Cape Unoko→Shiriyazaki 2021″ on the V-Strom 250 (1): The 26th trip around the reconstruction area

Takashi Gaso, adventurer and touring journalist

On March 11, 2021, ten years after the occurrence of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I set out on a journey from Cape Unoko to Shiriyazaki.

We departed from Nihonbashi, Tokyo. "Come on, let's go!

I arrived at Nihonbashi in Tokyo at 6 a.m. on my V-Strom 250. Mr. Soichiro Nakamura, who is in charge of "Touring Maple Kanto", was waiting for me. Mr. Nakamura saw me off and we left Nihonbashi. At 9:00 a.m. I arrived at the Iwaki Nakoso Interchange on the Joban Expressway, and at 9:15 a.m. I arrived at Cape Unoko.

Breakfast at Nakago SA on the Joban Expressway. We had Shio Ramen.

Arrive at Iwaki Nakoso IC on Joban Expressway

Cape Unoko is the southernmost cape on the Pacific coast of Tohoku. Shiriyazaki is the northernmost cape on the Pacific coast of Tohoku. Cape Unoko to Shiriyazaki is a tour of the entire Pacific coast of Tohoku, which was devastated by one of the largest tsunamis in Japan's history. 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sanriku at 14:46 on March 11, 2011..One of the world's largest super-earthquakes, measuring 0.5 on the Richter scale, triggered a massive tsunami that caused unimaginable damage.

Less than an hour after the earthquake, a tsunami over 10 meters high hit the entire Pacific coast of Tohoku. The largest wave height was recorded in Ayari Bay (Iwate) at 40 meters..1 meter. Immediately after the earthquake, I watched the TV news with rapt attention. I was speechless when I saw the scene of a black wall of tsunami surging at a furious pace, swallowing houses and fields, swallowing roads, and swallowing a huge number of cars.

The tsunami was followed by an explosion at a nuclear power plant. The No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station exploded one after another. This was the worst nuclear accident in history, a level 7 accident.

See the aftermath of the disaster with your own eyes

I started the Cape Unoko to Shiriyazaki tour to see with my own eyes the Pacific coast of Tohoku, which was devastated by the tsunami. This year's "Cape Unoko→Shiriyazaki" is the 26th of its kind.

Departing from Nakoso Fishing Port in Fukushima Prefecture, north of Cape Unoko, we will go to the site of Nakoso-no-Seki, one of the "Three Sekiseki of Oshu. There is a statue of Minamoto no Yoshiie, a.k.a. Hachiman Taro Yoshiie, standing here. The site of Nakoso no Seki is located on high ground, so it was not damaged by the tsunami. After reaching Route 6, we passed in front of Nakoso Station on the JR Joban Line and entered the Joban Bypass. The four-lane Joban Bypass was completed after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

We came to Cape Unoko. This is the Nakoso fishing port on the northeast side.

Horse statue of Minamoto no Yoshiie at Nakoso Seki

The Joban Bypass on National Highway 6, which has been completed with four lanes.

We take Prefectural Road 239 along the sea from Ueda. IGPC's state-of-the-art thermal power plant has been completed next to the Joban Joint Thermal Power Plant. Prefectural Road 239 ahead remained as a closed section in Iwaki City until the end of the road, but now it is a beautiful two-lane road. A green space for disaster prevention has also been completed. We drove through the coastal industrial area to Onahama, but now there is no trace of the great tsunami.

IGPC's state-of-the-art thermal power plant can be seen on Prefectural Road 239.

In Onahama, "AEON MALL" of a large-scale commercial facility jumps in the eye, but this is the one that construction began after the Great East Japan Earthquake and was completed. I walked around "Iwaki La La Miu", which is a popular spot in Onahama, and I recommend it because there are several restaurants on the first and second floor. on the second floor, you can see the exhibition of "3/11 Great East Japan Earthquake Exhibition in Iwaki City", and what catches my attention is the vivid scene of the evacuation center that was reproduced. People who suffered from the disaster spent days and days in a small space separated by cardboard boxes.

Cape Ryugu. Obama fishing port is in the foreground.

▲The "AEON MALL" in Onahama completed after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Iwaki La La Miu, a popular spot in Onahama

▲"3/11 Iwaki's Great East Japan Earthquake Exhibition" in "Iwaki La La Miu

New Onahama fishing port and new fish market

I start "cape tour" from Onahama. I overlook Onahama from the observatory of Misaki. This is my fixed-point observation point, and I keep watching the appearance of Onahama that changes after the earthquake. There are several such fixed-point observation points for scorpions between Cape Unoko and Shiriyazaki.

Onahama looking down from the observatory of ▲Misaki

Next, we visited Ryugasaki, Cape Aiso, Shioyazaki, and Tomigamizaki, all of which are connected to Nakanosaku, Ena, Toyoma, and Numanouchi fishing ports. However, due to harmful rumors, these fishing ports have not yet been able to operate in earnest and are all deserted. The explosion at the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is still having a serious impact on Hamadori on the Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture.

We started our "cape tour" from Misaki. First, Ryugasaki

Nakanosaku Fishing Port in Ryugasaki

Cape Aiso seen from Ena Fishing Port

▲The new road on Toyoma Beach. The Shioyazaki lighthouse can be seen.

Misora Hibari's monument in Shioyazaki

A new road on the Usuiso Coast. Tomigamizaki can be seen in front.

We drove along the Shinmaiko beach on Prefectural Road 382 and crossed the Natsui River. The Banjo-Maiko Bridge over the Natsui River was closed for a long time after the earthquake because of a step. Now there are no traces of the bridge left.

▲The reopened hospital at Shin Maiko beach. It was devastated by the tsunami.

We pass by Yokogawaso in Yotsukura Maiko Onsen (hot spring) where we will stay tonight, and join Route 6 in Yotsukura. We had lunch at Roadside Station "Yodara Port". We had "Kaisen Kamameshi and Torisoba Set", and the soba was outstanding.

Kaisen Kamameshi and Torisoba Soba Set at Yodaira Port, a roadside station on Route 6

From Yotsukura, we take Prefectural Road No. 395 along the sea. This road is old National Road No. 6. It became a prefectural road because the Kunohama bypass of National Road No. 6 was completed. The construction of the seawall on the beach where HATATE Yakushi is located is finished and the coastline is clean. In Hisanohama, a memorial service for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake was about to begin at the miraculous Akiba Shrine, which survived the tsunami.

Hachi Beach, where Hachi Yakushi is located. The seawall has been completed, and the coastline is now beautiful.

Tonouezaki seen from Hisanohama Fishing Port

We drive through the town of Kunohama and merge onto Route 6. We passed through Hirono town and entered Naraha town. For a long time, this border between Hirono and Naraha was a roadblock, and police vehicles blocked Route 6. Now it seems as if it was just an illusion. When we entered Naraha-machi, there was a roadside station "Naraha", but it had not reopened yet. The reopening of the roadside station "Naraha" has given momentum to the reconstruction of Naraha-machi.

Roadside station "Naraha" on Route 6 has reopened. The hot springs have also reopened.

Looking at the Pacific coast from the observatory of Tenjin Cape at the mouth of the Kido River, we attend the memorial service for the "Great East Japan Earthquake" at the "Naraha Machi Community Center" next to the town hall of Naraha. At 14:46, the time of the earthquake, a minute of silence was observed. After that, he listened to the ceremonial speech of Mayor Matsumoto.

A view from Cape Tenjin in Naraha. TEPCO's Hirono Thermal Power Station can be seen.

Attended a memorial service for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in Naraha Machi

From the town hall in Naraha, head north on Route 6. We passed the border between Naraha town and Tomioka town. This was also a closed point for a long time. There was a police car stationed on the left side of the road, but we had to turn around here. When we entered Tomioka Town, the Tomioka Fire Station was located just past the center of town, but even though Route 6 was opened to traffic, the road was still closed to motorcycles, so we had to turn around here. The Tomioka Fire Station has now been torn down and the land has been cleared.

We crossed the border from Tomioka town to Okuma town and Futaba town, but National Highway No. 6 can run all lines without any problem at all now. It seems to be a dream only for the national highway No.6 which had a series of restrictions.

▲Take National Highway No. 6 and enter Okuma Town from Tomioka Town. You can drive the entire length of Route 6 now.

In Futaba Town, we turned left from Route 6 in the central town and went on Route 288. The restrictions on National Route 288 have been lifted, and we can now drive on to Prefectural Route 35. This time, we headed south on Prefectural Route 35, which runs along the foot of the Abukuma Mountains. I drove through Okuma-cho, Tomioka-cho, Naraha-cho, Hirono-cho and came back to Iwaki City.

Go to Route 288 in Futaba Town. You can run to Prefectural Road 35.

Prefectural Road 35, which runs along the foot of the Abukuma Mountains, is open to all traffic.

Sunset in Iwaki City

We arrived at our lodgings for the night, "Yokogawaso" in Yotsukura Maiko Onsen. Here we met up with Satoshi Watanabe from Naraha Machi and Satomi Furuyama, who runs in the disaster area every year on 3/11. After taking a hot bath and finishing dinner, we started drinking in our room. While drinking beer and sake, we open the 2021 edition of Touring Maple Tohoku and talk passionately about Hamadori on the Pacific coast of Fukushima.

Arrived at tonight's inn, Yokogawaso in Yotsukura Maiko Onsen.