The dramatic cliffs and beaches of the Sanriku Coast are a valuable refuge for a variety of seabirds such as the black-tailed gull and streaked shearwater, and birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon and osprey. You can observe a diverse range of flowers as well, including the Thunberg lily and beach morning glory in areas such as the Tanesashi Coast. The Rikuchu Coast is covered in red pine, and Funakoshi Oshima Island is home to a virgin forest of Tabu trees. Beds of gulfweed and sea lettuce along the coast create a precious habitat for marine life.
Plants
Thunberg Lily
The Thunberg lily (Lilium maculatum Thumb var. maculatum) is a perennial native to Japan. It blooms on sand, gravel and cliffsides in Sanriku Fukko National Park in July and August.
Thunberg lily
Flower Fields of the Tanesashi Coast
The Tanesashi Coast stretches for 12 kilometers and is home to over 650 types of plants. Some of the flowers you'll spot in the area include Japanese roses, beach morning glories, daylilies and Japanese irises.
Tanesashi Coast
Animals
Black-Tailed Gull
The black-tailed gull is native to the shorelines of East Asia. In Japan, it is called umineko, meaning "sea-cat," because of its cat-like call. Thousands of gulls breed on Kabushima Island from May to August. The locals protect them, believing since ancient times that these birds are messengers of the goddess of fishing.
Black-tailed gull
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine falcons can be found on coastal cliffs, rocky shores and isolated islands in this park. They prey almost exlusively on other birds, and can reach speeds over 300 kph when hunting, making this the fastest bird in the world.
The coast of Sanriku Fukko