Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark 日本語
 |
You can learn about the Changing World of Our Mother Earth. How were the landscapes before us created? Familiar geological formations such as mountains, hills and coasts develop over long periods ranging from millions of years. They provide habitats for lush forests, animals and other life forms as well as people’s daily lives. Geoparks are precious places that teach us about our living planet and its relationships with the life it supports. An area must be certified in order to become a geopark. The Toya-Usu Geopark was designated as a Global Geopark in 2009, then, in 2015, the creation of a new label, the UNESCO Global Geoparks, was ratified by the 195 member states of UNESCO. The Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark is a 1,180 km2 area consistings of 4 municipalities: Date city, Toyoura town, Sobetsu town, and Toyako town. （For more detailed information about the standard criteria of UNESCO Global Geoparks, etc. Please visit the UNESCO homepage.） |
|---|
What to see in the Toya- Usu UNESCO Global Geopark
There are a lot of places to visit in the Toya- Usu UNESCO Global Geopark.
Lake Toya, formed by an extremely large-scale eruption approx 110,000 years ago and Nakajima Island formed by eruptions approx 50,000 years ago.
Footpaths connecting craters and ruins from the Mt. Usu eruption in 2000 that have been preserved.
You can get more information about other places to visit and how to access them at the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark homepage.
UNESCO Global Geoparks, Japanese Geoparks
There are 140 UNESCO Global Geoparks in the world, and 44 Japanese Geoparks (including 9 UNESCO Global Geoparks) in Japan. Of those, 5 geoparks are located in Hokkaido.(as of September, 2018)
| Geoparks in Hokkaido | Japanese Geoparks |
UNESCO Global Geoparks |
|||
| Mt.apoi UNESCO Global Geopark | Shirataki Geopark | Mikasa Geopark | Tokachi-Shikaoi Geopark |  |
 |
“The Toya-Usu Volcano Meisters”
There is a system of certification for “Toya-Usu Volcano Meisters” who act as leaders in regional disaster prevention.
The 52 Meisters(as of October, 2018) who passed the thorough evaluations for certification now work to spread knowledge about disaster prevention and the Geopark’s attractions.
The subprefectural bureau’s action
The Iburi General Subprefectural Bureau puts an effort into is endeavoring to promote the geopark to both residents and the visitors.
In 2016, children from the Mt. Apoi UNESCO Global Geopark (located in Samani town, Hidaka, Hokkaido) and the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark did an exchange where they visited and learned about each park.
