Global Network of National Geoparks

Hakusan Tedorigawa UNESCO Global Geopark

Located in central Japan, where it follows the Tedori River from Mount Hakusan down to the sea, the Hakusan Tedorigawa UNESCO Global Geopark records approximately 300 million years of history. Part of the geopark overlaps with the Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve, which was designated by UNESCO in 1980. Celebrating Earth heritage It contains rocks that were formed by the collision of ...

ASO UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage Aso UNESCO Global Geopark is situated in the center of Kyushu, the southernmost of four main islands, in the Japanese archipelago, which is located in the circum-Pacific orogenic belt. The majority of Aso UNESCO Global Geopark lies within Aso Kuju National Park, which is overseen by the Ministry of the Environment. Aso Volcano is located in central Kyushu and is one ...

ITOIGAWA UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark is located near the centre of Honshu Island in the Niigata prefecture, Japan. The Geopark meets the Sea of Japan in the north, where the mountains of the Japan Alps sink into the sea, and is bordered in the south by high mountains. Topography ranging from coastal to alpine can be observed here, thus creating a wide variety of geology and...

IZU PENINSULA UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth HeritageIzu Peninsula UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the southeast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. Most of the area is covered by mountains of low to moderate elevations. The highest point of the peninsula is Mt. Banzaburō (1,405 m). The sudden protrusion of these mountains from the sea causes heavy rainfalls, and a diverse coastal topography.The Izu Peninsula is located at ...

MT. APOI UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage Hokkaido's backbone is the Hidaka Mountains with 1,500- to 2,000-meter peaks running 150 km from north to south. Mt. Apoi UNESCO Global Geopark is at the southwestern end of this range in Samani. 92% of the UNESCO Global Geopark is forestland. The Apoi Mountains (Mt. Apoi: 810 m; Mt. Pinneshiri: 958 m) run north to south in the eastern part of it. Hilly terrain of...

MUROTO UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the southwestern part of the Japanese archipelago, on Shikoku Island. It includes all of Muroto City, Kochi Prefecture. Mountainous areas cover 87% of Muroto, and the mountain range at the northern margin of Muroto is approximately 1000 m high. Plain areas for daily life and economic activities only account for 13% of the are...

OKI ISLANDS UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage The Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark are located in the Sea of Japan in between the island arc of Japan and the Eurasian Continent. The closest landmass is Shimane Peninsula, in the western part of Honshu of mainland Japan, which is approximately 40 km from Oki. The Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geoparks combine the characteristics of Japan as a mobile belt with the geo...

San'in Kaigan UNESCO Global Geopark

Celebrating Earth HeritageThe San'in Kaigan UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the west of Japan and stretches from the eastern Kyogamisaki Cape, Kyoto to the western Hakuto Kaigan Coast, Tottori.The San’in Kaigan UNESCO Global Geopark is home to adiversity of geological sites related to the formation of the Sea of Japan, including granite outcrops formed when Japan was part of the Asian cont...

TOYA - USU UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage The Toya - Usu UNESCO Global Geopark is located in Hokkaido, northern Japan and displays a unique showcase of active volcanism on the Pacific Rim. This is a unique region which has a wealth of characteristic geological relics in a relatively compact area, from the 110,000-year-old Toya Caldera to the 20,000 to 10,000-year-old Nakajima domes and a strato-volcano Usu, ...

UNZEN VOLCANIC AREA UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Celebrating Earth Heritage Shimabara Peninsula is a stomach-shaped body of land projecting from the south eastern region of Nagasaki Prefecture, west of Japan. The southern region, with the Pre Unzen Volcano, is characterized by a low, gentle terrain. The Unzen Volcano in the centre of the Peninsula, is actually composite volcano formed by a number of volcanoes with 1,000 m above sea level; Mt....