Terrain of the Shimane Peninsula Coast
The region stretching across eastern Shimane Prefecture and western Tottori Prefecture has a unique topography. The region includes the Chugoku mountain range in the south, sedimentary lowlands such as Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi, and Shimane Peninsula, created through tectonic uplift. Shimane Prefecture is divided in half by a fault, with the areas east of the fault subsiding to form ria (drowned river) inlets, and the western part uplifting to form coastal promontories.
The shoreline of the Shimane Peninsula is a succession of capes and bays following one after the other like the teeth of a saw. Spectacular coastal landscapes include cliffs and sea caves such as the mystical sea caves of Kaka (Kaka no Kukedo) and the Seven Caves of Tako (Tako no Nanatsuana).
The entire area is part of the Shimane Peninsula and Shinjiko Nakaumi Estuary Geopark.