NIPPON Kichi - 日本吉

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2008/7/25


三陸リアス式海岸 Sanriku-riasushiki-kaigan  Saw-tooth Sanriku Coastline

Jp En



The Riasu (or Saw-tooth) Sanriku Coastline is a raised coastline of 600km in total that spreads out from southeast of the Aomori Prefecture through the coast of the Iwate Prefecture to Ojika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture.  Sanriku (or three riku) is a generic term referring to Mutsu in Aomori, Rikuchuu in Aomori and Rikuzen in Miyagi.  The Riasu coast is a jagged stretch of coastline that consists of many long, narrow coastal inlets which uniformly cut into the coastal lands creating the appearance of saw teeth.
Offshore at the Sanriku coast is where the Okhotsk current (Oyashio) , a cold current, and the Japan Current (Kuroshio),  a warm current, meet,  creating a rich fishing spot that is considered to be one of the Four Great Fishing Grounds in the world.
The precipitous cliffs of the Sanriku coast are also an ideal breeding ground for wild birds such as osprey, Japanese cormorant and black-tailed gull.
Along the Riasu Sanriku Coastline there are many spectacular vistas created by the raging waves and rain storms of the Pacific Ocean.

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2007/6/19


えりも町 住吉神社 Erimo-cho Sumiyoshi-jinja Erimo-cho Sumiyoshi Shrine

Jp En

Sumiyoshi Shrine in Erimo Town is located in Hon-cho Erimo-cho, Horiizumi, Hokkaido and enshrines Sokotsutsuno Ominokoto, Nakatsutsuno Ominokoto and Uwatsutsuno Ominokoto.
Its origin dates back to 1814 when a shrine was built on Sumiyoshi Mountain (north of the present location) to pray for safety and a good catch at local fishing grounds.
After the building was destroyed by a big storm in 1898, it was transferred to the present location and rebuilt with Nagare hafu-zukuri or flowing style. The shrine we see today was reconstructed in 1937.
A stone water basin built in 1850 and the base of the stone lantern built in 1851 are preserved in the grounds.  
At the annual religious festival on September 15th, Mikoshi, or portable shrine, is paraded around the town and through the ocean at the ceremony, which lasts for one and a half hours.
Sumiyoshi Shrine is still greatly venerated and worshiped as a god of the fishing industry by such fisheries as kelp and fixed net salmon.
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2007/6/4


禅源寺 五百羅漢図 Zengen-ji Gohyakurakan-zu The paintings of Gohyaku Rakan at Zengenji Temple

Jp En

Zengenji is a Soto Zen temple in Hama-cho in Furubira-cho, Hokkaido. It was founded in 1858 by a Zen monk Taido.

480 paintings of Gohyaku Rakan (500 arhats) housed at Zengenji Temple were painted in oils, which is very unique for Buddhist paintings in Japan. In 1919 Tomitaro Taneda, a local fisherman, was on his way home from fishing in Sakhalin, when he was shipwrecked due to a heavy storm off the coast of Rishiri Island. He was saved by a Russian ship after drifting for two days and two nights. Tomitaro thought that he was saved by Kannon, which he worshipped every day, and decided to dedicate 500 Rakan to express his gratitude.

As a wooden statue is easy to get damaged and a Japanese-style painting is difficult to preserve, he decided on oil painting. Having received a request from him, Takejiro Hayashi, who was teaching fine arts in Sapporo, stated painting Rakan pictures in 1920. It took him as long as 20 years to accomplish this feat.
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2007/5/7


臼碆 Uusbae Usubae Rock

Jp En

Beyond the cliff of strange rocks at Usubae Point to the west of Ashizuri Cape, there is a huge rock named Usubae in the ocean. The word “usu-bae” is the combination of “usu (a millstone)” and “hae,” which is voiced into the sound “bae” when combined. A huge rock in the ocean is called “hae” in the areas along the south coast of Shikoku. The kanji for stone (石) placed under the kanji for wave (波) comprises the kanji representing “hae (碆).”

Usubae Rock is 2 m tall above the sea level and 10 m in circumference. As the scene of the rock in the midst of the whirlpool created by the collision of the cold Oyashio Current and the Japan Current from the south looks like a millstone, it is called “Usubae (Millstone Rock).” “Usubae” is originally the name of the rock itself, but the headland facing the rock also came to be called Usubae in the later times.

The collision of the two currents creates a fine fishing grounds. In the old days, the wives of fishermen in this area used to visit Ryuogu (Dragon King Palace) Shrine at the tip of the Usubae Point. They brought Japanese sake and some accompaniment to drink and prayed to the god for their husbands’ safe navigation and bumper catch.

Seen from the observatory at the top of the cliff, from adjacent Unomisaki Point, or from wherever else, Usubae Rock gives you an illusion that Dragon King will rise up from under the vortex of the sea at any moment.
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2007/4/18


猿ヶ石川 Saru-ga-ishi-gawa The Sarugaishi River

Jp En

The Sarugaishi River running through the mid-western part of Iwate Pref. is a river classified as Class A River by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It is part of the Kitakami River System. The total length is 73 kilometers and the watershed is 952 square kilometers. Springing out of Mt. Yakushi (1645 m) on the border of Tono City and Hanamaki City, Iwate Pref. the branch rivers including the Kogarase River, the Hayase River and the Otomo River join the main stream. Along the river are the folk tale town of Tono, which is famous for “The Legends of Tono,” Lake Tase for outdoor activities and the town of Towa in Hanamaki City, which is famous for “Naki-zumo (crying sumo wrestling).” Then the river finally flows into the Kitakami River near Igirisu Kaigan (English Coast) named by Kenji Miyazawa. The Sarugaishi River is well-known as the fishing place for Japanese trout, Yamame, Ugui and Iwana. The watershed area is part of Hayachine Quasi-National Park, where a variety of alpine plants, large and small waterfalls and beautiful gorges can be viewed.
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2007/2/6


えぼし岩 Eboshi-iwa Eboshi Rock

Jp En

Eboshi Rock (Eboshi: formal head gear worn by Japanese men from the Heian period to the modern era) is a 15m-high rock on the Chigasaki Coast of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is situated in the center of the 30 Ubashima Islands, and lies 1.2km off the coast.

Eboshi Rock is estimated to have been formed around 3~6 million years ago. The layer around Eboshi Rock is the oldest in the Chigasaki area, and seems to be an elevated layer that had accumulated at the bottom of the ocean.

The sea around Eboshi Rock has provided good fishing grounds for a long time, and there were even struggles between the fishermen of Izu and the local fishermen of Owada in the Edo period.

The tip of Eboshi Rock used to be much more like an 'eboshi' than today. The rock had its long tail to the west. However, that tip was lost when the rock was used as target practice by the U.S. army after the war.


Eboshi Rock is still loved by the people of Shounan, and is the symbol of Chigasaki.
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2007/1/31


三つ石 Mitsu-ishi The Mitsu-ishi Rock

Jp En

The Mitsu-ishi Rock is a giant rock located in Nippo-Kaigan Quasi National Park lying along the coastline of Oita and Miyazaki prefectures. The name “Nippo” is the on-yomi reading of the combined first Kanji characters of two ancient province names; Hyuga Province (presently Miyazaki Pref.) and Bungo Province (presently Oita Pref.). This quasi national park, which was designated in 1974, covers the huge area from Sagaseki Peninsula in the north to Mimitsu area in the south. The coastline consists of rias. The sea in this area is known for fishing grounds of famous Seki saba, Seki aji, and Usuki fugu (blowfish). Because of the Kuroshio Current flowing along the coastline, the sea water is warm and has high transparency, so there are several marine parks. The area, called “Yabakei of the Sea,” has a lot of scenic spots with towering strange-shaped rocks including this Mitsuishi Rock and Meoto-iwa Rocks (wedded rocks), which is famous for being tied with Shimenawa (enclosing rope).
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2007/1/30


大入島 Ohnyu-jima Onyu Island

Jp En

Onyu Island is inside Saiki Bay and faces the Bungo canal in Oita Prefecture. The island's total area is 5.9km2, and its circumference is 17km around.

It is said that Emperor Jinmu came to this island during the anabasis, and drove the broken bow into the ground. Then, a clear and a fresh stream of water sprang from the ground. Today, there is a place called the Well of the God, where fresh water springs out.

The main industry of this island is fishing, and Onyu Island's chirimen and iriko (two kinds of dried baby sardines) are famous nationwide. The freshly processed sun-dried and cured fish are popular as a souvenir.

Onyu Island is a thriving tourist spot. There are beaches and spots for fishing. Also, there is a 'kangaroo park', with kangaroos that were gifted to the island by its sister city in Australia.

The fire that burns during the Onyu Island Don-do Festival, held every January, is said to have originally come from the fire that was lit to send Emperor Jinmu. The fire-light of this festival is believed to bring good luck. People pray for good health. The fire flames up in a gigantic torch over 10m high, making a spectacular sight.
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