Umanose Cave Mouth

Located off the southern coast of the Miura Peninsula, Jogashima Island is the largest natural island in Kanagawa Prefecture. Famed for its scenery since the Middle Ages, its popularity grew further in the Meiji era (1868-1912) when it became a romantic resort, made easily accessible by the new steamship line that connected Miura with Tokyo.

Though the island is long past its prime as a tourist attraction, its picturesque coastlines and rocky beaches remain popular, particularly among newlyweds. Most notable is the Umanose Cave Mouth, a natural arch located on the edge of the Akabane Coast.

Formed by coastal erosion, the Umanose (which means “horse-back”) Cave Mouth was originally a large sea cave through which boats could cruise with ease, but the great earthquake of 1923 raised the landform, causing it to be bound to the rest of the beach. Today, it looks like a large hole in the rocky wall, often providing a nice backdrop in wedding photos.