The Kuroshio and the Land
Both the natural environment of Tosashimizu and most of the lifestyles in this region have their origin in the interplay between the warm Kuroshio (Japan Current) and the local topography. The seafloor right outside Cape Ashizuri is uneven—a result of the diverse bedrock and marine erosion. When the Kuroshio collides with depressions in the ocean floor, accumulated nutrients swirl upward, attracting an abundance of fish.
Tatsukushi Bay, which is distinguished by its many asymmetrical inlets, was formed because the geological strata here are vulnerable to weathering and erosion. The diversity of corals and other marine life found in the bay is another result of the Kuroshio’s ceaseless flow along the coast, where the landscape has been a source of wonder for visitors at least since the Edo period (1603–1868).