In his novel “The Frolic of the Beast”, the novelist Yukio Mishima describes the cliff as "like a smooth golden plate." It is a mystery how such colored cliff was formed. Let's walk around with a magnifying glass. Maybe you can find out the secret of the golden color.
| ｜Area | Western Izu Area (Nishi-Izu Town) |
| ｜Geological Period | Ejecta and intrusive rocks of submarine volcanoes that erupted on the shallow seafloor about 10 million ~ 2 million years ago |
| ｜Itinerary | Parking lot in front of the Koganezaki Observatory (Koganezaki Koganesuto Parking) → Observatory→ Horse Rock→ Stone Quarry Ruins→ Coast → Koganesuto (Nishiizu Town Visitor Center) |
| ｜Distance | Approx. 2km |
| ｜Duration | Approx. 120 minutes |
| ｜Level | Hiking |
| ｜Meeting Point | Parking lot in front of the Koganezaki Observatory (Koganezaki Koganesu Parking) <MAP> * Please use the parking lot (free of charge). |
| ｜Ending Point | Koganesuto (Nishiizu Town Visitor Center) |
| ｜Participation Fee | Adults (junior high school students and older): 3,000 yen Elementary school children: 1,500 yen |
| ｜Number of Participants | 2 to about 10 people |
| ｜Reservation | Please make a reservation at least one week in advance. |
| ｜What to Wear/ bring | Comfortable clothing, footwear (no sandals), hats, drinks, etc. |
| ｜Notes | The tour will be operated in case of light rain, but in case of stormy weather it will be cancelled. Please read about the cancellation policy. |
| ｜How to Apply | Please apply from the "Reservation Form" at the bottom of the page. |
Parking lot in front of Koganezaki Observatory
(Koganezaki Koganesuto Parking)
This is free parking.
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Observatory
If the weather is good, you can see Mt. Fuji and the Southern Alps beautifully over the horse rock.
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Yukio Mishima Literary Monument
A passage from the novel "The Frolic of the Beasts" is inscribed on the monument. The transcription was written by Yukio Mishima’s father, who was a calligrapher.
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Stone quarry ruins
It is the remains of a quarry where the stones for the stone wall of Sunpu Castle were said to be quarried.
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Koganesuto (Nishiizu Visitor Center)
There is a huge red three-dimensional map of the Izu Peninsula inside. It is worth taking a look.
