Unlike Japan’s typical rocky and rugged coastline, Kujukuri Beach is a 66-kilometer length of sandy beach in the shape of an arc and with no reef. Without a reef, waves crash right onto the beach making it a favorite beach for surfers who can be seen riding the waves in all seasons.
Geographic Overview
The beach of Kujukuri is formed by sand carried from numerous rivers, with significant influence from the deposits of the Tone River over long periods. Beach sand consists primarily of geological sand grains with a small component of marine sand grains.
Sand Location
See where this sand sample was collected on Google Maps.
Virtual Sand Tour
Explore an interactive map of Kujukuri Beach on Google Earth.
Sand Gallery
In this low magnification view four centrally located large white mollusk shards and a couple of semi-translucent light tan marine fragments stand out in contrast the a mixture of small clear quartz, some with black inclusions, and tan and black grains of volcanic origin.
White and off-white shell fragments, including a large rectangular piece of mollusk shell with a linear brown stripe, stand out against a mixture of clear quartz and brown, reddish brown, and black geological sand grains.
Two relatively large white marine shell fragments with smooth edges stand out against a background of mottled brown-black grains, black basalt grains, and sharp-edged clear quartz sand grains.
Large centrally located white, light tan, and tan marine sand grains stand out against a mixture of clear, reddish brown, yellow, green, and black geological sand grains. Subtle parallel grooves and some pink coloration are evident in one of the marine fragments. The tan rod-shaped fragment with linear parallel grooves in the lower center is a sea urchin spine fragment.
This high magnification view features large white and off-white fragments of marine mollusk fragments, a couple with subtle pale parallel linear stripes. Other off white small fragments are also likely bits of marine organisms. Remaining smaller grains include clear quartz, feldspar and reddish-tan terrestrial sand grains.
This low magnification features a spectrum of sand grains including clear quartz, feldspar and other geological sand grains including black basalt. Larger white and tan grains, some elongated, are mollusk fragments. A small white round foram is at the center of this view.
Larger sand grains in this higher magnification of Figure 6 include pale white and minimally translucent marine grains including a mollusk shell fragment with tan linear stripes to the left of center. The white circular white sand grains near the center is a marine foraminiferal sand grain. Clear quartz, light tan feldspar and reddish-brown grains represent geological components of this sand sample.