Kasumi Coast, Scenic coast in Kami, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Kasumi Coast is a rocky coast in Kami, Hyogo Prefecture, stretching about ten kilometres from Isazaki Cape to Obiki-no-hana. It is lined with sea cliffs, caves and rock formations cut by waves into the Neogene Hokutan Group volcanic and sedimentary rocks and the Teragi Group. Landmarks include Megane-Domon, Matsugasaki, Yoroi-no-sode and Tajima-Matsushima.
The government formally protected this stretch of coast in 1938, acknowledging its geological importance and natural formations as worthy of preservation. This designation reflected growing interest in safeguarding Japan's most distinctive natural features.
The coast's name comes from Kasumi, the district of Kami where it lies. Its landmarks carry descriptive names: Megane-Dōmon ("Spectacles Cave") for two arches resembling glasses, Kujaku-Dōmon ("Peacock Cave"), and the Kasumi Moai, a rock resembling an Easter Island statue. The Kasumi Strand and Mitahama are swimming beaches.
Kasumi Station on the JR San'in Main Line is about a 20-minute walk from the coast; the line also stops at Amarube, Yoroi, Shibayama and Satsu along the shore. Since November 2016 no sightseeing boat has run from Kasumi Port, but since May 2019 the small-fishing-boat cruise "Kasumi Kaijo GEO TAXI" has operated irregular trips.
Yoroi-no-sode, the "armor sleeve", is a nationally designated Natural Monument on the western stretch of the coast. Its name comes from rock that hangs down in folds like a sleeve of traditional armor, a resemblance noted long before any geological study of the site.
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