is a large area of

sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...

s located to the east of the village of

Higashidōri is a List of villages in Japan, village located in Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 5,913 in 2829 households, and a population density of 20 persons per km2. Its total area is . Geography Higashid� ...

in northeastern

Aomori Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori (city), Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is border ...

, facing the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

. They are also known as the because of their location on

Shimokita Peninsula The is the remote northeastern cape of the Japanese island of Honshū, stretching out towards Hokkaido. Overview It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, Tsugaru Strait to the north and Mutsu Bay to the west and south. Shaped like an ...

Geography

Measuring approximately long by to wide, with an area of , the dunes are also Japan's largest area of

singing sand Singing sand, also called whistling sand, barking sand, booming sand or singing dune, is sand that produces sound. The sound emission may be caused by wind passing over dunes or by walking on the sand. Certain conditions have to come together ...

. Behind the sand dunes lie ponds and marshes forming an important wildlife habitat.

Military use

Almost all of the area of the Sarugamori Sand Dunes are used for military training by Japan's Ministry of Defense, and generally off-limits to tourists.

References

External links

Japan's Ministry of Defense Shimokita Test Grounds

Shimokita Geopage home page

{{in lang, es Higashidōri, Aomori Landforms of Aomori Prefecture Dunes of Japan Wetlands of Japan