Sandanbeki

Sandanbeki is a cliff in Shirahama that runs over two kilometers along the Pacific coast and rises 60 meters above sea level. The rock face shows three distinct stone layers that gave the formation its name and stand out especially clearly in calm seas.

During the Heian period, the naval forces of Kumano used the caves below the cliff as hidden anchorage points for their ships. The natural cavities offered protection from stormy seas and from enemy attacks that could have come from the open coast.

The name refers to the formation of three overlapping rock layers, which become clearly visible from the viewing platforms at low tide and in certain light conditions. Fishermen once used the exposed position to scan the water from above for schools of fish and to spot approaching boats early.

An elevator descends 36 meters underground, where visitors can enter the caves carved out by the sea. The viewing platforms above offer a wide view over the Pacific and work especially well in the morning or late afternoon, when the light illuminates the rocks.

Couples attach small metal locks to heart-shaped monuments on the viewing platform and throw the key into the sea to seal their bond. Next to them stand pink mailboxes into which visitors can drop romantic postcards that are then marked with a special stamp.