Nakatajima Sand Dunes

The Nakatajima Sand Dunes (Japanese中 田岛 砂丘, Nakatajima - Sakyu ) are located in the southern Japanese city of Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Along the coast of the Pacific Ocean extend in an east-west direction for a distance of 4 km with a width of 600 meters in a north-south direction. The sandy beach Kujūkurihama (九 十九 里 浜) left in Chiba Prefecture except eight, they provide according to the largest sand dunes in Tottori Tottori Prefecture, the second largest sand dune area in Japan dar.

The dunes are formed by sedimentary deposits, which brings the River Tenryu from the southern Japanese Alps to the Pacific. Ocean currents and strong winds contribute to flood the sand from the seabed to the shore where the wind is constantly changing its shape. The dunes have existed for thousands of years, but the area of the dunes reduced by the construction of several dams in the Tenryu for power generation and irrigation. Concrete barriers to protect the coast from tsunamis and typhoons hinder the currents that bring the sand. Over the past 40 years, the shoreline has become so withdrawn by 200 meters.

In recent years, the prefecture of Shizuoka administration has taken measures to stop the shrinkage of the dunes. So a ban on the commercial sand extraction was adopted, introduced new sand, and encroaching grass surfaces removed. The sustainability of these measures for the protection of the dunes is still unclear.

The Nakatajima sand dunes are a popular place to watch the first sunrise of the year. From 3rd to 5th May, the dunes are the location for the Hamamatsu Festival, which includes the traditional Japanese kites.

In the summer of loggerhead turtle come ashore to lay their eggs on the beach. These are then collected and brought into a protected incubation area. When the young are hatched, they leave this protective zone and embark in the Kuroshio ocean current of the Pacific Ocean.

Attachment of the sand dunes

Concrete barrier for coastal protection

Nakatajima sand dunes