EDITORIALS
A huge wheel stone that is rare in the world! What is the "wheel stone" at Cape Hanasaki in Nemuro City?
Various natural formations have been discovered around the world that look as if someone has calculated them meticulously, even though they were created by nature. Did you know that such natural formations can also be seen here in Hokkaido? The "Kuruma-ishi" is a strange stone located at Cape Hanasaki in Nemuro City. As the name suggests, it is a large rock shaped like a car tire. How in the world did it come to be?
To see Kurumaishi, walk along the promenade from the parking lot of Hanasaki Cape. The surrounding area is maintained as a park, so take your time and enjoy the view of nature as you walk along. The Hanasaki Lighthouse can be seen at the end of the path. It was selected as one of the 50 best lighthouses in Japan, and its tower is about 10 meters high.
As you pass the lighthouse and approach the coast further, you will see Kurumaishi. Incidentally, Cape Hanasaki, where Kurumaseki is located, is a sea cliff jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. There, a huge wheel-like Kuruma-ishi with a diameter of about 6m is poking out of the cliff.
The pattern of several columnar cracks radiating out, called radial joints, looks as if it were artificially designed. It is hard to believe that this is a natural formation. However, if you look around at the rocks on the coast, you will notice that they are all angular. If you have a good intuition, you will be able to guess that this may be the original form of the wheel stone. ......
The angular rocks on the coast are coarse-grained basalt, which hardened as the magma in the ground cooled. The coarse-grained basalt in this area is said to have been created about 60 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, when hot, muddy lava cooled rapidly, and then seawater entered the still-melting interior and cooled it even more rapidly, creating this type of chalcolithic rock. Such a large Kurumaseki is rare in the world and was designated as a national natural monument in 1939.
The largest of the stones, 6 meters in diameter, is the most eye-catching, but a closer look reveals that there are also several other stones of 1 to 2 meters in diameter, making it a little strange to be able to see a sight that was created 60 million years ago.
As mentioned earlier, the park is maintained as a park, so it is also fun to visit during the snowy season, including the Hanasaki Lighthouse. Just be careful when walking along the beach, as it is slippery.
<Cooperation for this report
Nemuro City Tourism Association
Location: Tourist Information Center, 2-10 Kouwa-cho, Nemuro City, Hokkaido
Tel: 0153-24-3104
Official website: https://www.nemuro-kankou.com
To see Kurumaishi, walk along the promenade from the parking lot of Hanasaki Cape. The surrounding area is maintained as a park, so take your time and enjoy the view of nature as you walk along. The Hanasaki Lighthouse can be seen at the end of the path. It was selected as one of the 50 best lighthouses in Japan, and its tower is about 10 meters high.
As you pass the lighthouse and approach the coast further, you will see Kurumaishi. Incidentally, Cape Hanasaki, where Kurumaseki is located, is a sea cliff jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. There, a huge wheel-like Kuruma-ishi with a diameter of about 6m is poking out of the cliff.
The pattern of several columnar cracks radiating out, called radial joints, looks as if it were artificially designed. It is hard to believe that this is a natural formation. However, if you look around at the rocks on the coast, you will notice that they are all angular. If you have a good intuition, you will be able to guess that this may be the original form of the wheel stone. ......
(Photo by Nemuro City Tourist Association)
The angular rocks on the coast are coarse-grained basalt, which hardened as the magma in the ground cooled. The coarse-grained basalt in this area is said to have been created about 60 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, when hot, muddy lava cooled rapidly, and then seawater entered the still-melting interior and cooled it even more rapidly, creating this type of chalcolithic rock. Such a large Kurumaseki is rare in the world and was designated as a national natural monument in 1939.
(Photo by Nemuro City Tourism Association)
The largest of the stones, 6 meters in diameter, is the most eye-catching, but a closer look reveals that there are also several other stones of 1 to 2 meters in diameter, making it a little strange to be able to see a sight that was created 60 million years ago.
As mentioned earlier, the park is maintained as a park, so it is also fun to visit during the snowy season, including the Hanasaki Lighthouse. Just be careful when walking along the beach, as it is slippery.
<Cooperation for this report
Nemuro City Tourism Association
Location: Tourist Information Center, 2-10 Kouwa-cho, Nemuro City, Hokkaido
Tel: 0153-24-3104
Official website: https://www.nemuro-kankou.com
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Hokkaido Sightseeing Turtle Writer Bubu-Neko
I am "BUCHINEKO" who has many connections to sightseeing spots and tourist facilities in Hokkaido. There are many wonderful resources, even the ones we take for granted when we live in Hokkaido. I will be sharing these wonderful attractions of Hokkaido with you.
