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Daisen-Oki NP, Shimane
Claim this place to tell your story your way.
At 257 m, Matengai is one of Japan’s highest sea cliffs. From its rim, the view reaches neighboring Chiburijima—so the horizon is another island, not just open sea.
Matengai’s wall is a volcanic timeline: ash-gray and dark-red bands record repeated eruptions. Winter winds and Sea of Japan waves then carved those layers into this 257 m cliff.
Matengai’s grazing land is a makihata legacy: for 400 years, Nishinoshima rotated 4 zones between crops and livestock. The communal twist survives—residents can graze animals regardless of land ownership.
In spring, Oki dandelions bloom along the Kuniga trail near Matengai. This yellow flower is endemic to Oki; its green bracts point upward, while those of introduced dandelions curl backward.
