 3  Mining resources… e Geopark philosophy Northern Kitakami mountains the equator oceanic accumulations Remains of molybdenum mine [Kuji City], (Northern Kitakami belt) Remains of the Noda Tamagawa Mine The daily life and culture of the local residents  Human activity The Kitakami mountain area is divided into About 320 to 140 million years ago, the northern part of The northern and southern geological formations which [Noda Village], Mount Hashikamidake MAP:3-B north and south in the Mount Hayachine area, and the Kitakami mountains were formed when the accumulation were created in totally different environments met about 110 Period Kamaishi Mine [Kamaishi City], Plants and animals that were Nature the formation of the land in each area is very on the deep ocean floor and submarine mountains were million years ago due to the movement of the tectonic plates. Remains of the Otani Mine & Shishiori gold mine [Kesennuma City] H  Anatoshi-iso (pierced rocks)…[Ofunato City]  ay different. moved by the plates on which they rested, which was then After that, the beautiful landscapes that define Sanriku, grown on each of the land masses (A wide variety of ecosystems) ac  Site of Omoto plant fossils…[Iwaizumi Town] hin e About 400 million years ago, the southern part pushed up against the continent’s land from about 180 million such as the Tanesashi Coast (Map:3-A), the Kosode Coast  t Kabushima Island…[Hachinohe City] e Land (A wide variety of geological c  t Formation of various land masses o of the Kitakami mountains were part of the Gond- years ago and then became part of it. In this way, geological (Map:4-D) and Jodogahama Beach (Map:4-G), were born from features and geographic formations) n i c wana continent which was located near the formations comprising a complex mixture of material accumu- the rocks created by large-scale magma activity. b 201 million years ago to 145 million years ago e l present day equator, and after they separated from lated in the sea from various locations and depths were t Giant dinosaurs flourish, e climate of Sanriku is strongly associated with the history of the land. the continent, they were carried north by plate formed. avian species appear  Southern Kitakami mountains movement. Haratai intermingled rocks…[Miyako City] History and Tradition Sea winds Era Mesozoic  Toyomane River chert clastic rock sequence… (Southern Kitakami belt) [Yamada Town]

Animals From the south 440 million years ago to 250 million years ago 320 million years ago to 140 million years ago 140 million years ago to 120 million years ago

Flourishing of Paleozoic era organisms Movement of the oceanic plates The land changes violently as north and south meet Period Jurassic Plants Origin of Toyomane River MAP:4-H the southern Even after separating from Origin of In the ocean on the opposite side The current formation Scenic beauty Tidal waves Kitakami belt the continent, the region that the northern of the continent, a wide variety of of north and south Kitakami Kitakami belt Changes in the Stalactite caves includes the present-day south- marine sediment had accumulated on belts is nearly completed. 252 million years ago to 201 million years ago ancient organisms Fossils ern Kitakami mountain range the ocean floor and was transported At the time, it was at the Age of the dinosaurs begins, layer Disaster prevention Blessings from the ocean mammals appear was still near the equator, and by movements in the oceanic plates. eastern edge of the Asian continent. Magma was very  Pillow lava & slickenside rocks…[Kuji City] coral and trilobites flourished.  Misaki…[Kesennuma City] Fluctuations of the ground The Gondwana active across the entire Mining resources mega-continent Kitakami mountain range. Unicchi Triassic Period Triassic

Misaki MAP:3-K

Shin-Aomori 299 million years ago to 252 million years ago Expressway Aomori e History of Tsunami Disasters in Sanriku Touring Sanriku’s Geoparks Geoparks Have Bountiful Fossils Plate Boundary-Type Earthquakes are Birth of the Pangaea mega-continent Access  P-T boundary layer…[Iwaizumi Town] Jogan Earthquake July 9, 869 Hachinohe-Kuji Expressway  Ogama and Oreishi, Hanzo, (Hachinohe-Hashikami) As of March 2015 Example Driving Routes and Mining Resources Trigger Mechanism for Large Earthquakes Keicho Sanriku Earthquake December 2, 1611 Dairiseki Coast…[Kesennuma City] Aomori Pref Hachinohe  Site of Permian period fossils… Meiji Sanriku Earthquake June 15, 1896 21, 959 dead Yahagi Town [Rikuzentakata City], 45 In the off-shore waters of the Sanriku region, warm currents and cold currents meet, allowing The world’s largest tectonic plate, the Pacific plate, subducts under the Japan Trench, just off Showa Sanriku Earthquake March 3, 1933 3, 064 dead and missing Iwaisaki [Kesennuma City] Ninohe Hachinohe-Kuji for a wide variety of organisms to thrive, while inland area is blessed with bountiful mining resources the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, and it continues to subduct even now. The 2011 earthquake Expressway ❶ Hachinohe to Kuji Route P-T boundary layer MAP:3-D Tohoku Chili Earthquake Tsunami May 23, 1960 142 dead and missing such as iron mines, granite and limestone. Even now, cement refining and other mining work occurred in this subduction zone. Due to changes in the sea bed of the plate upon which eastern Kuji A trip where you can meet black-tailed gulls, take the time to enjoy the sea breezes as they supports Tohoku’s industry. The gold mines that dot the entire Tohoku region attest to the lavish Japan rests caused by the violent slippage in the earthquake, an extremely large tsunami was Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake March 11, 2011 18, 958 dead and 2, 655 missing Tohoku Iwate-Numakunai Longitudinal wash over you, and learn about the mysteries of 100 million year old amber. "gold culture" created by the Oshu Fujiwara clan 900 years ago. generated, which caused terrible damage. Period Permian Expressway Tanohata Kita-Rias Line (The disaster caused by this earthquake is called the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster) Korekawa Archaeological Institution Archaeological Korekawa Kabushima Island (Kabushima Shrine) (Kabushima Island Kabushima Highway Dofukan Yamase Kuji Area, Rest Hashikami Rest Area Rest Hashikami Taneichi Seaside Park Seaside Taneichi Mount Hashikamidake Mount

Iwate Pref Museum Amber Kuji Akita Pref Iwaizumi Coast Tanesashi (Korekawa Jomon Kan) Jomon (Korekawa

Morioka IC 106 Miyako Karakuwa Peninsula Akita Occurrence of Tsunami Yamada Line Yamada Line Oreishi MAP:3-K Tohoku 45 Strain accumulation 50 min. by car by min. 50 55 min. by car by min. 55 35 min. by car by min. 35 20 min. by car by min. 20 25 min. by car by min. 25 car by min. 25 Main Line 396 Iwate Hanamaki Kamaishi to Miyako car by 15 min. Miyamori IC Not in service due to Hanamaki IC disaster damage 359 million years ago to 299 million years ago Hanamaki JCT Towa IC Plants flourish, reptiles appear Hanamaki-Minami IC Tono MAP:3-A Continental plate  Site of Yukisawa Carboniferous period Kitakami JCT Shin-Hanamaki 283 Kamaishi Sanriku Railway Ruins of the Hashino blast furnace Continental plate 107 Continental plate fossils…[Rikuzentakata City] Akita Kitakami Rokando Minami-Rias Line MAP:3-D (No. 1 blast furnace) MAP:3-H Oceanic plate Expressway Cave Oceanic plate Mizusawa IC Mizusawa- Sanriku Longitudinal Oceanic plate Ofunato Expressway Highway Kuji Amber e origin site for the modern - Esashi ❷ Kuji to Iwaizumi Route Rikuzentakata Amber is the fossilized sap of trees that once iron industry Maesawa IC Ofunato Line Ofunato Line Yukisawa Carboniferous flourished on the land. The amber from Kuji is MAP:2-J Ichinoseki IC In addition to high quality iron, the Kamaishi Period Carboniferous period fossils 284 Kesennuma to Sakari A trip where you can say hello to traditional female divers (ama), feel the force the sea Miyagi Pref Ichinoseki Kesennuma believed to have been created from the sap of mining area also produces copper and gold. In 1857, BRT in operation winds, and experience the seemingly endless expanse of physical beauty. Araucariaceae trees about 85 million years ago. 45 Takato Oshima, a retainer of the Nambu clan, suc- 419 million years ago to 359 million years ago Marine Rose Noda Tamagawa Noda Rose Marine Kurosaki / Kitayamazaki Kurosaki Noda Papuru Rest Area Rest Papuru Noda ceeded in continuous molten pig iron tapping using Tanohata Rest Area Rest Tanohata Iwaizumi Rest Area Rest Iwaizumi Amphibians appear

Fudai flood gates flood Fudai a western-style blast furnace with iron ore. In the Unosu precipice Unosu Travel to Sanriku by JR Rail Cave Ryusendo Kosode Coast Kosode The memories of natural disasters which Meiji period, he started the Kamaishi Ironworks, and  Site of Senjogataki Lepidodendron to Kuji Station (JR ) Approx. 1 hour 45 min. the town flourished as a center of iron production. (scale trees) fossils…[Kamaishi City] should be passed down to future generations  Paleozoic outcropping along the Omori 55 min. by car by min. 55 45 min. by car by min. 45 40 min. by car by min. 40 20 min. by car by min. 20 25 min. by car by min. 25 car by min. 25 to (JR Yamada line) Approx. 2 hours 10 min. car by 10 min. car by 10 min. forest road Hanamaki Station to (JR Kamaishi line) Approx. 1 hour 50 min. For those of us who enjoy the blessing of nature in Sanriku, to Kesennuma Station (JR Ofunato line) Approx. 1 hour 20 min. the Great East Japan Earthquake served as a reminder that Period Devonian Senjogataki Lepidodendron MAP:4-D (scale trees) fossils MAP:3-I Shin- to Morioka Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen) Approx. 55 min. sometimes nature can also pose a great threat. We wish to pass Era Paleozoic along our memories of the disaster to future generations so that to Morioka Station (JR Akita Shinkansen) Approx. 1 hour 30 min. it might serve as a way of reevaluating how we can live together 443 million years ago to 419 million years ago to Morioka Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen) Approx. 40 min. ❸ Kamaishi to Miyako Route with nature and the importance of human relationships. Insects and plants move to dry land Station to Morioka Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen) Approx. 2 hours 20 min. MAP:4-E Site of Moshiryu discovery Fish with jaws appear on the Moshi Coast MAP:4-F  A trip to learn about the lives of people through the history of iron, reflect on the Sanriku’s Paleozoic outcropping along the Site of the Haipe and Koikorobe Omori forest road…[Ofunato City] Travel to Sanriku by Car Moshiryu The Miracle Lone Pine MAP:3-J disasters, and be filled with the beauty of Jodo, the so-called Pure Land. Cretaceous period fossils  Site of the Higuchizawa Gotlandian The Moshiryu was discovered near Moshi, fossils…[Ofunato City] Ruins of the Hashino blast furnace blast Hashino the of Ruins Ninohe to Kuji (National Route 395) Approx. 1 hour 30 min. Area Rest Miyakonado Cretaceous period stratum called the Miyako Yamada Rest Area Rest Yamada Iwaizumi Town, and it is the first dinosaur fossil Horaijima Island Horaijima Taro Rest Area Taro Rest group dot the landscape between Tanohata Village Period Silurian Namiita Coast Namiita

Morioka to Miyako (National Route 106) Approx. 2 hours Jodogahama Yamada Bay Yamada Taro seawall found in Japan. and Miyako City. The Haipe and Koikorobe coastal Hanamaki to Kamaishi (National Route 283) Approx. 2 hours features near Tanohata Village include a large Higuchizawa MAP:3-J number of ammonite and coral fossils, and is con- 40 min. by car by min. 40 25 min. by car by min. 25 70 min. by car by min. 70 10 min. by car by 10 min. car by 10 min. car by 10 min. car by 10 min. Oshu to Ofunato (National Route 394, 107) Approx. 1 hour 30 min. car by 15 min. 5 min. by car by 5 min. Ichinoseki to Rikuzentakata (National Route 343) Approx. 1 hour 45 min. sidered an important fossil site. 485 million years ago to 443 million years ago MAP:4-F Hachinohe to Kuji (National Route 45) Approx. 1 hour 10 min. Aquatic life appears Sanno-Iwa Rock  Hikami granite and Tsubono-sawa Ichinoseki to Kesennuma (National Route 284) Approx. 1 hour 10 min. metamorphic rocks…[Rikuzentakata City]  Mining resources… Travel to Sanriku by Air Remains of the Tamayama gold mine Kesennuma to Ofunato Route [Rikuzentakata City] From Sapporo () to Iwate Approx. 55 min. ❹  Yakushigawa mountain stream Paleozoic… [Miyako City] Ordovician Period Ordovician  From (Nagoya Airfield) to Iwate Hanamaki Airport Approx. 70 min. A trip where you can learn about the formation of the rias coastline, pay homage at the Miracle Tsunami rock in Ofunato City, Mount Hayachine…[Miyako City] Mount Hayachine MAP:2-G Taro Kanko Hotel MAP:4-F Sanriku Town Yoshihama MAP:4-J From (Itami) to Iwate Hanamaki Airport Approx. 80 min. Lone Pine, and walk in the footsteps of the poets Takuboku Ishikawa and Kenji Miyazawa. Remains of the Imadeyama Ryusendo Cave MAP:3-E Oya-Kaigan Rest Area Rest Oya-Kaigan gold mine MAP:3-J The Miracle Lone Pine Lone Miracle The

From Fukuoka to Iwate Hanamaki Airport Approx. 120 min. Museum City Ofunato 541 million years ago to 485 million years ago Karakuwa Peninsula Karakuwa Sanriku Rest Area Rest Sanriku Explosion of organic evolution Rokando Cave Rokando

Goishi Coast Goishi Kesen’s Bountiful Gold Mining Mysteries from the Depths Preserving Relics of the Disaster Storyteller Tour Tsunami rock  Tsubono-sawa metamorphic rocks… Sanriku Geopark Promotion Conference Iwaisaki There are many remains of gold mines in the of the Earth [Rikuzentakata City] Kesen area, but the gold deposits in the remains of There are many places in Sanriku where you The Miracle Lone Pine in Rikuzentakata City and the Taro Starting in Rikuzentakata City and Taro, Miyako City, This giant rock which was moved inland from the ocean and 35 min. by car by min. 35 40 min. by car by min. 40 car by min. 40 25 min. by car by min. 25 75 min. by car by min. 75 1-20 Satsukicho, Miyako City, , car by 15 min. the Tamayama gold mine (Rikuzentakata City) are can see limestone that shows how the land was Kanko Hotel in Miyako City will be saved and preserved to pass locals from around the prefecture, known as “storytellers”, lead coast by a tidal wave is called the “tsunami rock.” People can inside the Miyako District Government Complex the oldest, at 450 million years old, and they were created from the ocean floor. There are many sta- on the memories of the earthquake and the lessons we learned. participants on “storyteller tours” through areas affected by the view a number of tsunami rocks around the entire Sanriku coast, mined along with crystals. The gold in surrounding lactite caves in limestone, including Uchimagido in disaster, and pass on the memories and experiences of those including those from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Period Cambrian Tsubono-sawa TEL: 0193-64-1230 FAX: 0193-64-1234 MAP:3-K mines was deposited about 120 million years ago. Yamagata, Kuji City, Ryusendo, Akkado in Iwaizumi, who experienced it. metamorphic rocks MAP:3-J http://sanriku-geo.com March 2015 and Rokando in Sumita Town. This diagram is meant to be read from the bottom up