Uradome Marine Parks)

IUCN Management Category V (Protected landscape)

Biogeographical Province 2.02.02 (Japanese Evergreen Forest)

Geographical Location The park is located in western Honshu as a continuous 75km long sea coast between Amino (Kyota prefecture) and the sand dunes near Tottori (Tottori prefecture). 35°32'-35°42'N, 134°13'-135°01'E.

Date and History of Establishment The park was created on 15 July 1963 by the Natural Parks Law. The Marine Park Areas were established on 22 January 1971. Development is controlled within the Park (Art. 17, 18, 18-2 and 20, Natural Parks Law) and priority is given to protection of the scenic beauty of the National Park. There is also special protection for four species of fish; 9 species of invertebrate; 16 genera and four species of seaweed. Zonation includes: 90% (8,003ha) as multiple-use areas; 10% (892.9ha) as wilderness area.

Area 8,996ha (46.5ha Marine protected area and 556ha special protected area for wildlife conservation)

Land Tenure 80.7ha state land, 2,878.4ha public land, 6,036.8ha private land.

Altitude Sea level to 567m (maximum depth of Marine Protected Areas 20m)

Physical Features The park consists of a 75km long seacoast of granite and basalt where erosion has resulted in 91 large and small islands and reefs, as well as 52 caves and arches, such as at Genbudo and Yoroi-no-Sode. The overall effect is a much indented cliff coastline, and includes the 16km circumference brackish Koyama lagoon by the town of Tottori. On the south-west are the Tottori sand dunes formed by the strong north-westerly Siberian wind. The sand dunes are 16km long and 2km wide, the largest in Japan (IUCN, 1975). The Marine Parks are influenced by the warm Tsushima current, a branch of the Kuroshio current. (Water transparency ranges from 15-25m). Hot springs are also located in the park and include those at Mamisaka. The sea bed is largely composed of tuff, granite and andesite (IUCN, 1975; Marine Parks Centre, 1975; Sutherland and Britton, 1980).

Climate Annual temperatures vary from 26.6°C (August) to 4.4°C (February). There is 2385mm annual rainfall and occasional snowfalls. Water temperature averages 18°C or more.

Vegetation The coastal woodland is dominated by black pine Pinus thunbergii, Neolitsea (Machilus) thunbergii and Pittosporum tobira (Sutherland and Britton, 1975; NCB, 1985). Marine vegetation is temperate with flourishing Sargassum patens and S. serratifolium, Ulva pertusa, Dictyota dichotoma, Grateloupia filicina, Acrosorium flabellatum and Cladophora japonica (Marine Parks Centre, 1975).

Fauna Characteristic species include Japanese macaque Macaca fuscata, Temminck's cormorant Phalacrocorax filamentosus, highly threatened local race of white stork Ciconia ciconia boyciana and red-rumped swallow Hirundo daurica (IUCN, 1975). The marine fauna includes temperate fish such as Chromis notatus, Girella punctata, Pterogobius zonoleucus, Ditrema temmincki and various Labridae. Invertebrates include sea anemones, starfish and sponges such as Solanderia secunda, Euplexaura erecta, Aglaophenia whiteleggei and Comanthus japonica (Marine Parks Centre, 1975).

Cultural Heritage Myths and legends of the ancient Izumo tribe persist in the Sanin Kaigon area (Sutherland and Britton, 1980).

Local Human Population Tottori is a market centre for timber, rice and fruit orchards, as well as being a renowned holiday resort. Nearby Kasumi is noted for its fishing industry.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities Annual visitation of 6.32 million people with up to 900,000 to the Marine Park Areas (IUCN, 1975). Facilities include hotels, inns, picnic grounds, nature trails, access roads, sightseeing boats, glass-bottomed boats (at Toyooka, Hamasaka and Uradome Kaigna Marine Park Area) sand dune skiing and a National Vacation Village. Other facilities include a Folk Art Museum at Tottori (Sutherland and Britton, 1980).

Scientific Research and Facilities Studies of vegetation have been undertaken by the Environment Agency (IUCN, 1975).

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management No information

Management Constraints The coastal area and the Koyama and Togo lakes are extensively fished (Sutherland and Britton, 1980).

Staff There is a total of at least 11 staff, one full-time ranger (Environment Agency), 10 seasonal patrol men (Hyogo and Tottori Prefectural Governments) (IUCN, 1975).

Budget In the mid 1970s there was support from the annual allocation by the Environment Agency to the National Parks (US$700,000); US$9,000 per annum from Hyogo and Tottori Prefectural Governments (IUCN, 1975).

Local Addresses

Takeno Ranger Office, Environment Agency, Takeno Kaigan, Takeno, Hyogo.

References

Anon. (1963). Scientific Report of Sanin Kaigan National Park (in Japanese) Hyogo Precture.

Anon. (1966). Research Report on underwater and sea caves of Hamasaka Kaigan (in Japanese). Hamandaka-cho. 31 pp., with maps and figures.

Anon. (1970). Report on Marine Parks in Tottori Prefecture (in Japanese). Tottori Prefecture. 83 pp., with maps and figures.

Anon. (1970). Report on Marine Parks in Hyogo Tajimakaigan (in Japanese). Hyogo Prefecture. 40 pp., with figures.

Anon. (1970). Scientific Report on the Marine Park in Sanin Kaigan National Park (in Japanese). Hyogo and Tottori Prefectural Governments.

IUCN (1975). World Directory of National Parks and other protected areas. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Marine Parks Centre (1975). Marine Parks of Japan. Marine Parks Centre of Japan, Tokyo.

Nature Conservation Bureau (1985). Nature Conservation Administration in Japan. Environment Agency, Tokyo.

Sutherland, M. and Britton, D. (1980). National Parks of Japan. Kodansha Internatioal Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.

Date June 1987

1320V