is a quasi-national park on the
Oga Peninsula
The Oga Peninsula (男鹿半島 ''Oga-hantō'') is a rugged peninsula which projects west into the Sea of Japan from the coast of Akita in northern Honshū, the main island of Japan. Politically it coincides with the city
A city is a human s ...
, in
Akita Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is estimated 915,691 as of 1 August 2023 and its geographi ...
, in far northwestern
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. The park is wholly within the city of
Oga
Oga or OGA may refer to:
Places
* Oga, Akita, Tōhoku, Japan
* Oga Peninsula, Japan
* Oga, a ''frazione'' of Valdisotto, Italy
People
* Ōga Atsushi, a Japanese sumo wrestler
* My Oga at the top, Nigerian Pidgin English term for "boss" or "leade ...
.
It is rated a protected landscape (Category V) according to the
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...
.
The area was designated a quasi-national park on May 15, 1973.
Like all quasi-national parks in Japan, the park is managed by the local prefectural government; in this case, that of Akita prefecture.
Godzilla Rock (Oga)
On the southern part of the
Oga Peninsula
The Oga Peninsula (男鹿半島 ''Oga-hantō'') is a rugged peninsula which projects west into the Sea of Japan from the coast of Akita in northern Honshū, the main island of Japan. Politically it coincides with the city
A city is a human s ...
, there is a place called
Cape Shiosezaki. One of the rocks there is nicknamed Godzilla Rock for its silhouette resembling
Godzilla
is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that debuted in the eponymous 1954 film, directed and co-written by Ishirō Honda. The character has since become an international pop culture icon, appearing in various media: 33 Japanese films p ...
. () When the sun sets next to the
natural formation, it can create the image of Godzilla blowing fire or more commonly known as radiation in the movies
flame-blowing monster. The other eroded and named rocks are Godzilla's Tail Rock,
Gamera
is a fictional giant monster, or ''kaiju'', that debuted in the Gamera, the Giant Monster, eponymous 1965 Japanese film. The character and the first film were intended to compete with the success of Toho's Godzilla (franchise), ''Godzilla'' ...
Rock, Turtle Rock, Twin Rocks and Sailboat Rock.
Gallery
Image:Godzilla Rock Sign.jpg, Godzilla Rock signs
Image:Godzilla Rock.jpg, 2008
Image:GodzillaStone.JPG, 2009
Image:Godzilla Rock 1.jpg, 2013
Image:Godzilla Rock 2.jpg, 2013
Image:Godzilla-iwa in Oga,Akita.jpg, 2020
Image:Shiosezaki 3.jpg, Sailboat Rock, height of 30m
Image:Shiosezaki 1.jpg, Shiosezaki Lighthouse on Turtle Rock
See also
*
Oga Aquarium Gao
*
Nyūdōzaki Lighthouse
*
List of national parks of Japan
and of Japan are places of scenic beauty that are designated for protection and sustainable use by the Ministry of the Environment (Japan), Minister of the Environment under the of 1957. National parks are designated and in principle managed b ...
References
*Sutherland, Mary and Britton, Dorothy. ''The National Parks of Japan''. Kodansha International (1995).
External links
{{authority control
National parks of Japan
Oga, Akita
Parks and gardens in Akita Prefecture
Protected areas established in 1973
Rock formations of Japan
1973 establishments in Japan