The Fascinating Toyama Bay

Seafloor topography of Toyama Bay

The groundwater flows from the 3,000-meter-high Tateyama Mountain Range to the sea over a long period of time and eventually springs out from the seafloor of Toyama Bay that is 1,000 meters deep. It creates really mysterious views.

Mirage

A mirage is a phenomenon in which a refractive index changes due to layers of air with different densities to produce elongated or upside down images of the distant scenery. In Toyama, a mirage is seen mainly off Namerikawa and Uozu, cities in eastern Toyama.

Sea Surface Area of Firefly Squid Shoal (Special Natural Treasure of Japan)

The firefly squid emit mystical blue light in the night sea. They usually live over 200 m deep in Toyama Bay, but in spring, they gather near the shore to spawn. At times, the waves wash them onto shore. It is unusual anywhere in the world that tens of thousands of firefly squid gather at the coast.

Uozu Buried Forest
(Special Natural Treasure of Japan)

When Uozu Port was renovated in 1930, giant roots of Japanese cedar trees were discovered ‒ underwater.
It is believed that a virgin forest of giant Japanese cedars was buried by river flooding about 2,000 years ago, and a subsequent rise in the sea level covered the forest.