In the Ryoke belt formed at the eastern margin of East Asia during mid-Creataceous time, the most important geological record is that of felsic igneous activity, which may have been caused by the subduction of a young (hot) oceanic lithosphere. The mantle-derived arc magmas formed due to subduction of the hot lithosphere underplated the lower crust. Continuous underplating of the mantle-derived magmas resulted in partial melting of the lower crustal mafic to intermediate rocks to produce granite magmas. The granite magmas rose and were emplaced at a mid-crustal depth. They caused thermal perturbation around rocks of the Jurassic accretionary complex (Mino–Tamba belt) and formed the resultant low-pressure/high-temperature regional contact metamorphism (Ryoke metamorphism). At the time of Ryoke metamorphism, during subduction of a hot oceanic lithosphere with high obliquity, a low-angle detachment fault formed at the forearc region of the mid-Cretaceous SW Japan arc. Following this event, subduction of an inactive oceanic ridge or a very hot oceanic lithosphere with low obliquity occurred; a compressional stress regime occurred at the forearc region, forming granite mylonites and large-scale upright folds associated with crustal displacement along the detachment fault. After this event, the angle of subduction decreased gradually; the location of the felsic igneous activity moved toward the continent.