1.Mountains, islands, and the sea, where myths and mountain worship have long been kept alive in people's daily life

A gathering of magnificent peaks, Daisen-Oki National Park boasts the highest mountain in the Chugoku Region, Mt.Daisen, as well as majestic Mt.Senjo, Hiruzen Three Peaks, Mt.Mitoku, Mt.Sanbe, and others. The Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark and the coastal area of the Shimane Peninsula designated as a Japan Geopark add to the diverse natural scenery of the area - an inspiring mix of mountains, islands, and the sea. The area encompassing this national park has long provided a setting for myths and mountain worship. The park is thus dotted with famous historic sites related to Japanese mythology, represented by Izumo Grand Shrine (Izumo Oyashiro), while embracing Mt.Daisen and Mt.Mitoku, which were established as sacred mountains for ascetic practices about 1,300 years ago. Local people still perform many traditional rituals and festivals. Their lifestyles, which have long been handed down together with myths and mountain worship, remain in harmony with the natural landscapes of mountains, islands, and the sea. The truly unique appeal of Daisen-Oki National Park is that you can experience primordial Japanese lifestyles there while enjoying a wide variety of outdoor activities in the mountains, islands, and se1.
2. San'inkaigan National Park
The San'inkaigan National Park comprises approx. 75 km of coastline stretching from Kyotango City, Kyoto Prefecture, in the west to Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. The coastline is a ria coast (submergent coast) where the mountains connect to the ocean; it is characterized by its richly varying coastal landscape comprising landforms of sea cliffs, sea caves, and reefs that have developed significantly and merge with the ocean area. Another characteristic is the expansive sand dune landscape, represented by the Tottori Sand Dunes, that have been formed through wave erosion and by sand carried from river mouths. In this way, unique landforms can be seen throughout the national park, and because these landforms comprise various types of rocks, the park is also referred to as the "Geological Park" or "Beautiful Rock Park."
With the San'inkaigan National Park at its center, the San'inkaigan Geopark was admitted into the Global Geoparks Network in 2010, recognizing the global importance also of the San'inkaigan Coastline.