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Daisen-Oki NP, Shimane
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Red Cliff is a 1-km-long, 50–200-m-high slice through a volcano that erupted 6.3–5.3 million years ago. Wind and waves later cut it open, exposing part of Chiburijima’s volcanic history.
Its stripes preserve different kinds of eruptions: airborne basalt cooled quickly and its iron oxidized red, while slower lava flows stayed black. Repeated eruptions built the contrasting layers.
The pale vertical wedge is a dike: different magma rose through the older red and black rocks during a later eruption, then solidified. It marks another chapter in the cliff’s volcanic story.
A botanical twist on these cattle-grazed slopes: Japan’s Tourism Agency says the local sanshō pepper is believed to have evolved a spicier flavor, as livestock avoided the hotter plants.
The cliff’s colors shift with the weather: bright-yellow algae appear in tide pools, and storm runoff can spill down the rock as a waterfall, sometimes casting rainbows. In winter, snow sets off its vivid bands.
Since 1935, Sekiheki has held two national designations: Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument. It is recognized both for its striking landscape and as a remarkable natural feature.
赤壁 is commonly read Sekiheki today, but Chibu Village’s official account notes an older reading: Akakabe. The same two characters carry both names for this island landmark.
