Cape Hirotazaki

Cape Hirotazaki occupies the southern tip of the peninsula below the Goishi Coast, where white granite covers the shore in every size from massive boulders down to smooth pebbles. The name Hirota comes from an Ainu word meaning beautiful beach, recalling the indigenous people who once lived here. A paved promenade once followed the shoreline, but only fragments survived the tsunami of March 11, 2011. The contrast between white granite and blue sea is sharpest at sunset when the rocks catch the last light. Just offshore, Aomatsushima Island rises with its evergreen pines, and Tsubakishima Island serves as a breeding ground for black-tailed gulls.