Kirishima Kinkowan National Park

Kirishima Kinkowan National Park
	Summit of Sakurajima
Location:	Miyazaki , Kagoshima , Japan
Surface:	736.62 km²
Founding:	March 16, 1934
	Kapp Sata on the southern tip of Kinko Bay
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The Kirishima Kinkōwan National Park ( Japanese 霧島錦江湾国立公園 , Kirishima Kinkōwan Kokuritsu Kōen ) is a Japanese national park on Kyūshū . Parts of the park are located in the two prefectures of Miyazaki and Kagoshima . The national park was founded in 1934 together with the Unzen Amakusa National Park on Kyūshū and the Setonaikai National Park around the Seto Inland Sea . This makes it one of the oldest national parks in Japan.

On March 16, 1964, the park around the island of Yakushima was added, which became the Kirishima Yaku National Park ( 霧島屋久国立公園 , Kirishima Yaku Kokuritsu Kōen ). On March 16, 2012, however, Yakushima was spun off as an independent national park ( Yakushima National Park ) and the Kirishima Yaku National Park was renamed the Kirishima Kinkōwan National Park. The Japanese Ministry of Environment is responsible for the management of the national parks.

Park area

Satellite image of the Kagoshima Bay

The park is divided into the following areas:

Kirishima volcano group: u. a. Shinmoe-dake (1421 m), Karakuri-dake (1700 m), Hinamori-dake (1344 m) and Takachiho-no-mine (1573 m)

Volcanic island Sakurajima (1117 m) and the Shigetomi beach in the Kinkō Bay (also Kagoshima Bay )

Coast of Kinkō Bay from Chiringashima to Kapp Sata , including the stratovolcano Kaimon-dake (924 m) and areas around the lakes Ikeda and Unagi on the west side of the bay
Takatoge Pass with a view of Sakurajima and Kinko Bay

Flora and fauna

The national park provides a habitat for a variety of animal and plant species, including many rare bird and insect species, such as the critically endangered dragonfly Libellula angelina .