Exploring the Oki Islands through the Geopark: The History of the Land and Its People

Welcome to the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark.

You may have heard the word “geopark” before. Maybe you wondered, what does it mean? What exactly is a geopark?

The word “geopark” comes from the “geo” found in words like geography and geology. “Geo” (or “gaia”) in Ancient Greek means earth. A geopark is a place where we can learn more about the Earth—not just the geology and geography of the land, but also the natural environment and the human history and lifestyles, and how these things are all connected.

For example, the Oki Islands are known in Japanese history books as islands of exile. A long time ago, two former emperors of Japan were exiled to the islands. If such powerful and important figures as these emperors were to be exiled somewhere, it had to be the Oki Islands. But why here?

Let’s look at another example: in the Oki Islands, you can find plants typical of Hokkaido’s northern climate coexisting with plants typical of Okinawa’s southern climate, despite their vastly different habitats. Azaleas also keep their bright color as late in the year as December in some parts of the islands, allowing for unusual photos of snow-frosted azaleas. But why is this?

These questions of “why” and many more like them can be explained by exploring the geopark. Their answers are deeply connected to the geology, geography, and location of the land. Let’s take a trip together through the Oki Islands and discover these connections, and the answers they provide about the wonders around us.

The Oki Islands may be a group of small, remote islands, but they hold a world of information about Japan, and about the Earth as a whole. Let’s explore the features of the Oki Islands Geopark one by one, starting with the history of the land and its formation.

Please proceed to Zone 1: Geohistory.

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