On the contrary, as the place of extraordinary scenic beauty, the landscape of its east coast, consisting of Sensuishima and Bentenshima islands which had attracted a number of imperial families visits since the Meiji period, had been as highly esteemed as the Kannon-do of Bandai-ji Temple (Abuto Kannon [Buddhist goddess of Mercy]) located adjacent to the western Numakuma peninsula, thereby being chosen uppermost as a national park.
その一方で景勝地としては、明治時代より天皇・皇后を始めとする皇族が好んで訪問してきた仙酔島や弁天島を含む東岸の景観が、沼隈半島の西部に隣接する磐台寺観音堂（阿伏兎観音）と並んで高い評価を受け、いち早く国立公園に指定された。