Aoshima 青島 is a small island in the south of Japan and belongs to the city Miyazaki. The island is located east of the main island of Kyūshū.
The island is characterized by a subtropical plant society 亜熱帯性 植物群落 植物群落, of 226 species, which is one of the northernmost such populations and therefore was designated as the special natural monument of Japan on 29 March 1952.
Aoshima is connected to the mainland by the Yayoi Bridge 生 橋 and is ringed by white beaches surrounding a subtropical jungle at the island’s center.
It is a 1.5 kilometer walk around Aoshima’s beaches with a number of canvas stands selling souvenirs along the way. At the center of the island is Aoshima shrine 青島神社, a colorful shrine set back in the jungle that is said to bring luck to married couples.
The island is known for the rock formations surrounding it, which are known as the “washboard of the demons” 鬼 の 板 板, because of their long, parallel and straight furrows – as they can also be seen in the adjacent aerial image. Declared
as a natural monument on 1 May 1934. Geologically, they emerged 7 million years ago when the seabed rose and consist of alternating layers of harder sandstone and softer clay, the structure being formed by the stronger erosion of the clay by the waves.
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