Mt. Darumayama was formed from volcanic activity about 120,000 years ago. Darumayama lava exposed at Subana, has a rugged surface and thus is called “Yoroi-iwa”, derived from the armor of samurai. Darumayama lava contains phenocrystic minerals such as hornblende and anhydrite.

Shiroyama Volcano, located in northwest Himeshima, is characterized by vesiculated milky white lava. Parts of the Shiroyama lava is obsidian cliff which forms the beautiful scenery in Kannonzaki. The Shiroyama lava had been quarried for perlite until recently.

Ukisu Volcano has the largest volcanic crater in Himeshima, recognized for its rounded shallow sea which stretches for about 700m. The most part of the volcanic body is subsided under waves at high tide. The reef, named “Ukisu”, is one of “the seven wonders of Himeshima” and consists of Ukisu lava and becomes attached to the mainland at low tide.

Mt. Yahazudake, the highest peak of 266.4m in Himeshima, was formed from volcanic activity about 90,000 years ago. Yahazudake lava, which is dacite containing hornblende phenocryst, is distributed from hillsides to the top of the mountain.

Kane lava, characterized by its distinct conspicuous flow-banding, is dacite containing hornblende phenocryst. Five lava domes or shallow intrusive bodies of dacite are distributed in Kane Volcano. Volcaniclastic debris deposited during the activity of Kane Volcano can be seen along the coastal area of Kane Port.

Inazumi Volcano viewed from around Hyoshimizu looks a trapezoidal shape, caused by the dish-like shaped volcanic crater in the center. There is a lighthouse that stands above the cliff of Inazumi lava.

“Takanosu” is the sea cliff located in the southeast of Mt. Yahazudake, along the road “Himeshima Blue Line”. The name means the hawk’s nest and comes from the fact that falcons nest here, using hollows on the surface of the cliff.

The roof-tile pattern of the cliff strata is an example of convolute lamination, a rare feature here in Oita Prefecture produced by the crumpling of strata by earthquakes. This cliff became a Designated Natural Monument of Oita Prefecture in 1959.

Largely inclined strata on the coastal line of Maruishibana, deposited about 2 million years ago, has developed various geological structures such as folds and faults.

Kannonzaki, Himeshima’s most renowned beauty spot, is home to unique obsidian cliffs, ranging from a milky grey to milky white color. Obsidian in Kannonzaki is important geologically and archaeologically, because past volcanic activity is recorded in these rocks and because obsidian was used widely in stone tools around the Seto Inland Sea and across Western Japan in the Paleolithic era. For these reasons, the area around Kannonzaki was named “Himeshima Obsidian Quarries” and was designated as a Natural Monument of Japan in 2007.

Vivianites, a kind of iron phosphate mineral, are found on sea floor at Subana in Himeshima. Vivianite found in Himeshima became a Designated Natural Monument of Oita Prefecture in 1959. Vivianites vary in shape, such as spherical or bone like shapes.

“Hyoshimizu” is a lukewarm bicarbonate mineral spring with a water temperature of 24.9℃, is continuously streaming in northeast Himeshima, and can be drunk.

“Takanosu” is the sea cliff located in the southeast of Mt. Yahazudake, along the road “Himeshima Blue Line”. The name means the hawk’s nest and comes from the fact that falcons nest here, using hollows on the surface of the cliff.

There is an obsidian sea cliff, 40m tall and 120m wide, in east side of Kannonzaki. Several sea caves can be found on this sea cliff.

The coastal cliff exposed below the Himeshima lighthouse is composed of Hashiragadake lava, which is a part of the Inazumi Volcano. There are several sea caves on the basal part of the cliff. There is “Amidagaki”, one of “the seven wonders of Himeshima”, in the western largest cave, in which small boats can enter during a high tide. “Hashiradake”, isolated rock columns found in the eastern end of the cliff, are originally a part of the land. These columns are regarded as remains after the collapse of the roof of the sea cave.

The Chestnut Tiger is a large butterfly which migrates long distances. The butterflies stop over on Himeshima from mid-May to mid-June on their way north to feast on the nectar of Sunabikisou, the Siberian sea rosemary. The new generation stops over, too, when flying south in mid-October, drawn this time by Fujibakama, the fragrant eupatorium.

Himeshima is home to raptors such as ospreys and falcons, which are the target species for “Act on Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora”. Ospreys nest in Kannonzaki’s “Toshakuiwa” and falcons nest in the sea cliff “Takanosu”.

Natural woods of Sudaji (Castanopsis sieboldii) is growing around the cliffs behind Himekoso shrine.

The Yojaku archaeological site is located on a flat hill, northwest of Mt. Yahazu and was excavated in 1988. Obsidian remains such as arrowhead are excavated on this site. It is considered that stone tools using obsidian of Himeshima had been produced here.

The Kosho were the Shoya (village headmen) of Himeshima during the Edo period. Their achievements included the construction of salt pans, introduction of the sweet potato crop, and building of a stone breakwater. This old house, the Koshoke, was built by the 11th head of the Kosho family, Shigetoshi Kosho, in 1842. The 1,800m2 site contains both the main building and a post office built in 1904. The main building has a hipped roof and partial upper story with a combined floor area of about 430m2. The whole property, including the traditional landscaped garden and Onari-no-ma room for receiving high-ranking visitors, was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Himeshima Village in 1990.

The Choshu clan of what is now Yamaguchi Prefecture shelled foreign ships passing through the Kanmon Strait at Shimonoseki in May, 1863. The multinational squadron of 17 warships from Britain, the United States, France and the Netherlands gathered in Himeshima Nishiura in August, 1864 for a retaliatory mission. The squadron sailed from here to bombard the batteries of Shimonoseki. Hirofumi Ito, Kaoru Inoue and Kaishu Katsu, historical persons of Japan, had come to Himeshima because of this incident.

Himeshima Lighthouse, constructed from granite, was built above the cliff on eastern end of the island in 1904. It was electrified in 1963 and automated in 1945. The view from here expands over the Seto Inland Sea, and the mountain ranges of Shikoku and Chugoku on a clear day. Lighthouse Park is most famous place for its cherry blossom on the island. There is a heart-shape stump of Oshima cherry in this park, which the spirit of the legendary princess entered.

Salt fields had been operated from the 1500s to 1959, using tidal flat on sand bar in central Himeshima. The relics related to the salt industry remain in various places around the salt fields. Cultivation of Japanese tiger prawns begun in 1963 using the original salt fields and has now become a core industry for the village alongside coastal fishing.

The Bon dance of Himeshima is thought to have been derived from the Nembutsu dance in the Kamakura period. There is a traditional dance and a creative dance. It is held over three days from August 14th to 16th every year, in which the first two days are especially busy. “Himeshima-no-Bon-Odori” was designed as a National Intangible folk cultural property in 2012.

Sennindo is the little Buddhist hall on Kannonzaki. Bato Kannon, the horse-head form of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, is enshrined here. Sennin means a thousand people and the name reputedly comes from a saying that on New Year’s Eve, the time of year when debts are settled in Japan, it is able to provide refuge for 1,000 good people fleeing their cruel creditors.

Ukisu is an offshore small reef, at which fishery’s sea god Takabe-sama with torii is worshiped. Ukisu means floating shoal, the name reputedly comes from a saying that it never soak in sea water even when it is an exceptionally high tide or waves during severe storm.

This flat stone which is approximately 3.3 square meters in area is said to be the location where the Princess set down a choko (a small cup) and a brush to blacken her teeth. A common practice married women would do during the Edo period. Consequently, the impressions of the choko and the brush have been left in the stone where she set them down.

Hyoshimizu means hand-crapping water and is a sacred spring that the Princess is said to have created. The myth says that after having blackened her teeth, she rinsed her mouth and where there was no water; she clapped her hands and prayed to the heavens. From between two rocks a spring was formed.

There are several sea caves on the basal part of the cliff exposed below the Himeshima lighthouse. In these sea-level caves, oysters form in the shape of an Amida Sanson Buddha. Eating these will anger the gods and cause one to get sick.