Contents
Chapter 1 Foundations of the Plans
1

What is a UNESCO Global Geopark? ･････････････････････････････････････････3

2

The Purpose of the Revised Plans････････････････････････････････････････････4

3

Past Achievements and Outstanding Issues･･･････････････････････････････････5

4Period of the Plans･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････8

5

The Izu Peninsula Geopark and the SDGs･････････････････････････････････････8

Chapter 2 Overview of the Izu Peninsula Geopark1

The Name of the Izu Peninsula Geopark･･･････････････････････････････････････9

2

The Location of the Izu Peninsula Geopark････････････････････････････････････9

3

The Area of the Izu Peninsula Geopark･･･････････････････････････････････････10

4

Overview of the Geology of the Izu Peninsula Geopark････････････････････････10

5The Natural Geography of the Izu Peninsula Geopark･････････････････････････12

6The Human and Cultural Geography of the Izu Peninsula･･････････････････････12

Chapter 3 Sites of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
1

Reclassification of Sites････････････････････････････････････････････････････16

2

Site Distribution Map･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････17

3Site List･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････18

4

Representative Geosites････････････････････････････････････････････････････21

5

Representative Cultural Sites･･･････････････････････････････････････････････22

6

Representative Ecological Sites･････････････････････････････････････････････23

7

Representative Lookout Site････････････････････････････････････････････････24

8

Representative Disaster Site････････････････････････････････････････････････25

9Authors and Izu････････････････････････････････････････････････････････････26

10Intangible Cultural Assets･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････26

Chapter 4 The Izu Peninsula Geopark Vision1

Forward to a Shining Future with the Izu Peninsula･･･････････････････････････29

2

The Ideal Form of the Izu Peninsula Geopark･････････････････････････････････29

Chapter 5 Activity Policy and Action Plans
1

Research and Conservation･････････････････････････････････････････････････30

1

2

Educational Activities･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････37

3

Tourism & Local Development･･････････････････････････････････････････････42

4Disaster Risk Reduction････････････････････････････････････････････････････47

5

Strengthening Management Structures･･････････････････････････････････････50

6

Networks and Partnerships･････････････････････････････････････････････････56

7

Publicity and Information Strategy ･･････････････････････････････････････････61

Chapter 6 Activities & Evaluation
1

Basic Principles of Activity Evaluation･･･････････････････････････････････････69

2

Evaluation by the JGC and UNESCO･････････････････････････････････････････69

3

Global Geoparks Network Annual Report･････････････････････････････････････69

4

Revalidation by UNESCO (Once in 4 Years)･･･････････････････････････････････69

5

Assessment by Users･･･････････････････････････････････････････････････････70

6

Measuring the Results of Sustainable Tourism ･･･････････････････････････････70

Documentary Appendix
Inventory of the cultural heritage which protected by cultural property designation
Inventory of the natural heritage which protected by natural monument designation
Inventory of National Park designation protection

2

Chapter 1 Foundation of the Plans
1. What is a UNESCO Global Geopark- Celebrating Earth Heritage, Sustaining Local Communities –In 2004, the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) was founded with the support of
UNESCO. The GGN exists to allow regions recognized within the UNESCO Global
Geoparks Network to share information and operational know-how. At the UNESCO
General Conference in November 2015, geoparks became an official UNESCO program,
under the management of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences. As of April
2021, 169 Geoparks in 44 countries, centered on Europe and China, are recognized as
UNESCO Global Geoparks.
UNESCO Global Geoparks aim to promote sustainable development and theharmonious coexistence of humans and nature. They do this by protecting geological
heritage of international significance, deepening the understanding of naturalenvironments and local cultures linked to that heritage, and promoting scientificresearch, education, and local development. The program is carried out as part of theInternational Geoscience and Geoparks program, and applies the following criteria forthe recognition of geoparks.

CRITERIA FOR UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARKS(i) UNESCO Global Geoparks must be single, unified geographical areas where sites
and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic
concept of protection, education, research and sustainable development. A
UNESCO Global Geopark must have a clearly defined border, be of adequate size
to fulfil its functions and contain geological heritage of international significanceas independently verified by scientific professionals.
(ii) UNESCO Global Geoparks should use that heritage, in connection with all otheraspects of that area’s natural and cultural heritage, to promote awareness of key
issues facing society in the context of the dynamic planet we all live on, including
but not limited to increasing knowledge and understanding of: geoprocesses;
geohazards; climate change; the need for the sustainable use of Earth’s natural
resources; the evolution of life and the empowerment of indigenous peoples.
3

(iii) UNESCO Global Geoparks should be areas with a management body having legal
existence recognized under national legislation. The management bodies should beappropriately equipped to adequately address the area of the UNESCO Global
Geopark in its entirety.
(iv) In the case where an applying area overlaps with another UNESCO designatedsite, such as a World Heritage Site or Biosphere Reserve, the request must be clearlyjustified and evidence must be provided for how UNESCO Global Geopark statuswill add value by being both independently branded and in synergy with the otherdesignations.
(v) UNESCO Global Geoparks should actively involve local communities andindigenous peoples as key stakeholders in the Geopark. In partnership with local
communities, a co-management plan needs to be drafted and implemented thatprovides for the social and economic needs of local populations, protects thelandscape in which they live and conserves their cultural identity. It is
recommended that all relevant local and regional actors and authorities be
represented in the management of a UNESCO Global Geopark. Local andindigenous knowledge, practice and management systems should be included,
alongside science, in the planning and management of the area.
(vi) UNESCO Global Geoparks are encouraged to share their experience and advice
and to undertake joint projects within the GGN. Membership of GGN is obligatory.
(vii) A UNESCO Global Geopark must respect local and national laws relating to theprotection of geological heritage. The defining geological heritage sites within a
UNESCO Global Geopark must be legally protected in advance of any application.
(viii) These criteria are verified through checklists for evaluation and revalidation.

2. The Purpose of the Revised Plans
When Global Geoparks became an official UNESCO program in November 2015,
ahead of the Izu Peninsula Geopark’s global designation, appropriate goals for Global
Geoparks were set out.
4

The Izu Peninsula Geopark is revising its Master Plan in order to reaffirm thesignificance of being part of a UNESCO program, and to establish policies for its
continuing activities as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The specific goals of the revision
are as follows.
1)

To clearly set out the importance of being part of a UNESCO program and the
purposes of a Geopark, and explicitly specify the basic principles through which
the Izu Peninsula Geopark acts in accordance with the goals and significance of
UNESCO Global Geoparks. It will provide general guidelines for the basic
principles and policies through which we will seek the sustainable developmentof the region.

2)

To serve as a strategy document clearly describing the activities through which
we will get the understanding and support not only of local communities andbusinesses, but also of tourists and other visitors, and of anyone with an interestin the rich nature, culture, and history of the Izu Peninsula. It will systematicallydescribe the activities of the Geopark across a variety of fields and groups.

3)

To outline a plan by which the bodies that compose the Izu Peninsula Geopark
Promotion Council (private sector bodies, 15 municipalities, Shizuoka Prefecture)
will share an understanding of how the Geopark’s activities are managed, and of
how the prefecture, municipalities, businesses, and local communities can takethe initiative in these activities while feeling pride in the wonders of the Izu
Peninsula, as both residents and visitors contribute to the revitalization of theregion through the Geopark’s activities.

3. Past Achievements and Outstanding Issues
The Izu Peninsula Geopark began working towards gaining the status of a Global
Geopark based on a Master Plan and Action Plan formulated in the 2013 fiscal year.
We trained geoguides and promoted geotourism, and published pamphlets to make theattractions of the geopark easily accessible to visitors. We also established a central
facility and set up information boards around the area. By offering opportunities tostudy the geopark, we encouraged the development of commitment to the local area.
As a result of this range of activities in the local area, the Izu Peninsula Geopark was,5

in 2018, designated the ninth UNESCO Global Geopark in Japan.
The investigative report issued by the Japan Geopark Committee in autumn 2020
drew attention to a number of achievements. They approved of our plan to gain
corporate status for the Promotion Council through a merger with The Izu Peninsula
Tourist Bureau (a general incorporated association under Japanese law). They also
praised our work with licensed geoguides, who are active in education, themanagement of facilities, and the promotion of Geopark activities in the region as aresult of the training we have offered. The report also spoke highly of the geotours
available without advance reservation at Dougashima, Cape Iro, Joren Falls, andother areas, and of the measures taken to ensure that people could fully enjoy thegeopark no matter what their level of background knowledge. Looking at our facilities,
they also noted that, in addition to the GEORIA central facility, the fifteen visitor
centers established as activity hubs in the various municipalities were playing animportant role in raising awareness of the geopark across the whole region.
The report also drew attention to a number of issues that need action in the future.
They pointed to the need to revise the Master Plan and Action Plan to support
sustainable development through the geopark’s activities, and to strengthen
collaborative activities with the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces, a UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage Site. The report also recommended the promotion of geopark-based
educational programs across the whole region, and co-operative activities through apartnership strategy and the conclusion of collaboration agreements. Internally, theypushed for the improvement of the exhibits at GEORIA, and for strengthened cooperation between that facility, AmaGEO, and the fifteen visitor centers. Finally, theycalled on us to improve our gender balance.
Since it began its activities, the Izu Peninsula Geopark has engaged in a wide rangeof programs to make the most of the unique features of each area in cooperation withlocal communities, schools and private corporations. Today, we are still involved inmany activities driven by the initiative of local communities, such as the cooperation
between the Promotion Council and the Izu Peninsula Geoguide Association. Thisgeopark’s greatest attractions are its people and the diversity of its regions. It covers
fifteen municipalities and 2027 km2 (of which 1585 km2 are on land), and so we face
the responsibility of bringing all areas and groups together in comprehensive activities
that promote the sustainable development of the region in accordance with the UN’s
SDGs, and nurture the distinctive characteristics of each locality. We hope that,6

Timeline of Geopark Activities
Feb 2010
Mar 2011
Jun 2011
Jul 2011
Oct 2011
Apr 2012
Aug 2012
Aug 2012
Sep 2012
Oct 2013
Dec 2013
Dec 2013
Jan 2014
Mar 2014
Jun 2014
Jul 2015
Aug 2015
Sep 2015
Nov 2015
Dec 2015
Apr 2016
Oct 2016
Nov 2016
Jul 2017
Jul 2017
Feb 2018
Apr 2018
Jun 2018
Dec 2018
Apr 2019
Jul 2019
Oct 2019
Nov 2019
Sep 2020
Nov 2020
Mar 2021

A meeting of 12 heads of municipalities in the Izu Peninsula agrees to promote
the “Izu Peninsula Geopark Plan”
Founding General Meeting of the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council
First geoguide training course held (Held roughly once every two years)
Official website established to distribute information
Geo Course held at Tsukigase elementary school, Izu City (Geo Courses are held
at elementary and junior and senior high schools across the region over thefollowing years, up to the present)
Applies to join Japan Geopark Network
Izu GeoTest first held (subsequently held every year)
Izu Peninsula Geoguide Association founded
Admitted to Japan Geopark Network
Application to expand area by admitting Nagaizumi Town and Shimizu Town
submitted
Japan Geopark Committee approves the expansion (15 municipalities make up
the Geopark)
Begin work on Master Plan. Carry out a web questionnaire for residents of the
15 municipalities
Workshop on the future shape of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
Submit application dossier to World Geopark Network
Izu Peninsula Geopark Master Plan and Action Plan finalized
Field evaluation by World Geopark Network
Corporate supporter and geosupporter systems established
Admission to World Geopark Network deferred
Geoparks designated an official UNESCO program
Survey on public awareness of Izu Peninsula Geopark
GEORIA, the central facility of the Izu Peninsula Geopark, opens
7th Japan Geopark Network Izu Peninsula Conference held
Submit application dossier for designation as a Global Geopark to UNESCO
UNESCO field evaluation as a Global Geopark
Geopark Children’s Picture Contest held for elementary and junior high school
students
First GeoCafé (held regularly thereafter)
Izu Peninsula Geopark designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark
Work begins on “Overall Concept for Promoting Ecotourism”
Symposium held to mark designation as a UNESCO Global Geopark
Collaborative research facility AmaGEO established with Shizuoka University
Izu Bay Seafloor Eruption 30th Anniversary Symposium held
Sumo Local Tournament Izu Geopark (cancelled due to typhoon)
MoU on mutual cooperation signed with Chiletuh-Parabuhanratu UNESCO
Global Geopark in Indonesia
Long term partnership agreement signed with Shizuoka Gas Group
Opening of a joint special exhibition with Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
10th anniversary of Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council

7

through this revision of our Master Plan, we will be able to move forward with local
residents and other groups.

4. Period of the Plans
The Master Plan and Action Plan make clear the future direction of the Izu
Peninsula Geopark. The plans will constitute guidelines for the comprehensive andconnected development of the Geopark while further deepening cooperation between
the residents, educational institutions, civic groups, regional groups, privatecompanies, and municipal governments of the Izu Peninsula. The two plans further
set out a unified long-term vision for the community of the Izu Peninsula, and are seen
as core strategic activities within the “Izu Peninsula Grand Design”, which sets out astrategic vision for resolving short and medium term problems and bringing increased
prosperity to the region. The Master Plan and Action Plan are both five-year plans,from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2025, based on a vision of what the Izu Peninsula
should look like in ten years’ time. The Action Plan will be revised as necessary toensure that it remains appropriate to society’s needs and in accordance with theapplicable laws.

5. The Izu Peninsula Geopark and the SDGs
The Izu Peninsula UNESCO Global Geopark aims to be a sustainable region inwhich people will want to put down roots, band which people will always want to visit.
These
plans

revisedaim

tocontribute to theachievement of theSDGs

throughengagement

with

concrete targets forsustainable
development.

Fig.1-1 Achievements of SDGs’ Goals

8

Chapter 2 Overview of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
1. The Name of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
The unique characteristics of the Izu Peninsula were created by the collision ofsubmarine volcanoes, moving north on the Philippine Sea Plate, with the island of
Honshu, and the related vulcanism and crustal movement. This geopark aims tosustainably revitalize the region, and ensure that the rich natural environment,
culture, history, industries, towns, and people remain for the next generation. For thisreason, the geopark has adopted the name “Izu Peninsula Geopark” and is active as
one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.

2. The Location of the Izu Peninsula Geopark

The Izu Peninsula is located between thelatitudes of 34º 32’ 42.4” and 35º 13’ 16.3”
north, and longitudes 138º 42’ 18” and 139º
12’ 32.4” east, 100 km WSW of Tokyo. By
train, it takes about 40 minutes from Tokyo,

Fig. 2-1 Locality and territory of
Izu Peninsula Geoparkand about one hour from Haneda airport.
The geopark’s extent is defined as the land area of the 15 constituent municipalities(Atami City, Ito City, Izu City, Izunokuni City, Mishima City, Numazu City, Shimoda
City, Higashiizu Town, Kannami Town, Kawazu Town, Matsuzaki Town, Minamiizu
Town, Nagaizumi Town, Nishiizu Town, Shimizu Town) and the sea to a distance of 3km from the coast, while its northern boundary is defined by the boundaries of themunicipalities. Two inhabited islands, Hatsushima Island (Atami City) and thesouthernmost point of the geopark, Mikomoto Island (Shimoda City) are also included.
(See Fig. 2-1)
9

3. The Area of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
The surface area of the geopark is about 2027 km2, of which about 1585 km2 is on
land. This area is almost identical with both the “Izu” defined by the geological zoneof the impact of the Philippine Sea Plate with Honshu, and the “Izu” defined as acultural and tourist area.

4. Overview of the Geology of the Izu Peninsula Geopark

Fig. 2-2 Geological history of Izu Peninsula

4-1 Volcanic Islands from the SouthThe unique geology of the Izu Peninsula
arises from its status as the only part ofHonshu on the Philippine Sea Plate, and its
origin as a chain of volcanic islands. A rangeof evidence allows us to trace this process. The
eruptions of submarine volcanoes that formed
most of the rocks of the peninsula were largely
completed by two million years ago, and thestrata formed by the accumulation of volcanic

Fig. 2-3 Plates configuration in the vicinityof Japanese Archipelago

ash and lava can mainly be seen in the southof the peninsula. The fossils found in those strata are of shellfish and corals that livein the warm waters of the southern seas, showing that Izu was, at this time, far southof its current location, and that it moved north with the plate.
4-2 A Museum of Volcanoes
The past 20 million years of repeated volcanic
activity that formed the Izu Peninsula havemade it into a natural museum of volcanoes. It
is one of the few places in the world where crosssectionsofsubmarine

pillowlavas

andaccumulations of volcanic ash can be seen on
land. It is also the only location in Japan both
10Fig. 2-4 Omuroyama Volcano

polygenetic and an independent group of monogenetic
volcanoes can be seen in the same area, and the activityof differing types of volcano has created a landscape richin variety. Among these, the monogenetic volcanoes ofthe eastern Izu volcano group, such as Omuroyama
Volcano and the Jogasaki Coast, are emblematic of the
Izu Peninsula. There are dozens of small volcanoes,
mainly in the eastern region of the peninsula. The scoria
cone of Omuroyama and the maar of Lake Ippeki do not
merely teach the mechanisms of vulcanism, they are also
treasured for their glorious scenery.
The high temperatures generated by volcanic activity

Fig. 2-5 Mine Geyser

have blessed Izu with ore deposits and hot springs. The gold and silver of the Toi Gold
Mine and the silica stone of the Ugusu Mine are famous, but gold, silver, copper, andmanganese were also found across the peninsula. The Izu Peninsula also includes
famous hot springs, such as the Atami and Ito hot springs. These hot springs areformed when underground water is heated by the remnant heat of magma.
4-3 Diversity of Geomorphology Resulting from the Collision
The global uniqueness of the Izu
Peninsula is found in the ongoingcollision of two active volcanic arcs.
This has formed many active faults
through crustal deformation, andrepeated earthquakes, such as the1930 Kitaizu earthquake, and the
1974

Izu

Peninsula

earthquake,

have caused a lot of damage. Further,as both the east and west sides of theFig. 2-6 Surface displacement along Tanna Fault

peninsula are plate subduction zones, a major earthquake strikes the area every one
or two centuries, and the coastal regions have been struck by tsunami many times.
The Geopark has designated sites such as the Tanna Fault Park as “Disaster sites”, toensure that future generations remember what happened.

11

5. The Natural Geography of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
A number of plants, ecosystems, and wild animals in the Izu Peninsula areregistered on the national list of natural monuments: 11 by the nation, 32 by theprefecture, and 63 by the municipalities.
As the Kuroshio warm current flows along the coast of the Izu Peninsula, it is warm
for its 35º latitude. For example, its southern tip, Cape Iro, has an average annual
temperature of 16.6ºC (1981–2010). This means that the peninsula is the northernedge of the range of many plants that live in the warm temperate zone. The juniper
forest at Cape Ose in Numazu City has outstanding value by their ancient community,
and the peninsula is also the northern limit for many ferns.
On the other hand, the central Mt Amagi mountain range has an average annual
rainfall of 4000 mm, and supports a diverse natural environment. The beech forests
found on the ridges are a Special Protection Area within the National Park. Similarly,
a beech forest in Kannami Town is preserved as an old-growth forest that has not been
logged for centuries. During the ice age, when temperatures were six to seven degrees
lower than today, beech forests covered the peninsula, but as the temperature rosethey retreated areas of high elevation, like Mt Amagi and Kannami Town, creating
relict old growth forests.
The sea also displays the special characteristics of the Izu Peninsula. Uchiura Bay
in Numazu City is the northern limit of the range of staghorn coral, while many deepsea fish live in the subduction zone in Suruga Bay, along with the world’s largest
arthropod, the giant crab.

Fig. 2-7 Juniper forest in Cape Ose

Fig. 2-8 Primeval beech forest at Mt. Amagi

6. The Human and Cultural Geography of the Izu Peninsula
6-1 Population

12

The total population of the 15

Table 2-1 Population and number of households in Izu
Peninsula Geopark territory by municipal

municipalities composing the Izu
Peninsula Geopark is 667,000, in

Numazu City
Atami City
Mishima City
Ito City
Shimoda City
Izu City
Izunokuni City
Higashiizu
KawazuMinamiizu
Matsuzaki
Nishiizu
KannamiShimizu
Nagaizumi
Total in Izu
Peninsular Geopark

312,000 households. (see Table 21) The population is characterizedbyaconcentration

in

the

urbanized plains of the northern
region,andacentralandsouthern region where mountains
and coast limit the area suitable
for residential use. While thepopulation of Nagaizumi Town isincreasing, the populations of all
the

other

municipalities

arePopulation
195,039
36,848109,965
68,861
21,49230,678
48,686
12,162
7,228
8,268
6,602
7,872
37,77232,51043,523
667,456

Household91,624
21,49649,14535,292
10,786
13.39021,234
6,221
3,325
3,904
2,976
3,787
16,266
14,02318,199311,656

falling. Nishiizu Town has thehighest proportion of the elderly, at 48.5%, followed by Atami City (45.5%) andMinamiizu Town (44.1%), much higher than the average for Shizuoka Prefecture(28.2%).
Table 2-2 Number of employee by industries in the municipals in the Izu Peninsula Geopark territory

Numazu City
Atami City
Mishima City
Ito City
Shimoda City
Izu City
Izunokuni City
Higashi-Izu
KawazuMinami-Izu
Matsuzaki
Nishi-Izu
KannamiShimizu
Nagaizum

Total

Primary Sector

Secondary

SectorTertiary Sector

Unclassified

NumberNumber

Ratio(％)

Number

Ratio（％）

Number

Ratio（％）

NumberRatio（％）

96,826
16,56654,29030,836
10,453
15,79824,009
6,243
3,598
3,620
3,126
3,616
18,336
16,17421,098

2,516
265
1,240
789
568
1,197
1,433
510
469
344
222
189
688
166
421

2.6
1.6
2.3
2.6
5.4
7.6
6.0
8.2
13.0
9.5
7.1
5.2
3.8
1.0
2.0

28,7392,045
14,532
3,966
1,349
3,539
6,043
692
486
468
531
683
5,080
4,952
7,107

29.7
12.3
26.8
12.9
12.9
22.4
25.2
11.1
13.5
12.9
17.0
18.9
27.7
30.6
33.7

60,766
14,12036,726
24,762
8,395
10,78615,925
5,022
2,639
2,794
2,350
2,741
12,344
10,452
12,622

62.8
85.2
67.6
80.3
80.3
68.3
66.3
80.4
73.3
77.2
75.2
75.8
67.3
64.6
59.8

4,805
136
1,792
1,319
141
276
608
19
4
14
23
3
224
604
942

5.0
0.8
3.3
4.3
1.3
1.7
2.5
0.3
0.1
0.4
0.7
0.1
1.2
3.7
4.5

6-2 Economy and Industry
If we look at the economy of the Izu Peninsula as a whole, it is dependent on services,13but the northern area differs from the central and southern areas in detail.
Manufacturing industry, for artificial fibers, paper and pulp, and electrical appliances,
and an urban economy have developed in the northern region, while the central andsouthern regions are dominated by tertiary industries, particularly medicine, social
care, and tourism.
Table 2-2 shows the number of people employed in different sectors by municipality.
As we can see, secondary industries employ 29.2% of the population, about 60,000
people, in the five northern municipalities (Numazu City, Mishima City, Kannami
Town, Shimizu Town, and Nagaizumi Town), while in the other eleven municipalities
they only account for about 16.8%, 20,000 people. The national average is 25%,
indicating that manufacturing industry is well-developed in the northern region.
Employment in the tertiary sector is 85.2% in Atami City, 80.4% in Higashiizu Town,
and 80.3% in Ito City and Shimoda City, higher than the national average of 71.0%.
6-3 Tourism
The Izu Peninsula is a tourist destination visited by about 40 million people per year,
and it is a popular destination for short trips among people living in the Greater Tokyo
area. If we look at trends in the number of overnight stays, we see that the peak wasaround 20 million people in 1991, falling to a low of around 9.8 million in 2008, after
which there was a slow climb to around 11 million in 2017. According to the “Surveyof Tourist Movement and Satisfaction in Shizuoka Prefecture, FY 2018”, 63.7% of
tourists in the Izu Peninsula came from the the Greater Tokyo Area in their own cars.
If we look at how much an individual tourist spends, transport, accommodation, food,and shopping take up a high proportion, while entrance fees and other expenditures
are relatively low.
6-4 Agriculture and Forestry
The Izu Peninsula is mountainous, and outside the northern Tagata plain, few areas
are suited to rice agriculture, but the areas do have their own agricultural specialties.
The volcanic ash of the Hakone Volcano SW slope is suited to root vegetables andwatermelons, which are sold as premium products. The sea-facing slopes of thenorthern part of the peninsula are used to grow citrus fruits. Dairy farming ispracticed in the Tanna Valley and Nishiamagi highland. Ornamental flowers aregrown in the warm climate, and the heat of hot springs is used to raise melons. Mt
14

Amagi is blessed with a lot of ground water, and the Tatamiishi (piled stones) style ofwasabi agriculture that was developed 130 years ago is still practiced. As the method
does not rely on fertilizers or agrochemicals, it was registered as the Globally
Important Agricultural Heritage System “Traditional WASABI Cultivation in
Shizuoka” in 2018. Representative sites have been registered as ecological sites within
the geopark, due to their distinctive appearance.
The Izu Peninsular, sandwiched between the Suruga and Sagami Bay subduction
zones, is blessed with a wide variety of fish close to the coast. Heda port town inNumazu City on the west coast is a base for fishing for giant crabs, while red snapper,
which lives at depths of over 200 m, is caught off the east coast. In addition, seaweed
is gathered off the coast, and the area is one of the main centers in Japan for the
manufacture of agar-agar.
6-5 History
Evidence for human occupation of the Izu Peninsula goes back 37,000 years to the
middle paleolithic. Hunter-gatherer sites dating from the paleolithic to the Jomon
period are found at the foot of Mt Ashitaka and the western foothills of Hakone, and agreat deal of obsidian from Kozu Island has been found. The Kashiya and Ema Cave
Tombs are important remains from the Kofun (tumulus) period (4th to 8th centuries
CE). In the Asuka period of the 7th century, the Jori grid system was applied to theland around Mishima and Numazu, and the layout of agricultural land and roads in
the Tagata plain still follows those lines today. The founder of the Kamakura
Shogunate, Minamoto Yoritomo, was exiled to Izu after the Heiji Rebellion of 1160,
and started his rise to power there, and the Shimoda Treaty between the US and Japanthat marked the opening of the country in the mid 19th century was signed in Izu.
Many historical sites survive, such as Hirugakojima, where Yoritomo is said to havespent 20 years, Ganjojuin Temple, the birthplace of his wife, Hojo Masako, Nirayama
reverberatory furnace, where artillery was made in the mid 19th century and which islargely intact today, and Gyokusenji Temple, the site of the first US consulate in Japan.

15Chapter 3 Sites of the Izu Peninsula Geopark
1. Reclassification of Sites
Previously, we used a hierarchical classification, from Izu Peninsula Geopark to
Area to Geosite to Geopoint. In 2019, we abandoned this classification, and, in linewith the UNESCO Global Geopark standard, organized the resources of the Geopark
simply as “sites”. The basic types of site are “Geosite”, “Ecological site”, and “Culturalsite”, but as it is not possible to account for all of the sites in the Izu Peninsula Geoparkin these categories, we added three additional classifications: Lookout site, Disastersite, and Research site. Research sites are registered to record sites at which academic
research has been carried out, and it is not intended that they should be used or opened
to the public. Further, we are in the process of reevaluating the use, preservation andimportance of the sites, and intend to complete this reevaluation in the medium term.
GeositeEcological site

Sites whose main value is geological or geomorphologicalSites whose main value is biological. Plant communities etc. UNESCO
Standard
May include sites with no connection to geology
Categories
Sites whose main value is cultural. Temples, landscapes,
Cultural Siteetc. May include sites with no connection to geology
The site itself has no particular value, but it has value as a
Lookout Site
Additional
viewpoint
Categories
Sites
connected
todisasters.
Disasterscars,
Disaster Sitecommemorative monuments, disaster mitigation facilities
Has academic value, but access and comprehension are
Research Sitedifficult. Not open to the public in general
In some cases, sites share features of several categories (Compound Sites)

Site TypeSite Numbers
94
18
5
13
13
93

GeositeCultural Site
Ecological Site
Lookout Site
Disaster Site
Research Site

Compound Sites

Geo/Disaster
Geo/Ecological
Geo/Ecological/Cultural
Geo/Ecological/Cultural/Disaster
Geo/Ecological/Cultural/Lookout
Geo/Lookout
Geo/Cultural
Lookout/Ecological
Lookout/Cultural
Cultural/Disaster/Lookout

1
12
1
1
1
1
11
1
1
1
Total:
Sites including “Geo” (so-called Geosites)

16

31

275
122

2. Site Distribution Map

17

3. Site List

18

19

20

4. Representative Gesites Dougashima: Submarine Volcano
The Shirahama Group of strata (from 10 to 2Ma) were formed by submarine eruptions inshallow seas around the volcanic arc. They overlie
the Yugashima Group (from 15 to 11 Ma) and arecharacterized by a variety of facies that record theeruptions of submarine volcanoes.
In the area around Dougashima in Nishiizu
Town, the coastal cliffs show continuous strata ofFig. 3-1 Dougashima

submarine debris flows associated with eruptions, strata of pumice and volcanic ashthat settled on top of them, and hyaloclastite, which flowed along the seabed. The
period of the eruptions, the stratigraphy, and the sedimentary environment have been
determined, and so a lot of international research on submarine eruptions andsedimentation mode has been done here. On the southern coast of Dougashima theupper layer of the submarine debris flow merges into cross-bedded tuff, demonstratingthat it was part of a single volcanic event. These strata also include volcanic bombswith chilled margins. These favorable research conditions contributed to the formationof

initialtheoriesofexplosive

submarine

eruptions.
Omuro Volcano: An Active Monogenetic
Volcano Group
After colliding with Honshu and becoming apeninsula, eruptions that formed large terrestrial
volcanoes continued. However, about 150,000

Fig. 3-2 Omuro Volcano

years ago, an independent monogenetic volcanogroup, the Eastern Izu Volcano Group, became
active. Such volcano groups are unusual in theJapanese archipelago, and this one is still active
today.
Omuro Volcano is the largest scoria cone in the
Eastern Izu Volcano Group, and was formed in an
eruption about 4,000 years ago. From its peak,
you can look out over Ito City and see the many
21

Fig. 3-3 Omuro Volcano and Jogasaki C.

volcanoes and the landscape produced by their ejecta, allowing you to feel how
widespread the monogenetic volcano group is. The eruption of Omuro Volcano
produced a large volume of lava, creating the gentle slopes of the Izu highlands, andthe complex forms of the Jogasaki Coast where it reached the sea. The beautiful
upturned-bowl shape of Omuro Volcano has been preserved by an annual burning ofvegetation, and the whole volcano is a nationally designated natural monument.
The Tanna Fault: Continuing Crustal Deformation and Active Faults
After the collision of Izu with Honshu, thenorth-south compression of the peninsula drove
crustal deformation across the whole region. As aresult, many active faults developed, and some ofthem have given rise to earthquakes of M6 to 7 inrecorded history. In the early hours of November
26th, 1930, strike-slip faulting of about 2 moccurred along the existing Tanna Fault, giving

Fig. 3-4 Lateral displacement along
the Tanna Fault

rise to the M7.3 Kitaizu Earthquake. The total
displacement of the Tanna Fault has added up to about 1 km horizontally and about
100 m vertically.
At the Tanna Fault, which caused the Kitaizu Earthquake and its southwesternextension, and at the Himenoyu Fault to the southeast, the horizontal slip at thesurface is still visible, and the Tanna Fault Park is a nationally designated naturalmonument. A pioneering trench survey revealed evidence of repeated faulting,inspiring global faulting research.

5. Representative Cultural Sites
World Heritage Site: Part of “Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron andSteel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining” – Nirayama Reverberatory Furnaces
Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2015 aspart of “Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and
Coal Mining”, and designated as a cultural site in the Geopark in 2020. It was afoundation stone of Japan’s modernization, and is the only surviving reverberatory

22

furnace in Japan that actually cast artillery.
Reverberatory furnaces are melting furnaces thatconvert pig iron into high-quality iron. The molten
iron is poured into molds to create artillery pieces.
The furnace was constructed in the mid 19th century
at the urging of Egawa Hidetatsu, who was the
Nirayama Governor and the officer responsible forthe coastal defense of Edo (now Tokyo.) The furnace
was used to cast guns for the Shinagawa

Fig. 3-5 Nirayama Reverberatory
Furnaces, World Heritage Siteemplacement.
Shuzenji Hot Spring Town: Hot Spring Culture of the Izu Peninsula
The Izu Peninsula is blessed with many hot
springs, and many tourists come to enjoy them.
Shuzenji is one such destination, and one of the
few locations in the Izu Peninsula where a hot
spring town has grown up. The town contains
many important historical locations, such as
Shuzenji Temple, from which it takes its name,Fig. 3-6 Shuzenji Hotspring TownscapeTokko-no-yu hot spring, which is said to have been discovered by the eminent Buddhist
monk Kukai in 807, a single outdoor bath, Hakoyu public bath, Hie Jinja andShigetsudo, which are connected to a tragedy of the Minamoto clan, and a Russian
Orthodox Church. It also has many connections to authors, such as Natsume Soseki,Izumi Kyoka, and Akutagawa Ryunosuke, all important figures of the late 19th andearly 20th centuries, who all enjoyed long stays in this hotspring.

6. Representative Ecological Sites
Wasabi Terraces in the Ikadaba Valley
Wasabi cultivation flourishes in the Izu Peninsula. In order to grow wasabi, a lot of
running water is needed, and that water should be pure and at a temperature ofaround 15ºC. The high rainfall experienced by Mt Amagi in the central region of thepeninsula is behind this supply of spring water. The rainwater penetrates cracks andfissures in the volcanic rock of the mountains to become ground water, and as the23aquifers are exposed in the foothills of themountains the area is blessed with many
springs. At Ikadaba in Nakaizu, thewasabi fields making use of the groundwater that wells up at the edge of Mt
Amagi’s Kawagodaira lava extend to thebed of the Omi River, creating anemblematic

landscapeofShizuoka
Fig. 3-7 Wasabi cultivation landcape in Ikadaba

wasabi cultivation.

As wasabi cultivation uses almost no fertilizer or agrochemicals, and the terraces
calm the flow of the water, a characteristic ecosystem develops in wasabi fields,
securing biodiversity. It has little environmental impact and is a sustainableproduction system. Based on these characteristics, it has been designated as a Globally
Important Agricultural Heritage System.
The primeval forest of Mt Amagi
The Mt Banjiro and Mt Banzaburo peaks of
Mt Amagi, along with the area around Lake
Haccho,aredesignatedasaSpecialProtection Zone within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu
National Park. Within this area, people havenotreplanted

extremely

thevaluablevegetation,

andexample

of

an

the

indigenous plant life has been preserved.

Fig. 3-8 Beech tree primeval forest at Mt.Amagi

Particularly important among these plants are the beech trees, which are survivals
from the ice age, and only flourish at elevations of over 700 m. It is also valuable as abeech forest on the Pacific side of Japan, which sees little snow. In addition to thebeech trees, Amagi rhododendron and Amagi azaleas grow naturally. It is also
designated by the Forestry Agency as the Lake Haccho and Kawagodaira Biotic
Community Protection Forest.

7. Representative Lookout Site
View from Darumayama Rest House: The South Sea Volcanic Island that Collided
24with Honshu

Fig. 3-9 Northward landscape viewing from Darumayama and formation of mountain ranges

There is a site in the north of the Izu Peninsula from which there is a good view of
the collision between the Izu-Bonin Arc and Japanese Island Arc. The Darumayama
Rest House is on the ridge of the Darumayama Volcano, formed by the Izu Peninsula
Collision, at an elevation of 630 m. It overlooks Suruga Bay, and beyond that you cansee Mt Fuji and Hakone, and further in the distance the pair of folding mountains
created by the collision between the two arcs, the Akaishi Mountains and Tanzawa
Mountains. Of these, the rocks and strata that make up the Tanzawa Mountains wereoriginally part of the Izu-Bonin Arc, and collided with and became part of Honshu
before the collision with the Izu Peninsula.

8. Representative Disaster Site
Kaizoji Temple
At this temple near Kawana Port in Ito
City, the height reached by historical tsunami
is marked by stone monuments along the sideof the stone steps leading to the temple within
the precincts. From the top, they mark theheights reached by the tsunami associatedwith the 1703 Genroku Earthquake, the 1923
Great Kanto Earthquake, and the 1854 AnseiTokai Earthquake. As Ito City is on Sagami
Bay, it has been struck by tsunami generated

Fig. 3-10 Tsunami height monuments at
Kaizoji Temple stairs

by earthquakes on the Sagami Trough manytimes throughout history. Thus, we can expect it to be struck by similar tsunami in the
future as well. It is important for everyone in the region to know what to do in the25event of an earthquake. The Tsunami Height Monuments at Kaizoji Temple, by being
part of everyday life, create an awareness that, if there is a large earthquake, people
need to evacuate to somewhere that is, at least, higher than those markers, and are asymbol of the way the lessons of the past can be handed on to the future.

9. Authors and Izu
Izu, with its many hot springs, has been a popular place for authors to stay whilewriting their works, and it appears with particular frequency in works of the late 19thand early 20th centuries. Inoue Yasushi, who is famous for his autobiographical novel

Shirobanba, grew up in Amagi-yugashima, and Kawabata Yasunari, the Nobel
Laureate and author of The Dancing Girl of Izu, spent long periods staying in the area.
Dazai Osamu wrote his major works The Setting Sun and No Longer Human whilestaying at inns in Atami and Numazu, and Mishima Yukio, author of the novel The

Frolic of the Beasts, also had connections to the area. Many other authors also loved
Izu, and since 2018 we have held “Geo Literati Salons” to discuss the connections
between their works and the environment of Izu.

10. Intangible Cultural Assets
There are 58 registered Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Izu Peninsula, one
national, ten prefectural, 46 municipal, and one that is both national and prefectural.
The cultural assets are mainly seasonal festivals, Shinto rites, and local performing
arts, and they are all protected by law. Among these, Mishima Daimyojin, the kami
(deity) of Mishima Taisha shrine, the premier Shinto shrine of the ancient Izu province
and a national Important Cultural Asset, received an increase in rank every time a
volcanic island erupted in the south, demonstrating the deep connection between Izu
and volcanoes. There is also a deep connection to damage from water, and a traditional
ceremony known as “Kawakanjo” is held at the Kano River every August to pacify thekami of the river and pray for the peace of victims of flooding and similar disasters. In
addition, there are many shrines that were venerated by people who made their livingon the sea as guardian kami of mariners, such as Iro Jinja shrine at the end of CapeIro. This veneration continues to this day.

26

Important Sites Other Than Geosites and Their Connection to the Geopark
Category

Site Name
Description
Kannami Primeval
A beech forest protected for over two centuries
ForestWater and Cape Ose
Sacred spring and pool, northernmost stand of juniper
Forests
Special Protected Area within the National Park. Surviving
Amagi Primeval
primeval beech and tall stewartia forest
ForestStriations from the Kitaizu earthquake are visible on the side
Earthquakeof a torpedo. Nationally designated natural monument.
striations
Kano River flood
Kano River typhoon, flooding and local history
Naturalcontrol channel
Disaster
TsunamiMemorials to and lessons from the Meio and Keichomemorials andearthquakes, Genroku earthquake, Ansei-Tokai earthquake,tsunami heightand Great Kanto Earthquake
monuments
Stone tools made with obsidian from the Kashiwa Pass are
Obsidianfound throughout the central region
Reverberatory furnace for metal casting built by Egawa
Nirayama
Hidetatsu in the mid 19th century. Parts of it use Izu stone
Reverberatory(tuff). The bricks are made from Kawazu clay. Part of theFurnace
Word Heritage Site “Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial
Revolution”.
Shuzenji Temple
Legend of Kukai, Tales of Yoritomo and the Hojo, hot springs
History
Hot Springs andwith literary connections
TempleDifficult mountain crossing on the Shimoda road, setting for
Former Amagi
the novel The Dancing Girl of Izu
TunnelPort on the Edo shipping route, Commodore Perry’s arrival,
Ansei tsunami and the Diana (Russian naval ship), Izu stone
Shimoda Portand plaster wall construction
Irie Chohachi’s frescoes, plaster wall buildings
Matsuzaki
Stone for Edo Castle and Odaiba Gun Emplacement,material for Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace and Shimoda
Izu Stone
townscapeToi and Nawaji gold mines. In Edo period, second mostGold mines
productive in Japan, behind Sado.
Ugusu silica (previously largest source of raw material for
Silica Stone mine
glass manufacture)
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. Highest
Wasabiproduction in Japan (2018), natural environment and springs
Specialties
Dairy Farming in
andSwitch to dairy farming after opening of Tanna tunnel
Tanna
Industry
Harvest red seaweed (tengusa) from shallow warm currents,
Izu Agar-agar
artisanal tokoroten manufacture.
Fisheries exploiting the closeness of the Suruga and Sagami
Deep sea products troughs to harvest deep sea animals such as giant crab andred snapper
Town, made by marinating bonito in salt and drying it in A
Tago Salted
traditional preserved food of the Tago area of Nishiizu theBonitowind. The tradition is preserved in the creation of an
auspicious fish for New Year.

27

Religion

Shirahama Jinja/
Mishima Taisha

Hotsprings

Hot springs of the
Izu Peninsula
Scenery of Ito Hot
Spring Town

Literature

Izu Modern
Literature
MuseumYasushi Inoue
Literary Museum

Intangible
Heritage

Kawakanjo
Bon festival dancein MeraVolcanic eruptions and ancient prayers
The large scale terrestrial volcanism that continued until acouple of hundred thousand years ago left geothermal energy
in the rocks under the Izu Peninsula, and springs heated bythis energy well up across the peninsula. In Ito Hot Spring
Town it is still possible to see many inns that are registeredas cultural properties.
Authors who stayed long-term in Izu described the scenery of
the area and used it as a metaphor for their characters’
psychology. Yugashima Hot Springs are the setting for Inoue
Yasushi’s Shirobanba, and it is also where Kawabata
Yasunari wrote The Dancing Girl of Izu. The Izu Modern
Literature Museum holds manuscripts and personal
possessions of 120 authors with links to Izu, and the Yasushi
Inoue Literary Museum in Nagaizumi Town is an importantcenter for publicizing the literary associations of Izu.
A rite to appease the spirit of the Kano River and victims ofdrowning, it almost died out but has been preserved by locals.
The women of the area form a circle and dance slowly in time
to drums, flutes and shamisen. It derives from the 15th
century culture of Kyoto, the old capital.

28

Chapter 4 The Izu Peninsula Geopark Vision
1. Forward to a Shining Future with the Izu Peninsula
The Izu Peninsula Geopark aims to realize its value as a Global Geopark and create asustainable and active Izu Peninsula that moves into a shining future through thefollowing principles:
1) The value of the landscape and geology as they reflect the globally unique origins of
the Izu Peninsula.
2) Advanced disaster mitigation measures that utilize the consciousness of nature andregional heritage of people who live on this moving landscape.
3) Sustainable actions in which local people take the lead.

29

Chapter 5 Activity Policy and Action Plans
1. Research and Conservation
1-1 Basic Principles
The secretariat of the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council includes threeresearchers, who carry out research across many fields in the Izu Peninsula. Further, as

the area has been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark due to its globally valuable
geoheritage, research appropriate to this status is being undertaken. A research grantsystem has been established, to promote research at the global forefront and encourage
publication in English-language peer-reviewed journals. The results of this research
are put to work in the region every year, in the interpretation of sites and the activities
of guides. The area of the Izu Peninsula Geopark includes several university campuses,
and the geopark dispatches its scientists to co-teach courses and lay the foundations
for collaborative research concerning the peninsula. As part of this, Shizuoka
University’s research facility and AmaGEO, the geopark’s research hub, were set up
and research into the ecosystem was added to the existing geological projects. Throughthese activities we hope to not only accumulate new knowledge across a range of fields,
but to also use it for the benefit of the geopark and the wider region.
Concerning conservation, many areas within the Izu Peninsula Geopark areprotected under the National Parks Act and related ordinances, the Act on theProtection of Cultural Properties, and Regional Forestry Plans, but there are still somesites without legal protection. To address this, the geopark is working to develop an
Ecotourism Promotion Concept under the Ecotourism Promotion Act. Once that
Concept has been approved by the Ministry of the Environment, the geopark will beable to work with the municipalities that make up the area to improve the conservation
measures for any sites that are under threat.
1-2 Towards the SDGs
The geopark’s fundamental role is to conserve and make use of the heritage that
captures “the unique value of the Izu Peninsula”. At the same time, however, we will
strengthen our cooperation with the municipalities, Geoguide Association and otherbodies to raise awareness and provide education across a range of contexts so that all
activities in the peninsula will be sustainable across the generations. Through our30conservation and research activities, we will manage the sites appropriately, and pass
the wealth of the land and sea of the Izu Peninsula on to the future.
1-3 Conservation Policy
As described in Chapter 2, the appeal of the Izu Peninsula arises from a geologicalhistory with no parallel elsewhere in the world, and the currently ongoing volcanism
and crustal deformation. Part of the region is a National Park, and many of the sites
are protected under one or more of the National Parks Act, the Nature Conservation
Act, the Act on the Protection of Cultural Properties, the Forests Act, the Coasts Act,
the Rivers Act, the Land Use Ordinances, and other laws and ordinances. However,some sites still have no legal protection, and the Izu Peninsula Geopark will develop
conservation policies and plans for the sites so that we can sustainably conserve anduse the natural heritage of the peninsula and hand it on to the future. The concept ofgeoheritage is founded on the idea that the land is the basis for ecosystems, landscapes,
and culture.
At the Izu Peninsula Geopark, we are working to create ways to evaluate sites thatare always conscious of the links between geoheritage and society, and modes ofconservation of that heritage that build on those evaluations. As the first step, in 2015
we received the support of the Ministry of the Environment to carry out a Natural andCultural Resources Survey, which created an inventory of the geosites and related
natural and cultural resources (including intangible heritage, religion, and so on).
Since 2020, the Izu region has been a case study for the development of an evaluation
system for sustainable tourism. Further, as guidelines are necessary if government
agencies, businesses, and local residents are to protect and conserve the sites of thepark in a systematic manner, we are creating an Izu Peninsula Ecotourism Promotion
Concept, and drawing up guidelines for the conservation and use of the sites.
For the future, we want to create a system that draws everyone into a process ofcontinuous improvement of our conservation practice, based on past conservation
successes and guidelines. First, we will take the results of research to the people of theregion and visitors from both within and outside Japan. Then, we will constantly
accept feedback on how to resolve issues and improve the system from residents,
researchers, and government agencies, ensuring that they can act on their own
initiative at every stage. The Izu Peninsula Geopark will work in close alliance withthe municipalities, its members, organizations, and local residents to conserve the31environment and the landscape.
1-4 Conservation and Sustainable Management of the Sites
We will present data and examples of the conservation and preservation
management of the sites in the Izu Peninsula Geopark under three categories: 1) Legal
restrictions; 2) Natural regeneration and de-facto protection; 3) Geopark and other.
1-4-1 Legal Restrictions: Conservation under the National Parks Act, Act on the Protectionof Cultural Properties, and other ordinances
The Izu Peninsula Geopark includes the Izu Peninsula region (22 km2) of the FujiHakone-Izu National Park. This region is mainly composed of coastline and mountains,
including Mt Amagi with its important beech forests and endemic plants, and of the
159 geosites, 80 are protected as part of the National Park.
Of those, 72 are in the Protected Zone, and two (Lake Haccho and the primeval
woods of Mt Amagi) are in the Special Protected Zone. (See the list of sites for moredetail.) Strict regulations apply within the National Park, limiting development,
construction, logging, and so on.
Further, more than 750 locations within the geopark are protected as Cultural
Properties under the Act on the Protection of Cultural Properties and similar local
ordinances, if we add up all national, prefectural, and municipal properties. Forty ofthese are geosites, and there are many other examples of important stands ofvegetation that are protected as natural monuments. Further, many other areas are
effectively protected under ordinances for landscape and streetscape (Shimoda, Atami,
Izunokuni, and others), outdoor advertising (Mishima etc.), and the environment(Nagaizumi etc.), or as part of Coastal Conservation Plans and Regional Forestry
Plans.
1-4-2 Natural Regeneration and De Facto Protection in Local Society
Natural regeneration projects have been carried out under local leadership in the Izu
Peninsula since before anyone thought of calling it a geopark. In this section, we
introduce examples of major natural regeneration projects and de facto protection.
Natural Regeneration Projects
People across the Izu Peninsula aimed to regenerate degraded landscapes and32

ecosystems applying appropriate methods step by step over time. These activities aresupported by the active participation and basic attitudes of the local society, andultimately contribute to the geopark’s diverse conservation activities from theperspectives of landscape and ecosystems.

Fig. 5-1 Examples of Natural Regeneration Projects: water-crowfoot (L) and rice terrace in Ishibu (R)A 1.2 km long river entirely formed from spring water from Mount Fuji, habitat
for a unique biota.
Kakitagawa
The freshwater environment had deteriorated during the years of economicRivergrowth, but it was restored by activities that also pioneered National Trusts for(Shimizu
the environment in Japan. Today, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Town)
Transport and Tourism is continuing the restoration of the Kakitagawa naturalenvironment through a plan established in 2011. Restoration activities arecoordinated with experts and conservation groups.
Mishima
As with Kakitagawa River, the springs in Mishima City are being restored
Springs
through the passionate and painstaking efforts of local residents and(Mishima
conservation groups. Through the efforts of NPO Groundwork Mishima, theCity)
Genpei River was designated a World Water System Heritage Site in 2018.
In the Ishibu region of Matsuzaki Town, in the mountains, there are about 370
rice terraces supported by stone walls, covering around 4.2 ha. Fully 90% of the
Rice Terraces fields had been abandoned, but with the help of locals and volunteers thefarmers were able to bring them all back into operation, restoring the beautiful
in Ishibu
scenery. The circle of cooperation has been widened to include visitors from
(Matsuzaki
Greater Tokyo, corporations, and universities in Shizuoka through the Rice
Town)
Field Owner and Trust Member systems, and it is now a vital part of the village
revitalization.

Traditionally Protected Landscapes
Since far back in history, the people of Izu have used some of its natural resourcesin common, and preserved the landscapes and ecosystems associated with them. Thismay have been to make use of resources, as with controlled burns on mountains, or forcustomary or religious reasons. Such traditionally preserved landscapes can be said tohave de facto protection. These long-preserved landscapes contribute to theconservation of many sites of the Izu Peninsula Geopark.

33

Examples of Traditionally Protected Landscapes
Site
Omuro Volcano(Ito City)
Mt Mishuji,
HosonoHighlands(Higashiizu
Town)
Ancient Trees

Shiranuta Pond
(Higashiizu
Town)

Description
One of the largest scoria cones in Japan, this volcano was formed by aneruption 4,000 years ago, and for about 700 years it has been subjected tocontrolled burns so that it can be used for straw (kaya) production. The
burning has suppressed the growth of forest and preserved the beautiful
shape of the cone.
Mt Mishuji once formed part of Mt Amagi, a large terrestrial volcano, anda landslide on its southeast slope formed the Hosono Highlands. In
autumn, the area is covered by eulalia. As with Omuro Volcano, thedevelopment of forests has been suppressed by controlled burning sinceancient times, and the shape of the volcano slope has been preserved.
Many ancient trees remain across the Izu Peninsula. Many of these havepreserved as sacred groves, and mark the northern edge of the range ofmany species. These plants, preserved by ancient religion and culture,illustrate the natural environment of the Izu Peninsula.
Shiranuta Pond is on the upper reaches of the Kawakubo River, and fills
a depression caused by a landslip on Mt Amagi, which erupted between
800,000 and 200,000 years ago. It is surrounded by primeval forest, andhome of the forest green treefrog, a natural monument. Humanintervention has been very limited due to the difficulty of reaching it, andas a result it has de facto protection.

Conservation Through Geopark Activities
As a result of the establishment of the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council,
and the designation the peninsula as a geopark both domestically and internationally,
people have reassessed the value of the landscapes with which they are familiar andtaken action on conservation. Examples include the conservation of outcrops and thepreservation of surface peel specimens.
Further, we are carrying out training for civil works staff at the prefectural andmunicipal levels, explaining the value of the geology exposed during construction work
to the geopark. This further supports conservation.
Examples of Conservation Efforts as Geopark Activities
Site
Conservationof Pillow Lava
in Ishiki(Nishiizu
Town)
Training
Prefectural
Construction
Officers

Description
This is an outcrop of pillow lava from the oldest stratum in the Izu Peninsula,
the Nishina Group.
The local residents’ association became aware of the outcrop’s value throughgeopark activities and took steps to effectively protect it. Since theinternational designation of the geopark, this has been continued by thescience club and Matsuzaki High School and geoguides.
Geological heritage, including geosites, is sometimes lost to construction
work. The council has carried out training sessions for the officials
responsible for construction in Shizuoka Prefecture and the municipalities,
to prevent the loss of heritage through ignorance, and to promote its
conservation and understanding of the landscape. As a result of ten years of
training, outcrops that are exposed during construction work have surface
peels taken, or are preserved in 3D digital data.

34

In addition to the activities described above, stakeholders within the area of thegeopark are independently engaged in activities that conserve and preserve the area,cleaning and preparing particular locations. These activities make a directcontribution to the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the geopark.
Examples of Other Conservation Activities
Activity

Description
The Izu Peninsula Geomarine Club is made up of several diving shops.
Several times a year, they collect rubbish from the sea around Yawatano andthe Futo Coast in Ito City. Further, the Shimoda coast is cleaned by local
geoguides. They invite elementary school children to participate andcombine it with beachcombing to make it an enjoyable activity.

Beach Cleaning(Ito City,
Shimoda City)

1-5 Research Activities
The geopark began supporting young researchers in FY2015 in order to raise thegeneral level of academic research in the Izu Peninsula. From FY2018, when thegeopark was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, we changed the policy to provide
grants for research at a global level leading to English-language publications in peerreviewed journals. Further, by publicizing the research grant system to researchers at
many institutions, we broadened the range of fields covered by the research. Grant
recipients give presentations on their results for the general public, avoiding technicalterms. The system has contributed both to advancing the frontiers of global research,and to sharing the results of that research with the community. For the future, weshall secure high-quality understanding of individual sites by taking studies,particularly on the research sites, forward, and making full use of AmaGEO, ourresearch hub.
Table 5-1 Number of adoption by science field of Izu Peninsula Research Grant
Earth Sciences

Life Sciences

2017

2

1

2018

2

2

2019

2

1

2020

1

1

Humanities andSocial Sciences1

As well as continuing the research grant system, we also aim to put the researchmaterial we have already gathered to active use. Further, we will continue our support
for high schools within the geopark, for example by creating opportunities to share theresults of research.
1-6 Future Plans
35

In the immediate future, we aim to develop the geopark in three ways. First, theGeopark Promotion Council itself will conduct research, support world-leading
researchers, and, based on the knowledge thus gained, become a center forconservation. Second, we will work on effective conservation with the participation ofa range of stakeholders, based on indegenious knowledges.Finally, we will establish aconservation plan based on our Ecotourism Promotion Concept.
Action Plan 2021~2025
Activity

Implementing Body

2021

Site
Conserva
tion andManagement

Constituent Conservation
andMunicipaliti
Management
es
Assistance:
PromotionCouncilTraining
Shizuoka
Ongoing
forPrefectural
Prefectura Constructiol andn Oversight
Municipal Center
Constructi
on Officers
Effective
Promotion
Ongoing
conservati Council
on byresidents,
schools,andinterested
parties

2022

2023

2024

2025

Conservation
andManagement

Conservation
andManagement

Site
Site
Rationalize
Reevaluation Reevaluation sites based on

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Hold
Annually

Ongoing

Proposals
for new
locations

Implement
ation innewlocations

Ongoing

Implementat
ion at 2 ormore new
sites

2025
Numerical
Targetsreevaluation(aiming for a
total of about
100)

Research Promotion
activities Council,
atShizuoka
AmaGEO University,
Residents

Research

Writing up
papersResearch

Writing
up papers

ResearchResearch
publications fromevery
researcher

Revisionand use of
Geological, Natural,andCultural
Databases
Research
Grants of
the Izu
Peninsula
UNESCO
GlobalGeopark

PromotionCouncil

CreateCultural
Database

CreateNaturalDatabase

Database
implementation

Database
implement
ation

Begin
Database
Revision

Create 3
new tours
based onthe
database

PromotionCouncil

ImplementationOngoing

Ongoing

Ongoing At least
three
successful
examplesOngoing36

2. Educational Activities
2-1 Basic Principles
The geopark’s education activities are not just about spreading knowledge of rocks
and strata. Rather, they educate people about the links between the origins of the landand people’s history, industry, and culture, and cultivate their love for their hometownby helping them realize its good points and attractions. In this way, it molds people
who can act to conserve nature and solve the area’s problems, securing sustainable
development for the region. This activity is defined as “Education for Sustainable
Development” in the new national curriculum guidelines.
Beyond compulsory education, social education and research activities in highschools and universities are also very important. If people across the region learn
about the links between the earth and both industries and the economy, this will build
pride in their region, encouraging them to remain in the area and work towards its
sustainable development.
In addition, in the Izu Peninsula it is also essential to pass on the lessons of the past
for mitigation of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes, and typhoons.
To support these activities, we have already created a text for “GeoStudies for
Elementary and Junior High Schools” and worked on GeoStudies through efforts suchas the Geopark education newsletter. However, these activities have been limited toparticular areas, and so we plan to work closely with schools, Education Boards, andlifelong learning centers to bring GeoStudies to all fifteen municipalities within thepark.
2-2 Education Working GroupThe education working group is made up of geoguides involved in educational
activities, schoolteachers, educational researchers, and members of educational
support organizations (ESD Resource Center of Japan, Asia-Pacific Cultural Centerfor UNESCO). Since 2017, the Education Working Group has been the mainstay ofeducational activities, devising and validating policies, preparing an educational comic,“Secrets of the Izu Peninsula”, aimed and elementary and junior high school students,
and investigating training possibilities for geoguides in education. In 2019, it produced
the text “GeoStudies for Elementary and Junior High Schools”. This text has been37

distributed to all elementary and junior high schools, and to education boards within
the park. It is used not only in environmental education, but also in local educationand disaster mitigation education programs that make use of the geopark. It was
designed to support active learning and is particularly popular in elementary school
GeoStudies. The group will work to further develop educational materials so that
pupils up to junior high school level can enjoy studying the geopark, and work withhigh schools and universities to enable deeper study of the region.
2-3 Elementary Schools
In elementary schools, GeoStudies are taught in science classes in fifth and sixth
grades. They are also widely put to use as a part of integrated study program. People
are apt to think that “geo” means rocks and strata, but the industries, culture, andhistory that are deeply rooted in the land are also an important part of GeoStudies,and the children learn what sort of place their home, Izu, is. Actually visiting locations
and studying their geological history has a strong impact on children, and nurtures alove of their hometown, as can be seen in the feedback from one of them: “Through thislesson, the way I look at this familiar scenery has changed. I live in a town I can beproud of, don’t I.”
At elementary school, GeoStudies are an opportunity for children to get to know the
Izu Peninsula, their home, and take more pride in their hometown. At the moment,
the program is still restricted to particular areas, but we will develop material that
integrates with the school curriculum, and which can be used across the whole of the
Izu Peninsula.
2-4 Junior High Schools
At junior high school, GeoStudies are a direct part of several science topics. In thefirst year, these are “Geological forms and strata around us”, “Layers of strata and thepast shape of the land”, “Volcanoes and earthquakes”, and “The blessings of natureand disasters due to volcanoes and earthquakes”, while in the second year, it is “Theblessings of nature and weather disasters”. In addition, they are covered in both thegeographical and historical parts of social studies, through tying the relationshipbetween the natural environment, resources and energy to the characteristic featuresof industry in regions of Japan and the rest of the world. We also hold lessons in thegeneral education period that give the pupils the opportunity to apply this knowledge38

to personal experience and problem solving.
However, with the exception of regional studies and disaster education at a few
schools, junior high schools do not carry out active learning that links the studiedmaterial to hometown pride and local problem solving through the geopark. In the
future, we will increase the number of schools engaged in ESD through the use of thetext “GeoStudies for Elementary and Junior High Schools”, using the schools that are
already passionately involved as a springboard.
2-5 High Schools
In high schools, the geopark is incorporated into studies in a variety of ways.
Concrete examples of the use of specialized knowledge of the geopark include
Nirayama High School, which researched issues in earth studies, Atami High School,
which held a workshop about evacuation routes with residents, and Numazu
Commercial High School, which developed a product based on the geopark with local
companies. In addition, some high school students have engaged with the geopark
through club activities, such as the photography clubs at Nirayama High School and
Izu Sogo High School, which collaborated with Izu Hakone Railway to decorate a“GeoTrain” with photographs and explanations of geosites.
In this way, at high school level we do not stop with learning about the geopark, but
go on to inform and contribute to the local community based on what has been learned.
The Izu Peninsula Geopark supports collaborative endeavors between high schools
and community. We will continue to flexibly offer specialist knowledge in lessons,support exploratory activities and cross-disciplinary study, and promote ESD.
2-6 Universities
Our existing activities with universities have covered both cooperation with lessons
and research that draw on the Izu Peninsula Geopark, and support for fieldwork thatmakes use of geosites to uncover local issues and develop the practical abilities needed
to tackle them through participation in the Consortium of Universities & Communities
in Shizuoka. We will continue our cooperation with universities within the park’s area,
and work to build strategic partnerships.
2-7 General Public
Awareness of the “Izu Peninsula Geopark” has increased through activities such as
39

the GeoCafé, Izu GeoTest, and workshops, as well as through geotours. The geopark
is sustained through the participation of individual residents. Thus, it is important tomake this circle of people wider and ensure that such participation continues.
Accordingly, we aim to further publicize the activities of the geopark and provide more
opportunities for residents to get involved.
2-8 Future Vision
We will provide education about the Izu Peninsula that starts in pre-school andcontinues throughout life, nurture a love for the land of Izu that supports them as they
are born and raised there, and develop the abilities needed to solve regional problems.
At the same time, we will secure an understanding that the origins of the Izu
Peninsula inevitably bring the risk of natural disasters and ensure the mitigation of
the disasters that are sure to come. Finally, through life-long learning we will offer
ESD to all generations.

Action Plan 2021~2025
Activity
Implementing Body
GeoStudies
training forteachers

Life-longlearning
courses
Collaborative
projects withhigh schools
anduniversities

Geopark
study visits
Creating
contents
foreducational
websiteVisiting
coursesoutsidegeopark
area

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2025
Numerical
Targets

PromotionCouncil
Municipal
Education
BoardsPromotionCouncil
Municipal
Education
BoardsPromotionCouncilHigh
Schools andUniversities
PromotionCouncil
Geoguide
Association
PromotionCouncilOnce peryear

Once peryear

Once peryear

Once peryear

Once peryear

At least fivetimes over
five years

1 or more
per year2 or more
per year2 or more
per year3 or more
per year3 or more
per yearAt least 11
over
five
years

1 or more
schools
per year1 or more
schools
per year1 or more
schools
per year

2 schools
per year

2 schools
per yearAt least 7
schools over
5 years–

2 or more

3 or more

4 or more

4 or more

At least 13
over 5 years

Createnewcontents

10%
increase in
websiteviews overpreviousyear

PromotionCouncil

1 per
year

1 per
year

At least 5
over 5 years

Createnewcontents

Createnewcontents
1 per
year

1 per
year

40

1 per
year

Lessons atelementaryand juniorhigh schools
within thepark area

Municipal
Education
BoardsPromotionCouncil
Geoguides

1 newmunicipali
ty

1 new
municipali
ty

41

1 new
municipali
ty

1 new
municipali
ty

1 new
municipali
tyImplemente
d in all 15
municipalities3. Tourism & Local Development
3-1 Basic Principles
In order to promote geotourism, the Izu Peninsula Geopark has designated elementsof the natural environment, including geoheritage, and regional history and culture as
geopark sites, and worked to uncover the historical and cultural resources of the region
by conserving geoheritage, training certified geoguides, establishing local hubs,
spreading information, and holding GeoCafés.
The various geotours conducted by certified geoguides and regional geoguides areorganized around tourism facilities and visitor centers. During the COVID-19
pandemic, we are taking careful precautions to avoid infection. In the future, we hope
to introduce appealing geotours that combine the conservation and use of geosites, atplaces such as Omuro Volcano. By adding ecotourism, which is being promoted by the
Ministry of the Environment, as a partner to geotourism, we aim to develop the area
by creating a sustainable tourism region.
3-2 Towards the SDGs
As we promote geotourism and ecotourism, we will work even harder to conserve thenatural and cultural resources of the region and hand them on to future generations.
To achieve sustainable tourism, we will work closely with the Izu Peninsula Tourist
Bureau to improve the efficiency of tourism service provision and strengthen our
cooperation with all actors to create a strong tourism region.
The goal of the activities of the Izu Peninsula Geopark is “the creation throughsustainable development of a region where everyone would like to continue living”. We
are working to achieve the SDGs through strengthening networks and partnerships
both inside and outside the park, training and developing certified geoguides, holding
events such as GeoCafés that are rooted in the local community, reassessing regional
resources, and developing new geotours that anyone can enjoy.
3-3 Geoguide Training
The Izu Peninsula Geopark started training geoguides immediately after theestablishment of the Promotion Council in 2011. Training sessions are now held every
42other year, and 194 people have been certified as geoguides. They work to bring the
geopark to people through various interpretative, educational, and promotional
activities. Geoguides do not work exclusively on geotourism, but are also involved in
educational activities in schools, in the management of GEORIA and the visitor
centers, and the promotion of geopark activities within the area. Their activities havegarnered praise from across the country.
Building on their existing activities, we will work to raise the level of the geoguides
through further training and interaction with geoguides from other regions. In
particular, future training and recertification courses will focus on improving thecapacity of geoguides to interpret sites, with a particular eye on foreign tourists andthe practical aspects of the SDGs.
3-4 Guided Tours Based at Visitor Centers
The appeal of the Izu Peninsula Geopark and the points of attraction in each area
are introduced by the visitor centers established in each of the fifteen constituent
municipalities, and these centers contribute to making the geopark visible across thepeninsula.
Visitor centers that are permanently staffed by geoguides hold individual
exhibitions and offer geotours without reservations. This enables people who know
nothing about the geopark when they arrive to fully enjoy it, and these centers are
popular. There are needs to strengthen the connections between the centers, to createa network of synergistic effects.
3-5 Overall Concept for Promoting Ecotourism
In response to increasing awareness of the need to protect familiar environments
and increased needs for direct experiences of nature, the Ecotourism Promotion Act
came into force in April 2008. The aim of this act is for tourists to deepen theirknowledge and understanding of natural resources through direct experience coupledwith concern for their conservation, under the guidance of people who know about
them. As this is a perfect fit with the aims of the Izu Peninsula Geopark, the Promotion
Council is working to develop an Overall Concept for Promoting Ecotourism. The
foundations of the concept are as follows:• Ecotourism that everyone can enjoy.
• Ecotourism that balances conservation and use.
43• Ecotourism that deepens the links and understanding between people andthe natural world.
At present, this concept is undergoing prior review with the relevant ministries. In
preparation for the formal application for recognition of the concept, we are studying
areas that are further along in the process, and working with the municipalities,
geoguides, activity providers, transport companies, and tourism workers to makeeveryone’s roles clear. In this way, we will contribute to new developments in tourism
across the region.
3-6 Future Vision
The Izu Peninsula Geopark is making use of the Regional Circular and Ecological
Sphere program adopted by the Ministry of the Environment in FY2019 and 2020 topromote sustainable tourism in the Izu Peninsula. As part of that, we prepared a draftof a specific “Sustainable Tourism Policy and Vision”.
The geopark will work particularly on the following four points.
1 Respect for the living things and culture nurtured on the volcano-born land of the
Izu PeninsulaThis means that everyone who lives on or visits the Izu Peninsula should showrespect for its natural environment and regional culture. This is to avoid any damage
to the value of either.
2 Conserve the nature of the Izu Peninsula and pass on its culture
The guards against the destruction of the natural environment or the loss of culture
as the result of development. While emphasizing the importance of environmental
conservation, we will also carefully manage all resources. This is because tourism
depends essentially on those resources.
3 Promote the circulation of people, goods, money, and information within the area
We will encourage interaction and exchange between the urban northern areas of
the Izu Peninsula and the tourist locations of the central and southern region. As a
new project, we will hold Geotours for residents of the peninsula and promote
microtourism, encouraging development by and for the region.
4 Offer time and space for responsible travelers to fully enjoy the nature and cultureof the Izu Peninsula
44Tourism pollution is a problem that contemporary tourism must solve. The Izu
Peninsula Geopark will encourage responsible travelers who can act withconsideration for the natural environment, local culture, and local economy, anddevelop travel products that target them.
Action Plan 2021~2025
Activity Implemen
tationBody
Offering Promotion
Geotours Council
Geoguides
Privatecompanies
Site
Conserv
ation and
Use,
Interpret
ation andFacilities

Municipalities

Privatecompanies
Local
groups(Support
from(Improving Promotion
visibility of Council)

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2025
Numerical

Targets

12,000participantsNew
facilities or
refurbishm
ent in 3
locations

13,000participants

14,000participants

15,000participants

16,000participants

16,000participantsNew
facilities
or
refurbish
ment in 3
locationsNew
facilities or
refurbishme
nt in 3locationsNew
facilities or
refurbishme
nt in 3locationsNew
facilities or
refurbishme
nt in 3locationsNew
facilities or
refurbishm
ent at 15
or morelocations in
5 years

the signages,
InstallingMultilingualsignages)

Environme Promotion
FormalImpleme Implemen Implemen Implemen 10%
increasent
application / ntation
Counciltationtationtationin
Ministry’s
Recognition
participat
Overalling
Concept for
tourists
Promotingover
Ecotourism
previous
Programyear
300
Geoguide Promotion
Hold
RenewalHold
RenewalHoldcertifiedtraining
Councilcoursetraining
coursetraining
coursegeoguides(through
Geoguide
Association)
Long-term Promotion
Product
Product
Product
Product Develop
Geotourism Council
developme development development development 10
products
and
and
and
products
nt andGeoguide
promotion promotion promotion promotion in 5 years
Association
Geoguides
TouristBureau45

Creatingvaluablebrandsthrough
Geostories

PromotionCouncil/
Geoguide
Association
Geoguides/
TouristBureauProduction Publisher(Supervised
andrevision of by
Promotion
official
guidebook Council)
Developm Promotion
ent andCouncilpromotion Memberof new geo Companie
productss

Product

Product

Product

development development

Develop 10
products indevelopment
5 years

Publication

2000 sales

andpromotion

andpromotion

andpromotionof revised
editionDevelopment Development Development 10
products
and
and
and
promotion
promotion promotion in 5 years46

4. Disaster Risk Reduction
4-1 Basic Principles
The Regional Disaster Management Plans for Shizuoka Prefecture, Ito City and Izu
City explicitly say, “In cooperation with the Izu Peninsula Geopark, we will work togive tourists and others a broad and accurate understanding of potential disasters
arising from volcanoes, and of how to respond to them”. The scars and records of pastdisasters are reckoned among the sites of the geopark as “disaster sites”. The geoparkis also engaged in concrete disaster risk reduction activities. It is a member of a newly
established group for responding to disasters due to the Izutobu volcano group, andarranges for disaster response officers in local governments to view disaster sites. In
addition, we held a symposium in July 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Izu
Submarine Volcano Eruption and keep the memory of the disaster alive. With the large
number of natural disasters that have occurred across the nation in recent years, theimportance of ensuring that disasters are not forgotten and their lessons are learned
has only increased.
The Izu Peninsula Geopark has designated 14 sites as disaster sites under one of its
additional categories, and has worked on disaster mitigation education that uses
experiences of real disaster scars, tsunami inundation monuments, and disastermitigation facilities. In order to continue developing both knowledge of all types ofdisaster risk and the capacity to foresee possible future disasters, we will cooperatewith other organizations to make use of disaster sites in the promotion of disasterawareness, and work to build a disaster mitigation culture.
4-2 Towards the SDGs
The Izu Peninsula is located close to plate boundaries, and its history is marked byrepeated earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Tokai and Tonankai earthquakes haveoccurred in the past and may well do so in the future, causing a great deal of damage,and there is also the possibility of earthquake clusters around the Eastern Izu active
volcano group. Further, the possibility of tsunami due to sea-floor earthquakes is also
real, and communities on the coasts of the Izu Peninsula are engaged in town planningfor disaster mitigation. Further, while the peninsula has a rich natural environment,47

it also has rugged topography and high rainfall, so that floods and landslides are afrequent occurrence.
People can learn about the formation of this land through geopark activities. In thisway, they can learn about past disasters and prepare for future ones. If people fromelementary school to adulthood can get accurate information about disaster mitigation
through geopark activities, this will contribute to disaster risk reduction. In
cooperation with the disaster mitigation departments of the nation, prefecture, andmember municipalities, we will take steps based on an awareness of the geologicalenvironment.
4-3 Future Vision
Three kinds of “help” are important to protect ourselves and our daily life fromdisasters: self-help, mutual help, and public help. If these three work in balance, theylead to effective disaster risk reduction. The Izu Peninsula Geopark will work towards
an Izu Peninsula where everyone can live in calm security by working on disastereducation, training, and the registration and use in geotourism of records of andwitnesses to disasters.
Action Plan 2021~2025
Activity
Promotionof disasterprevention
study using
disastersites
Disaster
mitigation
events andexhibitions

Publicizing
the disastermitigation
culture of
the Izu
Peninsula

Implementation
Body

2021

2025

2022

2023

2024

2025

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

At least 1
per year,
5 or more
over 5years

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

At least 1
per year,
5 or more
over 5years

Numerical

Targets

PromotionCouncil
Geoguide
Association
Geoguides
Schools within
the geopark
Ongoing
Ongoing
PromotionCouncil
Geoguide
Association
Geoguides
Cooperating
corporations
Municipalities
Visitor Centers
Assess track Prepare
Shizuoka
record introduction
Prefecture
page
Municipalities
PromotionCouncilOngoing48

Gather and Disseminate Disseminate Increase indisseminate information information site
information International International visitors byactivities
activities

10% overpreviousyearCreate andhold tours
using
disastersites

PromotionCouncil
Geoguide
Association
Geoguides
Izu Peninsula
Tourist Bureau
Digitalization Shizuoka
andPrefecture
publication of Municipalities
disaster
Promotion
records
Council
Geoguide
Association
Geoguides
Residents
Supportmodel
disastereducationschools

PromotionCouncilSchools
Residents
Shizuoka
University

Plan
tours

Createtours
At least 3
tours

At least 3
tours

At least 3
tours

10%
annualincreasein tourparticipa
nts

Preparat
ions

Gatherdata

Construct Publication Operation
database Operation

10%
annualincreaseinrecorded
data

Survey forparticipant
schools

Designate
1 school

Designate
1 school

Designate
1 school
every
year

49

At least 3
tours

Designate Designate
1 school
1 school5. Strengthening Management Structures
5-1 Basic Principles
The Promotion Council, which is made up of 76 groups, including the 15 constituent
municipalities, transport companies, and local media, was established in order toprovide sustained management for the Izu Peninsula Geopark, and enable it to carryout its plans. (See the separate listing of members.) The member organizations willcontinue to consider their role and appropriately distribute duties.
The geopark’s activities are based on bottom-up projects led by local residents.
Bearing this in mind, we must create structures for resident participation and provide
fora where people can debate a wide range of topics. By establishing a management
structure for geopark activities that are supported by residents of the Izu Peninsula,
we will work to promote their tireless efforts to revitalize the region.
5-2 Management Structures: Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council
The Promotion Council is made up of a General Meeting, Executive Board,
Secretariat, and working groups. The General Meeting normally meets once per year.
It gathers representatives of all the member organizations and discusses and makes
decisions on important issues such as the establishment, revision, and revocation of
the Council’s rules, plans for major activities, and budgets. The Executive Board
prepares proposals for the General Meeting and implements strategic activity plans,
while the Secretariat manages day-to-day activities and serves as a contact point for
the Geopark. Working groups are established when there is a need for support forthese activities from people with specialist knowledge.
The Secretariat is headquartered in the center of the peninsula, in Shuzenji, Izu
City, and as of June 2021 has ten staff members. The Secretariat employs threescientific specialists (geology, physical geography, human geography) as dedicatedresearch staff. These staff members, in addition to carrying out research in the
Geopark, are responsible for preparing scientific interpretations of the Geopark andengaging in educational and outreach activities.
UNESCO requires that the management of UNESCO Global Geoparks be carriedout by a body with legal status under the laws of the relevant country. At present, thePromotion Council is a voluntary organization, but it plans to merge with the Izu
50

Peninsula Tourist Bureau, a general incorporated association. In December 2020, the
Izu Peninsula Mayors’ Meeting approved the plan for the merger to happen from FY
2022.
After the merger, the Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council will become theGeopark Promotion Division of the Izu Peninsula Tourism and Geopark Bureau, but
it will continue to employ specialists to carry out its research and international
activities, and continue wide ranging activities within the geopark through its
partnership agreements with transport, accommodation and activity businesses
within the area.
5-3 Organizations Supporting the Promotion Council
The Izu Peninsula Geopark receives support from Shizuoka University in areas
such as geoguide training and open geology lectures, and we are working to initiate
cooperation with other universities. We will strengthen the support for the geopark’s
activities through mutual cooperation on research, conservation, education, tourism
development and disaster mitigation, and through bottom-up resident-led activities.

Fig. 5-3 Relationship between Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council and the stakeholders515-4 Towards Gender Equality
When the Izu Peninsula Geopark was designated a Global Geopark in 2018, we were
urged to strengthen the role of women. The staff of the Secretariat rotate out on anannual basis, and at one point almost half the staff were female, but as of April 2021
only one of the ten Secretariat staff was a woman. Thus, in order to improve the genderbalance of the staff, we have asked the municipalities dispatching the staff toparticularly consider dispatching women. On the other hand, there are many female
geoguides active in the Geoguide Association, which is the force behind most of thepark’s activities. We will continue to enhance the role of women in a wide range ofactivities, until we achieve gender parity.
5-5 Financial Planning
The Promotion Council establishes budgets and manages its funds independently.
The main sources of income are membership fees from the members of the council(primarily the fifteen local municipals) and grants from Shizuoka Prefecture, which
support operating expenses such as the training of geoguides, publicity activities, andadministrative expenses such as the salaries of direct employees. Physicalinfrastructure such as the visitor centers, information boards, walking paths, toilets,and car parks has, since 2011, been provided by the 15 municipalities and private
sector companies with the support of grants from Shizuoka Prefecture.
Promotion Council Operating Budget
2015
2016
2017
2018
Budget (¥)

147,840,000

76,680,000

77,700,000

72,591,000

2019

2020

81,494,000

81,557,000“GEORIA”, our central facility, was established in 2015. We will continue to ask
Shizuoka Prefecture and the constituent municipalities for a stable budget sufficient
to set up information boards at all sites and maintain a steady contribution to our
networks and other activities.
Promotion Council Projected Operating Budget
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total Budget (¥)
Municipal
Contributions
Prefectural
Grant

2025

80,000,000

80,000,000

80,000,000

80,000,000

80,000,000

36,350,000

36,300,000

36,250,000

36,200,000

36,200,000

12,000,000

12,000,000

12,000,000

12,000,000

12,000,000

525-6 Securing an Independent Financial Base
Until now, the geopark’s activities have been funded by Shizuoka Prefecture and theconstituent municipalities. It is, however, necessary to secure an independent
financial base in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the geopark. In orderto do this, it is important that the positive impact on the region of the geopark’s
activities under its Master Plan and Action Plan is obvious.
We will undertake measures to secure capital for our activities and strengthen our
financial base. Further, we will also look, through our alliance with the Izu Peninsula
Tourist Bureau, to make use of the corporate Hometown Tax system, through whichbusinesses can donate part of their corporation tax liability to local authorities of theirchoice, to secure capital to support the geopark’s activities.
5-7 Facilities Management
5-7-1 Central Facility “GEORIA”

Fig. 5-4 Elementary school Geo-study at GEORIA (L), Rotating exhibition on tsunami in 2021 (R)The Izu Peninsula Geopark Museum “GEORIA” opened in April 2016 as the central
facility of the geopark. It is used to introduce the park to visitors, explain sites, andcarry out educational activities. GEORIA collects information for distribution to thevisitor centers, not just from the Izu Peninsula but from other geoparks around thecountry and across the world. It also serves as a hub to gather information from thevisitor centers on the regions of the geopark.
GEORIA is permanently staffed by geoguides, and has educational facilities, suchas a library, offices, and a guide hub, in addition to its exhibition space. In addition, it
has facilities to examine rock samples (such as a rock cutter), and these are used toregularly refresh the exhibitions and carry out collaborative research with bothinternal and external scientists. We are managing the center so that people who areinterested in the geopark will find it useful as they participate in its activities andbuild the geopark with us. As the central facility, it holds regular workshops aimed at
all age groups that provide a variety of entry points to the study of the Izu Peninsula.
53

We will continue to strategically revise the regular exhibits and hold special
exhibitions to meet the goal of GEORIA, to offer a journey back to the birth of theplanet 4.6 billion years ago, and through the volcanic and plate activity that shaped
the Izu Peninsula to the present day, that anyone can understand and enjoy.
5-7-2 Visitor Centers as a Network
The Izu Peninsula covers a wide area and can be entered at many points: Atami,
Kannami, Mishima, Nagaizumi, or Numazu, and by sea at Atami, Ito, and Izu. The
central facility, GEORIA, could not cater to all visitors by itself. Thus, we haveestablished visitor centers across the peninsula. As a basic rule, there is one visitor
center in each municipality, and they focus on information about their local area. We
are developing these centers into a network so that we can offer visitors to any part of
the geopark the opportunity to enjoy learning about it, and so that the visitor centers
can share information and divide functions as makes most sense. The Izu Peninsula
Geopark is particularly large, and the multiple visitor centers both help to make itvisible and increase awareness of it by taking active steps to disseminate information.
5-7-3 Plans for AmaGEO
In April 2019, the former Yugashima
Elementary School was reborn as the AmagiYugashima Community Complex. Within thiscomplex, AmaGEO was established as a hub
for collaborative research between Shizuoka
University

and

the

geopark.

Shizuoka

University also plans to use it as a hub for
research within the geopark and for sharing
the results of collaborative research with thegeopark. We will use it as a research hub to
study the geology, ecology, and culture of the
Izu Peninsula, and make use of the open space
to help visitors to appreciate the appeal of thegeopark.
Fig. 5-5 Visitor Centers and other geopark
facilities network in the peninsula

54

Action Plan 2021~2025
ActionImplementing
Body

2021

Decision
Legal
Preparaincorporation making: Mayors’ tions- merger with Council, Izu
Izu Peninsula Peninsula
Tourist Bureau,
TouristPromotion
BureauCouncil

GEORIAManagement

PromotionCouncil(Geoguide
Association)

GEORIA
Exhibitions

PromotionCouncil

2022

2023

2024

2025

IncorporationExecution Execution Execution Execution Execution

3
3
3
3
3
exhibitions
exhibition exhibition
exhibition
exhibition
per years per year s per years per years per year
Visitor Center Municipalities,Management Management Management Management Management

Management management
bodies(Support from
PromotionCouncil)Multilingual Municipalities, Establish
information
management guidelines
in Visitor
bodiesCenters(Support from
PromotionCouncil)
1 travelling
Cooperation Constituent
betweenmunicipalities exhibition(incl.
visitor centers Management
unstaffed
BodiesVCs)
1 shared
Promotion
workshopCouncil

2025
Numerical
Targets
Management
as a Legal
Corporation

Increase
number ofvisitors by 5%
over previous
year
Hold 15 special
exhibitions over
5 years

Increase target
number ofvisitors by 5%
over previous
year

Translation Translation Translation Translation

All information
available inmultiplelanguages

1 training 1 travelling 1 training
Create VC
programexhibition
programnetwork
1 travelling
1 shared
1 travelling across wholeexhibition
workshop
exhibition peninsula
1 shared
1 sharedRaiseworkshop
workshop standard of
VCs

1 training
program per year
Joint special
exhibition at
staffed VCs everyyear
1 joint workshop
per year

1 informal
gathering55

6. Networks and Partnerships
6-1 Basic Principles
Network activities are one of the distinctive features of the geopark’s program. They
include networks linking different sites, GEORIA and the individual visitor centers,
and residents and regional resources. The Izu Peninsula Geopark established a
Corporate Supporter system and an individual supporter system (Geosupporters) in
2015, which formed the starting point for further collaboration. In addition, thegeopark is bringing together examples of and ideas for projects from the various
regions so that they can learn from each other, encourage each other’s activities, andcreate new value.
6-2 Contributions to Global Geoparks
Since participating in the 6th International
Conference on UNESCO Global Geoparks in
2014, we have attended every such conference
and all Asia-Pacific Geopark Network (APGN)
symposia. At these meetings, we have given
presentations on our efforts in the Izu
Peninsula, shared case studies, and reported
on our research as a Geopark. As one

Fig. 5-6 Oral presentation at GGN Conferenceby the President

example, Mr Kikuchi, President of the Geopark Promotion Council (and the mayor of
Izu City), gave a speech at the 8th International Conference, held in the Adamello
Brenta Geopark in Italy. He reported on a case in which the city had intended topreserve geological heritage, but the results had destroyed its value so that it could
not be recognized as a Geo Site. In this presentation, he spoke as one of the people
responsible for this, with a strong element of self-criticism. The attendees strongly
commended him for presenting an example of failure. Further, in 2017 we sentscientific specialists to the Lesbos Intensive Course, held by UNESCO. We were
proactive in discussions with the UNESCO/GGN advisory council, and took away someideals that were shared across the Izu Peninsula after we got home. We also talked toaspiring Geoparks about what the Izu Peninsula had done, creating some ongoing56

relationships.
As a responsible member of the global geoparks network, we will not only tell others
about good examples from the Izu Peninsula Geopark, but also strengthen the systems
that enable us to learn from the good examples of other global geoparks. In addition,
we will dispatch our scientists as evaluators to potential geoparks and for revalidationof geoparks, based on the principle of learning from each other. We will establish
systems that ensure that we can continue to dispatch scientists for these tasks.
6-3 Geopark Activities in the Asia Pacific Region
6-3-1 Links with Ciletuh-Parabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark, Indonesia
The

Ciletuh-Parabuhanratu

UNESCO Global Geopark, which
was recognized at the same time as
the Izu Peninsula Global Geopark, islocated in Indonesia’s West Java
province,
agreement

which

has

with

a

sisterShizuokaPrefecture. We have invited the
management of their Geopark to Izu

Fig. 5-7 Sign off of the MoU between ChiletuhParabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark, Indonesia

for skills training, where we engaged
in technology transfer for interpretation boards, the creation of electronic maps, andthe conservation of sites, with careful attention to techniques that could be
implemented in Indonesia. In 2019 we exchanged a memorandum of understanding
about the cooperation between the two Geoparks. We will continue to deepen anddevelop this cooperation.
6-3-2 Activities to Spread Geoparks in the Asian Region
We sent an instructor to a Geopark training session for staff of National
Commissions of UNESCO, held by the UNESCO Jakarta office, which focused onpractical measures to make Geoparks valuable in education. We have taken numerous
opportunities to work with government officials and academics from Nepal who areinterested in Geoparks, providing advice on how to introduce a Geopark and concrete
technology and skill transfer training for conservation measures. We have also sent
certified geoguides to an aspiring Geopark in South Korea, to provide examples of how
57

geoguides can work in practice. Since our designation, we have welcomed inspection
teams from several countries.
Through promotion activities and capacity building that meets the needs of the otherparties, we will strengthen our presence as a geopark in the Asia-Pacific Region.
6-4 Contributions to the Japan Geoparks Network
The Izu Peninsula Geopark sends scientists, staff, and geoguides to the National
Conference of the Japan Geoparks Network and the central area regional training
course every year. There, they participate actively and give presentations on our
geopark’s projects. We plan to continue contributing to the activities of geoparks acrossJapan and of the whole network of geoparks in this way.
6-5 Strengthening Partnerships
The fundamental policy guiding the Izu Peninsula Geopark’s partnerships is tocontribute to the achievement of the SDGs through the basic activities of research,
conservation, education, and regional development, as called for in UNESCO Global
Geoparks. In 2020, the geopark concluded a 10-year comprehensive cooperationagreement with the local gas company to contribute to the revitalization anddevelopment of the Izu Peninsula, and to the achievement of the SDGs. Thispartnership aims to promote understanding of the foods and food culture of the Izu
Peninsula, encourage local production and consumption, spread understanding of theenvironment and disaster mitigation, and boost the regional economy. We currently
sign individual partnership agreements that have a ripple effect on the wider region.
The geopark also has a Corporate Supporter system. The requirement formembership is support of the geopark’s goals, and the aim of the system is to create asustainable Izu Peninsula. We have de facto partnerships with the corporations andgroups that have joined this scheme. In addition, we have developed an overall
framework for geotourism, and we are strengthening our cooperation with groups
inside the park in preparation for opening a portal site to allow reservations for
geoguide activities and with corporations offering sustainable tourism. We areworking to strengthen our partnership network through closer cooperation with the
Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace World Heritage Site, and by concluding partnershipagreements with corporations and educational and research bodies, such asuniversities and high schools, within the geopark, and with groups concerned with58

developing the region and with environmental protection both inside and outside thearea.
Partnership Agreements
Partnership agreements include the following basic principles.
• Contributes to conservation, education, or regional development• Contributes to achieving the SDGs
• Sustained, not one-off, cooperation• Merits for both parties
Network Activities
We are encouraging network activities with corporations, groups, educational andresearch institutions, and groups engaged in regional development or environmental
conservation, regardless of whether we have a formal partnership agreement. The
principles listed above for partnership agreements are also applied in these cases.
Action Plan 2021~2025
ActionContributions to Global
Geoparks
Participationininternational
conference
Presentations
Dispatch ofevaluator
Cooperation
with Ciletuh-

Impleme
nting
Body

2022

2023

2024

2025

2025
Numerical
Targets

Promotion Participation Participation Participation Participation Participation Dispatch 2
Council
Dispatch
Dispatch
Dispatch
Dispatch
Dispatch UNESCO
evaluators
in 2025

PromotionCouncilParabuhanratu

UNESCO
GlobalGeopark(Indonesia)
Capacitybuilding
andcooperationin AsianregionContributions to Japan
Geoparks
Network

2021

Exchange Cooperation
exhibitionsin school
ineducationmuseums

Mutualtraining
visits

Negotiations Cooperation Revision
on extension
in school andof agreement education extension
agreement
based onachievements

PromotionCouncil

APGN
Activities

APGN
Activities

MutualVisitsMutualVisitsPromotionCouncil

Participat
ion

Participat
ion

Participat
ion

Participation59

MutualVisits

Welcoming
inspection
tours every
year

Participat Hold anationalion
training
meeting

Conclude
cooperationagreement
with
Nirayama
Reverberatory Furnaces
andactivities
based on it

PromotionCouncilIzunokuni
CitySpecialexhibitions

Specialexhibitions

Specialexhibitions

Specialexhibitions

Specialexhibitions

Complete
10 joint
projects by
Joint efforts Joint efforts Joint efforts Joint efforts Joint efforts 2025
for
for
for
for
for
conservation, conservation, conservation, conservation, conservation,
promotion,
promotion,
promotion,
promotion,
promotion,
and
and
and
and
and
education
education
education
education
education

Shizuoka
Activities
Gas Corp.
based onpartnership Privateagreements sector
bodieswith

5 projects

5 projects

5 projects

5 projects

5 projects

Conclude
Shizuoka
University agreements

Cooperative

Concludeprojects

agreements

Cooperative
projects

Conclude Conclude
agreements agreement
s with 3 ormore

25
projects
in 5
years

corporations

and private
sectorbodiesCooperative

activities
andagreements
withuniversities

Universities

in theprefecture

universities

5
cooperativ
e projects
over 5years

60

7. Publicity and Information Strategy
7-1 Basic Principles
We will continue to actively disseminate information through a wide range of media,
including social media, to deepen residents’ understanding of the geopark, and,through making it more visible to visitors, raise awareness of it more generally.
7-2 Visibility (Information & Interpretation Boards)
We can say that the starting point of geopark activities isvisitors’ awareness that “I am in the geopark now”. Thus, it isnecessary to set up signs that say “this is the geopark”, so-called“welcome boards”, at the entrances to the geopark. At Mishima
Station, the main entrance to the Izu Peninsula, we have set up
interpretation boards that introduce the whole Izu Peninsula
UNESCO Global Geopark at the north and south exits, and theseserve the role of welcome boards. In addition, the Rotary Clubhas set up roadside welcome boards in Atami, Ito, and Shimoda.
However, it cannot be denied that more work is still needed on
visibility, and as the Japan Geopark committee recommended, it
is important to increase visibility at the Atami gateway.
The most important of the other tools for visibility are theinterpretation boards set up at each of the sites. These boards

Fig. 5-8 Roadsidewelcome sign

have been set up by municipalities, local companies, and non-profits, and are designed
to work with pre-existing tourist information boards. They carry simple explanations
in both Japanese and English, and as of March 2021, 141 have been set up. The content
is written by the Promotion Council’s scientists, based on the latest scientific research.
The interpretation boards have a common design, which takes account of their impact
on the landscape, and the content is written to be accessible to older elementary school
students. The boards also carry QR codes that link to the appropriate page on the
Promotion Council’s website, thus leading people towards further information.
All interpretation boards are in Japanese and English, and make use of photographs,
illustrations and maps to minimize the amount of text and offer an easy-to-understand61

Fig. 5-9 Application logos (left-to-right; Izu Peninsula Geopark, UNESCO linked-logo, Global
Geoparks Networks, Asia Pacific Geoparks Networks, Japan Geoparks Networks)

introduction. The interpretation boards can also be viewed on the website. Since theglobal designation of the geopark in 2018, the Promotion Council has been revising
the existing interpretation panels to include the UNESCO logo. As a UNESCO Global
Geopark, it is important to include UNESCO-linked logos on information andinterpretation boards to make it clear that the geopark has been designated by
UNESCO.
Further, as a result of becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark, the geopark joined the
Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and Asia Pacific Geoparks Networks (APGN), andso those logos are also included.
Basic Principles for Private Sector Interpretation Boards
When private organizations set up interpretation boards, the Promotion Council
provides support based on the following principles, paying attention to the importanceof having the boards seen by many people, and being used in GeoStudies and Geotours.
Expenses: The costs of setting up and maintaining the boards should be borne by
the organization that sets them up.
Oversight and Support: The Promotion Council provides advice based on scientificknowledge on the design and creation of easy-to-understand interpretation
boards.
Refurbishment of Old Interpretation Boards
Some of the interpretation boards that are exposed to the elements havedeteriorated. We are working, in concert with the groups who set the boards up, toensure that this problem is addressed.
Calls to Set Up Interpretation and Welcome Boards
If interpretation or welcome boards are set up at important sites or in places thatwill draw a lot of attention, it can be very effective in raising awareness. We encourage
the people responsible for such locations to set up boards there.
627-3 Using the Web to Amplify our VoiceThe Izu Peninsula Geopark website was thoroughly revised in 2017. The new
website serves all the fundamental publicity functions: providing basic information,
introducing points of interest and activities, advertising events, and making the park’s
literature and publications available for download. One distinctive feature of thewebsite is that it is set up to link points of interest. Rather than displaying them
individually, each point is tagged with its area, the phenomena that are visible there,
theme, geological period, and so on. This means that visitors to the site can easily find
all the points of interest that match up with the topics they want to learn more about.
The page for each point of interest includes not only access information and aninterpretation of the site, but also “Hazard Information” to enable people to view it
safely, and “Academic Information”, linking to academic papers including research on
the site. Finally, in times of natural disaster, such as typhoons, information about thedamage is also published on the site.
The website is visited by an average of around 1,000 users per day. This puts it
among the top tourism websites in Shizuoka Prefecture, and it is contributing toincreased awareness of, and visits to, the Geopark. We also maintain a presence on
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where we publish updates on events andday-to-day activities, focusing on more casual and immediate topics than the website.
In 2020, we set up special pages through which people can experience a virtual tourof the Izu Peninsula and past events. We plan to continue developing the website toinclude a kids’ site, support GeoStudies and Geotourism, and cover regional activities.
7-4 Production and Revision of Printed Materials
Production and Supervision of Printed Materials
The Promotion Council produces two varieties of map. The first, aimed at both
visitors and local residents, is the Izu Geo Map. This map, which is available in fivelanguages (Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese,
Traditional Chinese, Korean), describes the overall
structure of the Izu Peninsula, and introduces themain sites, along with the nature, food, and historyof the area. The second, aimed at visitors, is a set offour Driving Maps, one for each of the northern,southern, eastern, and western areas. These maps
63

Fig. 5-10 Izu Geo Map of the SEA

are constantly updated in cooperation withcertified geoguides, and are distributed to visitor
centers, roadside stations, and tourist andaccommodation facilities. They have proved to bea powerful tool for raising interest in the Geopark.
We have also created a Footpath Map, whichallows people to guide themselves on hiking tours
that take in the geology and flora of the area, andintroduces

placesrelatedtoliterature.

Fig. 5-11 A clip of the DVD“An Introduction to Izu”

Collaborating with marine activity companies, wehave also produced Izu Geo Map Sea, which is modelled on the Izu Geo Map but focuseson geological features in the sea. These two activity maps are available in both
Japanese and English, so that visitors from overseas can also enjoy Izu activities.
We are also producing educational materials. We have created a comic, Secrets of

the Izu Peninsula, aimed at children, and it is distributed every year to all children in
the fifth year of elementary school (ages 10-11) within the area of the park. It is also
used in study activities that utilize the park. In 2020, we created a DVD that provides
a comprehensive overview of the Izu Peninsula based on a narration of the essay “AnIntroduction to Izu” by Yasunari Kawabata, a literature Nobel laureate. The prime
purpose of this DVD is to support local area studies, and it has been distributed to allschools within the park, where it is widely used to enhance students’ understandingof the area where they live.
The popular Izu Geo Map and Driving Maps do a lot to raise awareness of thegeopark, and we will continue to keep them in print. We will also monitor the needs ofresidents and visitors and produce material that answers those needs in a timely
manner.
Books
We also produce books, aimed at a wider audience. In 2017, Professor Masato
Koyama of Shizuoka University, an academic advisor to the Promotion Council,
published a book entitled Through the Eyes of Drones: The Izu Collision. In this book,he analyzed the geology and geomorphology of the Izu Peninsula based on aerial drone
photography. In 2019 Atelier Rocky published a collection of aerial drone photographsof the Izu Peninsula Geopark for a general audience, entitled Divine Geology. In 2020,
the Center for Integrated Research and Education of Natural Hazards, Shizuoka
64University, another academic adviser to the geopark, published The Science of Major

Natural Disasters in Shizuoka, in which many pages are devoted to features of thegeopark.
In March 2021, Shizuoka Shimbun, under the supervision of the Promotion Council,
published a revised version of the official guidebook, Izu Geo 100. This book introduces
the main features, origins, history, and cultural background of 100 geosites.
We will continue to work to produce high-quality books, while also supporting
universities, research institutes, and private companies that are publishing suchbooks about the geopark. We will not simply “publish-and-forget”, but work to get thebooks wide distribution, for example by having them published by large publishers.
7-5 Private Sector Collaboration
From summer 2018, we have been working with the Kannami East Agricultural
Cooperative on a project to print short stories on 200 ml Tanna Milk packs. Around 10
million of these 200 ml packs are produced every year, mainly for school lunches in the
Izu area. As a result, their educational impact is remarkably strong. For the second
edition, starting in 2019, we called for submissions from people over 70 years of age.
At the same time, we set up a system through which facilities for the elderly could
arrange for visits from certified geoguides to help with the creation of the manuscripts.
In this way, the project has promoted the Geopark and knowledge of the local area not
only to schools, but also to the elderly.
Izukyu Railway Corporation is continuing to run a GeoTrain in which photographic
posters of Geo Sites from across the peninsula are displayed, introducing the Geopark
to visitors. In 2019 and 2020, the Izu Hakone Railway also ran a single train as a
GeoTrain. This train displayed posters designed by local high school students tointroduce Geo Sites, and was made a reality through the cooperation of the railway
company, high schools, and the Geopark Promotion Council. These posters provided
timely information to people using the train.
We hold a picture contest for elementary and junior high school students who either
live in the Izu Peninsula or go to school there. The call for entries is made over a period
including the summer holidays, and we ask for pictures of Geo Sites. The aim is to getchildren to visit the Geo Sites with their families, learn more about the area, and feelpride in it. The contest was first held in 2017, and the number of entries has increased
year by year, reaching nearly 200 in 2019. We hold an exhibition of winning entries,
65

which visits GEORIA, visitor centers, and supporting corporations.
Milk Stories
For the third edition of the milk stories, starting in 2019, Ohki Milk is also
participating, so the stories will also appear on “Izu Milk” cartons. As a result, allschool lunches across the Izu region will include milk cartons printed with Geo Stories.
The plan is to revise the contents every two to three years in the future.
Izukyu GeoTrain
The photograph posters in the trains need to be replaced about once every three
years. This project seems to have been effective in appealing to visitors to the region,so we will work with Izukyu Railway Co. Ltd. to update it.
Izu Hakone GeoTrain

Fig. 5-12 A sample sticker of Geosite information made by high school students (L) and GeoTrain (R)While the Izukyu GeoTrain is focused on appealing to tourists, the Izu Hakone
GeoTrain is rather a place for local high school students to present their work. The
Promotion Council will continue to secure the cooperation of Izuhakone Railway Co.
Ltd. and act as a link between schools and the company.
Geopark Children’s Picture Contest
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not hold the picture contest. Instead,
we organized “Our Home, the Izu Peninsula Geopark”, a desktop calendar project for
which people could submit pictures every month. This was supported by Mishima
Shinkin Bank, and the submitted pictures were displayed at its branches in thepeninsula. We also organized exhibitions with them. We will continue the Geopark
Children’s Picture Contest in the future, but we are looking into themes that do notinsist on pictures of Geo Sites.
Other Projects
There are many other places where posters or stickers could be displayed. However,creating and displaying them costs money. It is very important to carefully weigh up
66

the costs and benefits when considering possible projects.
7-6 Cooperation with the Mass MediaWe strategically issue press releases to media organizations. For example, in fiscal
2018 we issued 101 press releases, the most of any UNESCO Global Geopark. These
press releases have been sent to the 78 organizational members of the council, 150
corporate supporters, the publicity departments of the prefecture and the cities andtowns making up the park, 77 media organizations, 51 travel companies, 230
individual Geosupporters, and 189 certified geoguides, creating our own routes fordisseminating information. Information is delivered directly to interested residents,
and its frequent appearance in the media has raised awareness of the Geopark. As
people become more aware of the park, we receive more requests to appear in various
media. For example, a popular national television program on NHK, the national
broadcaster, explained the Izu Peninsula, allowing us to achieve our goal of reaching
the whole country.
When a project is reported in the national media, this not only helps to give theparticipants a sense of achievement, but also serves as inspiration for others. We willcontinue to take positive steps for publicity.
7-7 GeoCafé and other local eventsThe level of awareness of the Izu Peninsula Geopark has risen through events suchas GeoCafé, the Izu GeoTest, and workshops. As the geopark is built on theparticipation of individuals, it is important to expand the range of people involved anddevelop long-term connections. It is also critical to provide many different ways to
begin involvement with the geopark. Activities such as GeoCafé will continue tobroaden the activities of the Geopark beyond a pure focus on geology, and support an
Izu Peninsula in which inspiring all residents to make the Geopark part of their own
plans for the area.

67

Action Plan 2021~2025
2023

2024

2025

New
Constitue
establishnt
ment or
Municipal
refurbish
ities
ment at 3
Privatelocationscompanies
Local
groups(Support
from
PromotionCouncil)Multilingual Promotion Preparation
pamphlets
CouncilNew
establish
ment orrefurbish
ment at 3
locationsNewestablish
ment orrefurbish
ment at 3
locationsNewestablish
ment orrefurbish
ment at 3
locationsNewestablish
ment orrefurbish
ment at 3
locations

Produce 1
pamphlet

Preparation

Produce 1
pamphletCreation
Promotion PreparationandCouncilrevision of
printedmaterial
Cooperation Transport 2 projects
with private companies
and public
Privatesector bodies sector
bodiesPromotionCouncilStrengthen Promotion 100 press
releasesing links to Council
per
year
mass
media

Creation of Preparation
newmaterial

Creation ofnewmaterial

Revision

2 projects

2 projects

2 projects

2 projects 10 or more

100 press
releases
per year

100 press
releases
per year

100 press
releases
per year

100 press 500 orreleases more press
per year releases

36,000visitors
over theyear

37,000visitors
over theyear

38,000visitors
over theyear

39,000visitors
over theyear

At least
185,000
site
visitors
over 5years

Hold 6 in
the year

Hold 6 in
the year

Hold 6 in
the year

Hold 6 in
the year

Hold atleast 30
over 5years,
covering allthemunicipalit
ies

Implementing Body

2021

2025

2022

ActionProvisionofinterpretat
ion boards
at sites(Visibility)(Resubmiss
ion)

Information Promotion
provision on Council
the web

GeoCafé

35,000visitors
over theyear

Promotion Hold 6 in theyear
Council
Constituent
municipalities

Researchers
Geoguides

68

Numerical
TargetsNew
establishm
ent orrefurbishm
ent at 15
or morelocationsover 5years

Produce 2
newpamphletsover 5years
Creation of
2 new
items

projects
over 5years

over 5yearsChapter 6 Activities & Evaluation
1. Basic Principles of Activity Evaluation
The evaluation of activities is indispensable to the revision of plans and the creationof strategic plans. Based on the targets that have been established for 2025 in thisAction Plan, we will regularly validate the content and achievements of our activities
and work to improve them, including tackling any new problems that arise, with thecooperation of the people directly involved in implementing them.
On the other hand, we will also receive external evaluations from the Japan
Geopark Committee (JGC) and UNESCO revalidation assessments.

2. Evaluation by the JGC and UNESCO
The Izu Peninsula Geopark is assessed once every four years by the JGC and
UNESCO. The JGC carries out a Preparatory Inspection the year before UNESCO
revalidation. The geopark is assessed according to the statutes and guidelines of theInternational Geoscience and Geoparks Program (IGGP). The Izu Peninsula Geopark
will be reevaluated by UNESCO in 2021 to assess its structures and programs for theconservation and use of geoheritage, and the development and improvement of its
activities since the designation

3. Global Geoparks Network Annual Report
Every year, we summarize the previous year’s activities in the prescribed format (3pages of A4) and submit it to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) in English. Thisannual report forms part of the basis for the four-yearly revalidation.

4. Revalidation by UNESCO (Once in 4 Years)
We summarize four years’ activity in the prescribed format (25 pages or fewer of A4)
and submit it in English. It is submitted to UNESCO through the Japanese National
Commission for UNESCO by the JGC, which is the Japanese Committee for the
UNESCO Global Geoparks Program. After UNESCO and the GGN assess the
documents, they carry out an on-site inspection, before issuing its results andrecommendations. These recommendations should be implemented before the69

following revalidation.

5. Assessment by Users
The use and awareness of the geopark is constantly monitored throughquestionnaires and statistics gathered at various facilities and forms an importantpart of the evaluation of specific activities.

6. Measuring the Results of Sustainable Tourism
We have determined benchmarks by which to measure the effectiveness of ourefforts to promote sustainable tourism in the Izu Peninsula Geopark. We have set
environmental, social, economic and SDG benchmarks to make our progress towards
sustainable development through tourism visible, and gather basic data for thedevelopment of programs through PDCA to resolve issues that arise.

70

Izu Peninsula UNESCO Global Geopark
Master Plan and Action Plan
2021-2025

Documentary Appendix

72

Inventory of the cultural heritage which protected
cultural property designation

73

74

75

76

Inventory of the natural heritage which protectedby natural monument designation

77

78

Inventory of National Park designation protection

79