Umikongō Rock Formations, Coastal rock formations in Kushimoto, Japan.
Umikongō is a stretch of coastline below the cliffs of Takanosu Cape on Kii Ōshima, in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, within Yoshino-Kumano National Park. Massive rocks rise sheer from the sea surface along the shore, forming a line of jagged crags against the open water.
The name Umikongō is written with the characters for "sea" and "Kongō", the latter shared with Mount Kongō (Kumgangsan) in Korea. The source gives no date or event behind the name; it records only that the cliffs stand below the precipice of Takanosu Cape on Kii Ōshima, within Yoshino-Kumano National Park, and that the site was chosen for the "100 Natural Landscapes of Japan We Want to Leave for the 21st Century".
The name Umikongō likens the rocks to Mount Kongō in Korea, and the site is listed among the 21st-century selections of Japanese nature worth keeping. The formations lie below the cliffs of Takanosu Cape on Kii Ōshima, in Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
Multiple observation spots connected by coastal paths allow visitors to view the formations from different angles and distances. The viewpoints are accessible throughout the day and each offers a distinct perspective of the cliffs.
The cliffs rise from the sea below the precipice of Takanosu Cape on Kii Oshima, the island facing Kushimoto across the strait. The site is listed among the "100 Japanese Natural Landscapes to Preserve for the 21st Century", a selection made by the Asahi Shimbun. The cape itself is reached on foot from the Kaino bus stop, about 15 minutes from the Kaino lighthouse bus stop on the Kumano Kotsu line from Kushimoto Station.
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