Oki is known as a Unesco World Geopark. Let’s ponder this as we explore the geo room.
“Geo” doesn’t refer to rocks or geography. It’s more about how those aspects connect with our lifestyles. The stories that lie underneath this makeup what “Geo” truly is. That’s what we want you to consider as we move forward. Let’s look at an example.
The earth came into existence over 46 million years ago. Once upon a time, all of the lands on this earth were connected in one large continent. Even the Japanese archipelago was once a part of this larger continent, and over time, with the seismic shifts of the earth, Japan separated into an isolated island.
Once upon a time, a volcano in the sea of Japan erupted. Two islands were born from that eruption. At first, these islands were identical, like twins. However, another eruption occurred in the center of one of the islands, resulting in a collapse and the formation of a caldera. This caldera was then filled with water and split into three separate islands. These three islands made up the Dōzen group of islands. After this, there was another eruption on Nakanoshima, the island where the town of Ama is located. The lava overflow from the eruption smoothed over the uneven terrain of the island resulting in a large, open field--one of a kind land formation on the island.
Years later, mankind also found its way to this island. They happened across this miraculous field and began raising crops here. Eventually, this became a land of exile for the nobility of the time, and learning to adapt to the comings and goings of people over time may have led to the locals' friendliness towards travelers and migrants.
We hope that through connecting with the earth you are currently standing on, you can imagine these stories and how they connect with the present day.
Why is it that you have come to visit Oki? This might not be something you can explain in one word. It might have been a long chain of events that brought you to this moment. Let’s take a moment to examine the causes that might lie behind that coincidence.