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林野庁

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  • Shichirimihama
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  • Shichirimihama (Mihama Town)
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  • Hama-kaido Route―a Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route along the sea
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  • Leopard plant cluster
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  • Onigajo
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  • Hana no Iwaya-jinja Shrine
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  • Kiho Town Sea Turtle Park
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  • Shishi Iwa (Lion Rock)
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  • Sunset at Shichirimihama Beach
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  • Shichirimihama, maintained by the efforts of local people
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Shichirimihama Recreation Forest

80.47ha

Elevation: 0–15 m

Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route where an expansive beach contrasts
with a coastal green pine forest stretching for 25 km

Newest information
CHECK
Please visit official tourism websites for the latest updates and information.
Area
Kinki Chugoku
Activities
Flower-viewing : Onigajo (Outside the forest) Birdwatching (Includes surrounding area) Picnics (lawn area/park) (Includes surrounding area) Paddling / fishing / boating (pond / lake / river) (Outside the forest) Shrine / Temple : Hana no Iwaya, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine (Outside the forest)
Overview
Geographical/topographical features
25 km-long Shichirimihama Beach, located within Yoshino-Kumano National Park on the Kii Peninsula (southern Mie Prefecture) and extending from Kumano City through Mihama Town to Kiho Town, is known as Japan's longest gravel beach. The name "Shichiri" (meaning "7 ri," where 1 ri is approximately 4 km) is said to have originated from the length of the beach.
A 120 m-wide belt of pine trees separates the beach, which is on the Kumanonada Sea, from a parallel national road and continues for a great distance. The scenery of the wide open beach, green pine groves and the Kii Mountain Range in the distance is extremely beautiful, and has been listed among Japan's top 100 white sand beaches with green pine trees and Japan's top 100 beaches.
Historical/cultural features
Kumano Kodo refers to pilgrimage routes connecting three sacred sites that have been the subject of nature worship since ancient times: Kumano Sanzan, Yoshino/Omine and Koyasan. The area encompassing these sacred sites and primeval forests was registered as a World Heritage site in 2004.
This Recreation Forest is adjacent to the Hama-kaido Route, a Kumano Kodo route that was heavily used by pilgrims during the Edo period (early 17th to late 19th century) to visit Kumano Sanzan. So many pilgrims trekked to Kumano that they resembled long rows of ants, and the phrase "ari no Kumano-mairi" (meaning "ants visiting Kumano Sanzan") later came to be used to refer to this large number of people walking in rows.
Devout worshipers visited Ise Jingu and Kumano Sanzan repeatedly. This religious practice was referred to as "Ise e nanatabi, Kumano e sando" (meaning "seven times to Ise and three times to Kumano").
The pines were planted to protect the local residents from the strong sea winds blowing from Kumanonada Sea, and they have continued to serve their purpose as a windbreak forest. In 1983, the forest was selected from more than 2,000 candidate locations as one of Japan's 100 nature spots that should be preserved into the 21st century.
Climate, flora and fauna
The climate is temperate all year round, but the area receives a relatively large amount of precipitation.
The adjacent coast is known as a spawning ground for Akaumigame (loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)).
The local community carries out activities to conserve the spawning ground and support the turtles' hatching process. Roadside Rest Area "Kiho Town Sea Turtle Park" has fish tanks with swimming loggerhead turtle and Aoumigame (green turtle (Chelonia mydas)), and offers feeding programs for visitors.
The vegetation includes Kuromatsu (Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii)) and Akamatsu (Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora)) as well as wild evergreen broad-leaved trees such as Kusunoki (camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl), Aoki (Aucuba japonica) and Hisakaki (Eurya japonica). Many trees are slanted as a result of the constant sea winds.
Attractions
The contrast between the dark-green pine groves, the deep-blue waters of the Kumanonada Sea and the wide open beach along the Shichirimihama coast creates stunning scenery.
The view from the Matsumoto-toge Pass (Kumano City) of Kumano Kodo is particularly noteworthy.
Another attractive tourist spot nearby is Hana no Iwaya-jinja Shrine, which is the tomb of Izanami-no-Mikoto (a goddess of creation and death) and which has been registered as a World Heritage site along with Kumano Kodo. It has no shrine building, but its "goshintai" (an object of worship)―a 45 m high giant rock facing the Kumanonada Sea―is extremely impressive.
The route along Shichirimihama from Kumano City to Kumano Hayatama Taisha (Shingu City) is called the "Hama-kaido Route"―part of the Kumano Kodo Ise-ji Route. It attracts a large number of tourists today.
At the same time, however, the footpath in the forest, which offers a relaxing environment with its beautiful views of the Kumanonada Sea, the coastline and the pine groves, is used by local residents throughout the year for hiking and strolling.
Other
The Shichirimihama pine groves have been losing pine trees in recent years due to damage from Matsunozaisenchu (pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner et Bnhrer) Nickle). The Shichirimihama Pine Grove Protection Council engages in activities to restore the pine groves, such as planting pine trees and cleaning the forest while inviting the participation of the general public every year.
Latest Information
Regular events
Kumano Fireworks Festival (August 17)
Warnings (Dangerous areas)
Avoid walking along the coast when the area is experiencing higher than normal waves.
Usage Guide
Entrance fee
Free
Operating hours and seasons
Accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Accommodation options
[Outside the forest]
About 10 Japanese inns and hotels, as well as some guest houses, mainly in Kumano City
Facility
Toilets and drinking fountains (Includes surrounding area) Toilet (accessible) (Outside the forest) Walking trail Parking lot (Outside the forest) Observation platform : Roadside Rest Area "Sea Turtle Park" (Outside the forest) Vending machine (Outside the forest) Shop (Outside the forest) Restaurant (Outside the forest) Free public wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) : Roadside Rest Area "Sea Turtle Park" (Outside the forest) Cultural asset (nationally designated) : Kumano Kodo,Hana no Iwaya (Includes surrounding area) Accommodation facilities (Hotels/Japanese inns) (Outside the forest)
Map
pdf
Location
Arima Town, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture; Atawa, Mihama Town / Kiho Town, Minamimuro County, Mie Prefecture
Access
(Distances and times are provided as a guide only)

Parking lot capacity / parking charges
  • ・Kumano / Hana no Iwaya: Free parking for 25 ordinary vehicles and 3 large vehicles
  • ・Park Shichirimihama: Free parking for 266 ordinary vehicles and 14 large vehicles
  • ・Kiho Town Sea Turtle Park: Free parking for 46 ordinary vehicles and 5 large vehicles
Nearby tourism facilities
  • Onigajo, Shishi Iwa (Lion Rock), Hana no Iwaya-jinja Shrine, Matsumoto-toge Pass, Roadside Rest Area "Kiho Town Sea Turtle Park" and Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine
Management office contact details
Mie District Forest Office
Information on Other Local Tourist Attractions
VISHIT HIGASHI KISHU [External link]
Official Tourist Information
Kumano City Tourism Association [External link]
Mihama Town official website [External link]
Kiho Town website [External link]
Recreation Forest Management Committee
Shichirimihama Pine Grove Protection Council
Secretariat of the Shichirimihama Pine Grove Protection Council
(in the Industry Promotion Division, Kiho Municipal Office)
TEL : 0735-33-0336
FAX:0735-32-0727
Supporters
Other

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