Registered in June 2013 as a part of the Mt. Fuji world heritage site, Miho-no-Matsubara is a beautiful seashore composed of interweaving components including pine trees that are famous for a celestial maiden legend (Tennyo-no-Hagoromo), the length of its sandy beach, the blue ocean, and its views of Mt. Fuji in the distance. The need to maintain the area's scenic beauty following its registration on the World Heritage List have given increased importance to coastal erosion countermeasures and conservation of the pine trees. Here, I would like to introduce the conservation and utilization activities in Miho-no-Matsubara conducted by volunteers living in the area.

Our lives are supported by blessings from the ocean. The ocean not only provides us with seafood, but also stabilizes the climate, regulates the composition of the atmosphere, purifies the water, serves as a home to a massive number of organic species, and brings us spiritual fulfillment through its beauty. Deep understanding and effective use of the ocean's diverse and important functions, with an eye towards the future, is what Japan should strive for as an oceanic state.

A "Smartfin" is an Internet of Things (IOT) enabled surfboard fin with oceanographic sensors. Replacing the fin with a Smartfin allows surfers to become "buoys" capable of collecting environmental data. With scientists requiring more data to understand the finer features of the changes occurring to our oceans, I would like to utilize the massive amounts of data collected by our friends in the ocean and spread their use to the world of scientific research.