This is the first time for a limestone cave to go up and down so much. The cooler seems to have worked hard and it is comfortable in the summer, but the amount of exercise seems to exceed that. Unexpectedly, I’m more interested in the deep and endless transparent underground lake than the grown stalactite.
The water of the underground lake is rich in minerals such as calcium, and the residents of Iwaizumi who can drink it every day are envious. I love the Iwaizumi yogurt that uses this water.
The sea near Iwate Prefecture is a good fishing ground where cold and warm currents intersect. In addition, the ‘rias’ coast has deep natural coves created by the sinking of mountains, making it a natural good port, and the fishing industry has developed in combination with good fishing grounds.
I learned the above when I was in elementary school, but I came here to learn that the northern half is actually a raised coast. The coast of Kita-Sanriku has a series of cliffs, and there is no very good natural port. It means that there are many things you can not understand unless you come.
nedari hama walking course
The Nedari-hama promenade is a short, but refreshing, private beach-like shore and is a part of Michinoku Coastal Trail
Anmo-ura cliff and waterfall that directly falls into the sea (photo below)
anmo ura
Kita-Yamazaki cliff viewpoint, where eastern wind blows over the cold current from the north, becomes thick fog and you can’t see anything easily, but if you don’t give up, you can open your view as you descend to the observatory below the cliff. However, going uphill is tight.
Fudai Sluice: The scars of the Great East Japan Earthquake
fudai water gate tsunami overflown
The Fudai sluice on the way to Kita-Yamazaki was built from the lessons learned by the victims of the two tsunamis. Convincing the opposition, a 15.5-meter-hight lock was built at 300 meters from the river mouth over a 12-year period. The tsunami exceeded this during the Great East Japan Earthquake, but the town of Fudai located upstream of the floodgate escaped.
National railways have been privatized and local lines have been abolished. With the advent of the society of motorization, the abolition of local lines continues. But wonder why, the train running in the countryside even on a single-car train gives us courage. That is Sanriku Railway, we call ‘Santetsu’ with friendliness. It run on the remaining section five days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, also overcoming the damage caused by the typhoon in 2019 and impressing us.
bridge view from trainseawall
It was originally built to deliver goods in the event of a disaster, so there are few sections where you can see the sea from the train window. What’s more, unfortunately, the section where the sea can be seen is valuable because of the construction of a seawall to prevent a tsunami after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Rikuchu-noda station to Horinai station is a valuable section, so take a look at the sea. Note that the station name is also included in the drama settings. It’s complicated……
scallop and sake at noda
Salt, scallops and kelp are recommended in this region.
Other amber mining sites are the Baltic coast and the Dominican Republic, but only 90 million years ago is Kuji. At that time, it was just the age of dinosaurs, and the sap became fossils over a long period of time. Furthermore, it is an event before the Japanese archipelago was torn from Eurasia and evidence that Kuji was part of Eurasia.
amber jewel gemstone
Amber was discovered as a jewelry in the remains of 20,000 years ago, and is still an attractive gemstone. Compared to mineral gemstones, they are much lighter and warmer than I expected due to their resin origin.
Amber with insects is even more expensive. The fiction setting of the movie “Jurassic Park” is to extract dinosaur blood and DNA from mosquitoes in amber and restore real dinosaurs. Maybe you could get a ticket to travel to the dinosaur era ! jejeje!
Samurai-Hama (Giant granite coast and pool in the drama)
‘Amachan’ is a TV drama that lasted for half a year in 2013 after the earthquake, and if you don’t know this story, you cannot enjoy Kuji City and Sanriku Railway enough.
real amachan
‘Ama’ is a diver who takes shells and sea urchins in summer without using equipment.
The story is a village revitalization by a local idol(this is an ama !) in the countryside . On the other hand, a Tokyo entertainment agency to which an idol group like AKB48
amachan house
belongs secretly attempts to find idols in the countryside, which reminds us of searching for amber gemstone, which is a special product of Kuji. Due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, Kuji’s gemstones will return to their hometown and help to revive the village as an idol and ‘ama’. Sanriku Railway carries longing for the city and frustration, the warmth of hometown. ‘Jejeje ! ‘ is a buzzword when surprised in this drama and spread all over Japan .
sea urchin lunch
Many fans still visit the facilities that appear in the story near Kuji Station. I am one of them. The sea urchin bento(lunch) at Kuji Station is a popular product and will soon be sold out. After all, the cooking method is steaming here as well as Hachinohe.
sold out sea urchin lunch
The scenic Kosode Coast is also a base for ‘ama’ activities, and good quality and cheap kelp is recommended. There is a lighthouse where ‘Amachan’ jumped into the sea in the drama, but don’t try to imitate it.
On Sundays, Japan’s largest morning market appears on a wide quay, like runways, where I really went except Sunday but no one was there.
TEBASAKI sold out
Most of the things sold at the morning market are local seafood, vegetables, and prepared foods, but here you can find toys, DIY, sewing corners, fishing gear and much more.
handicraft
I wonder why they handle such things, but in short, it makes sense to think of it as a festival venue in the countryside. Anyway, it is in a chaotic state. Feel this energy !
beef skewers in market
Furthermore, since the morning market is held before dawn, everyone procures breakfast here. It is also pure to close one after another after eight o’clock.
market in front of station
Even if you miss the morning market(Tatehana-Ganpeki) on Sunday, you can enjoy it here because another morning market is held every day in front of the station. There is a table where you can gather your own food for 100 yen and eat breakfast.
Hachinohe Line
When you get on the Hachinohe Line, you can feel the endless beach and the blue forest (that is, the origin of Aomori).
Tanesashi Coast is not monotonous. There are reefs, sandy beaches, and green pine forests. And finally there is the natural turf, which is mistaken for a completely artificial golf course. Alpine plants grow along the coast because of the easterly wind blowing over the cold current from the north.
Panorama view from Ashigezaki (click photos)
ashige left
ashige middle not found hokkaido
ashige right
Root for 4 hours*
*)Community bus is available here and there on the root.
start from ‘Same’ station. Not the ‘same’ but shark in the meaning. Take a photo with the shark monument in front of the station. (walk next 15min)
Kabu island is occupied by a lot of black-tailed gulls and the sacred shrine on the top of the island was turned white due to their activity ! (45min)
Ashigezaki viewpoint is surrounded by reefs. It seems that Hokkaido can be seen if the weather is nice. (10min)
Nakasuka coast where It is unusual for various alpine plants to bloom (20min)
Osuka coast is like a tropical country with too long sandy beaches. (90min)
Yodo-no-Matsubara is green pine forest rising from the coastline. On the way huge remarkable round ‘white rock’ comes into view. ‘White’ came from activity of sea cormorants. (30min)
The natural turf suddenly spreads in front of you. I wonder why such a large lawn was created. (Goal !)
I stopped by Tanesashi Coast Information center near the turf to get certification for walking 10km on Tanesashi Coast and a pin badge.
Before going back to Hachinohe from Tanesasi Coast station, I charged energy with sea urchin bowl. Sea urchin is a food unique to this season and seems to be steamed rather than raw in this region.
How about taking public bath after walking exhausted. There are a lot of bathes opening in the morning around Hachinohe harbor, so the sailors can always take a bath after coming back on a long trip.
Each community in Tono city showcases traditional performing arts, for example, Kagura dance, Deer dance, Tiger dance, Sansa dance, etc.
We pay homage to the fact that many communities are maintained and traditional arts are inherited in Tono City, which has a population of only 30,000.
Let’s get mochi (rice ball) thrown from the mikoshi and deer hair after the deer dance for your good luck. Never overdo it.
The origin of Tono horseback archery (Yabusame in Japanese) is in Kamakura (Tsuruoka Hachimangu shrine). It was brought to Tono (Tono Hachimangu shrine) via Hachinohe (Kushibiki Hachimangu) in Aomori prefecture as well as ‘Kappa’ story. But the distinguishing feature in Tono’s is that the another warrior runs to see if the previous warrior hits the target successfully or not. If the arrow hits the target, he will yell out “Yo itariya (Good shooting) ! “, but it sounds like “Yo Italiano ! “.
Each warrior runs 3 times on the track and he shoots a bow three times on each run.
Preliminary preparation is essential to enjoy Tono truly. Tono Story is compiled by Kunio Yanagita for more than 100 stories told by mouth, but they are all unsatisfactory because of lack of succession. Am I the only one who feels like the story is cut off? Even so, when I came to this land, it was strangely convinced that such a strange thing happened.
<example1> God hides the child
At twilight, the girl disappeared suddenly, and thirty years later, when her relatives were gathering at her house, she suddenly reappeared, but she soon left somewhere……. So what happened then? I do not understand the continuation of the story.
<example2> Kappa
While washing the horses in the river, a kappa came out and tried to pull the horse into the abyss. Kappa, who was caught by a villager and said to kill him, apologized mysteriously saying “I’ll never be bad again”, so the villager felt sorry for him and letthe kappa go off. Then Kappa stopped playing mischief……… So what happened then? I do not understand the continuation of the story.
tono guardian kappa
Kappa is said to be apparition (ghost), abandoned baby, etc. Historically, there is a theory that the Lord moved from Hachinohe with Kappa living at Kushibiki Hachimangu Shrine in Hachinohe. At the entrance to the shrine, a dog is usually a guardian, but in Tono this is the kappa. The Tono Kappa likes cucumbers, and the Tono city issues a capture permission (This is true!).
<example3> an old man
In order to secure food for the family, an old man, over 60 years old, was moved to a land called Denderano. He not only waited for his death, but also went down to the village during the daytime to engage in farm work and live……. It’s a thought-provoking story.
Please find your mysterious story and favorite landscape in Tono countryside !
Gallery (click photos)
tono countryside
tono guardian kappa
tono Kappa abyss
tono hop
tono grapes
tono arakamisama in aozasa
tono denderano
tono konseisama
tono unstable stone
Roadside Rest Area ‘Wind Hill'(Welcome Festival event)
Here you can buy lunch boxes made by locals. Good assortment !
