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A Coastal Canvas: Feeling the Passage of Time at Soleil Hill Beach
「ソレイユの丘砂浜で時を感じる」
My visit to Nagai Seaside Park Soleil Hill (長井海の手公園ソレイユの丘) in Yokosuka, Japan, with my border collie was originally planned around photographing fields of flowers and scenic coastal views. Since I was visiting on a weekday, I anticipated a quieter park, allowing me to explore at my own pace without the rush of crowds.
However, the intense summer heat had taken its toll, wilting nearly all the flowers in bloom. I set aside the idea of photographing the park’s interior and opted instead for a leisurely walk around its outer paths, as dogs aren’t permitted in the central areas.
At the southernmost edge of the park, I discovered a small trail that led down to the coast and onto Soleil Hill Beach—a secluded, dark-sand beach accessible only to park visitors.
Normally, I prefer shooting seascapes during early morning or evening light, when I can capture the softer hues of the blue or golden hour. Here, though, beach access is restricted to the park’s operating hours, so I had to work with the midday light. To compensate, I experimented with long-exposure shots, aiming to capture the gentle movement of the waves and the soft trails of foam as the water ebbed away from the shore.
One rock formation in particular caught my eye, part of the rugged coastline that defines much of the Miura Peninsula, south of Yokohama and Tokyo.
This peninsula separates Tokyo Bay to the east from Sagami Bay to the west. Looking into the geological history of these formations, I was intrigued to learn that many of the rocks along this coastline consist of alternating layers of pyroclastic sandstone and mudstone, which were deposited on the seafloor between 10 and 4 million years ago.
From around 500,000 years ago, tectonic forces and coastal uplift began exposing these ancient seabeds above sea level. The most recent uplift occurred in 1923, during the Great Kanto Earthquake, when sections of the coast rose approximately 1.5 meters.
The layers in these formations angle at an estimated 30 degrees, a reminder of the earthquakes and tectonic tilting that shaped this landscape, lifting some areas while lowering others. Over time, the natural striations in the rock have been softened by weather and waves, revealing a fascinating story of geological transformation.
Occasionally, when the sun peeked through the clouds, the water revealed dark hues of green and blue, adding depth and contrast to the scene against the otherwise muted, overcast sky.
It’s this interplay of colors and textures—the layers of rock, the subdued tones of the sea, and the hints of ancient history—that made this spot feel somewhat special.
- Location: Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
- Timestamp: 17:02・2024/09/25
- Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP + 10-stop ND filter
- 28 mm ISO 100 for 1.0 sec. at ƒ/18
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