Information based in the Marine Park publication and brochure.
Picture Galleries: 1. Berta's pictures 2. Pictures from the Kushimoto Marine Park Brochure
The Kushimoto Marine park is the oldest in Japan. It is located along the Sabiura Coast in Kushimoto, the most Southern point of Japan mainland or Honshu. It was designated as a Marine park in 1970 together with the Yoshino-Kumano National Park.
One of the important features of the park is the fact that the Kuroshio Current passes right next to this area of coast creating a tropical like environment with unusual species and coral reefs that do not exist in other parts of Kushimoto. Thanks to the current the water is clear and keeps a permanent high temperature of 20 degrees celsius in comparison to 15 degrees just outside the current. The marine ecosystem in the area is formed by a lot of reef corals, colorful tropical fish and many unique coral communities making the northernmost coral reef ecosystem in the world.
The Marine Park visitor center has been renovated in 2007 with a modern and attractive design. It is divided into 4 areas:
A. Marine Pavillon or aquarium, showing different tropical and non tropical sea species, sea urgines, and an amazing collections of sea anemones and corals, it also features a walking through tunnel (1,250 tons) with turtle, sharks, ray fish, etc.
B. Mainly dedicated to turtles. An outside pool and beach alow the visitor to observe the large turtles in, almost, their natural environment.
C. Gift shop and coffee corner, good place to get any kind of marine related gifts and all kind of typical Japanese food to take home.
D. The Underwater Tower is a light house looking building that goes down to 5 meters. Port holes on the side of the building alow the visitor to observe the marine life in their natural form, coral reefs and tropical species (20-40) can be observed.
Besides the marine park building the visitor can take a trip in the glass bottomed boat to observe marine life comfortably. The diving park is also part of the center and provides lodging to scuba and skin divers and a boat to take them to interesting diving locations.
The Sabiura Marine Park research station, located next to the visitor center, is where all the laboratory work is done about marine conservation and observation of local organisms. Long term rear of reef building corals in the aquarium is the first success in the world, and breading of sea turtles in captivity is the first in Japan.
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