Five Reasons to Explore the Southern Coast of Iwate Prefecture after the RWC 2019 Games!
*Courtesy of Visit Kamaishi, Visit Japan
Rugby World Cup 2019 (ラグビーワールドカップ2019™) in Kamaishi City, Iwate!
Are you ready for kick off!?
Rugby World Cup 2019 will be held in Japan, the first time for the event to be held in Asia. Games will be held in twelve host cities throughout the country, and one of them is none other than Kamaishi City on the southern coast of Iwate! Kamaishi is the only host city in Tohoku, and the only host city recovering from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, so this is truly a momentous occasion. All of us in Iwate are looking forward to a spirited match, and great fun meeting rugby fans from all around the world!
RWC Games in Kamaishi in 2019
-September 25, 2019 (Wed) Fiji vs Uruguay
-October 13, 2019 (Sun)
Namibia vs Repechage winner
If you’re planning to make the pilgrimage to the area, then we’d love for you to stick around to check out the Kesen region next door. See all of what the southern coast of Iwate has to offer!
Here are five reasons to explore the Kesen:
1. The FOOD (nom nom)
Kaisen-don (different Sashimi are placed on sushi rice)!
Sanma Ramen!!!
BBQ Scallops!!!
Sushi, sanma ramen, seafood – oh my! Offshore of the Kesen region lies one of the best fishing grounds in the entire world. Northern and southern currents meet to form a rich environment perfect for fish, seaweed, and shellfish, and also delicacies like sea urchin and sea pineapple. This means that the area is a literal treasure trove of good eats.
Learn more about:
Plus! (via TripAdvisor)
2. Ride a tiny Sappa boat around a breathtaking coastline
Anatoshiiso Sappa Boat Tour
What’s a Sappa boat? It’s just the name for a small boat that local fishermen use to travel out from the coast to the Sanriku sea. You can hop on a boat tour from the Goishi coast in Ofunato where you coast by rock formations like Kaminariiwa (Thunder Rock) and Anatoshiiso (Arch Outcropping) . See Iwate’s unique rias coast up close and personal!!
・Boarding point: Ebisuhama/Goishihama port near the Goishi Coast Resthouse (Google maps)
・Fee: 2000 yen per person (must have 2 or more people). Half price for elementary students.
*Reservations are required.
・Reservations: Goishi Coast Information Center: 0192-29-2359
・More info: Click here (Japanese language only)
3. Learn about the disaster and how to protect yourself from Tsunami.
The city of Rikuzentakata was one of the worst hit by the 2011 tsunami, but has made some amazing strides towards its reconstruction. They have a group of guides who you can call on to take you through the city, retelling what happened on that day, giving advice on disaster preparedness, and teaching you what the city is doing to rebuild.
They have foreign speaking guides as well! Available languages: English, Mandarin, and Spanish.
Learn more about:
4. See performances of local folk arts with centuries of tradition
Shishi Odori (Deer Dance)
Goyo Mountain Samurai Matchlock Performance
Folk arts are dances and performances that have been passed on in each region over the centuries, whether they be Shinto rituals or harvest ceremonies. What makes them special is they are not performed by professional actors or dancers, but by the local residents of the regions themselves. They say that Iwate has the largest amount of traditional folk arts in all of Japan, and many of them can be seen throughout Ofunato, Rikuzentakata, and Sumita.
Learn more about:
・Odori Dawns Dance (Ms. Huws’ online resource about Japanese folk performing arts)
・Mark Mino-Thompson, a member of the Goyo Mountain Samurai Matchlock Performance Corps)
5. Ride the Sanriku Railway to see the rest of the coast
You may have heard of the Sanriku Railway, the largest public-private railway (i.e. not JR) in Japan. The Sanriku Railway has two train lines on the coast of Iwate, where you can enjoy amazing views of the ocean while you travel. However, even though there is a North Rias line connecting Kuji to Miyako, and a South Rias Line connecting Ofunato to Kamaishi, there is no train connecting the middle section of Miyako to Kamaishi. Until 2019, that is.
Sanriku Railway has taken over the defunct JR Yamada line and will be opening it up in 2019 to form one, single unbroken Rias Line up and down the coast of Iwate. It's going to be amazing - and will be a testament to how hard the people have worked to rebuild the coast after the 2011 tsunami disaster.
Get on at Sakari Station in Ofunato, and travel the rest of the coast of Iwate to the north!
Learn more about:
