Volume 111 - August 15, 2016

Iwate is hosting this year's National Sports Festival!
47 days until the National Sports Festival, and 68 days until the National Sports Festival for People with Disabilities!

The Comic Train: Uniting Tohoku with Comics! （Hanamaki-Kamaishi）

The <Dai-shinsai> Publishers Disaster Control Headquarters is a group located in Tokyo consisting of the Japan Book Publishers Association, the Japan Magazine Publishers Association, the Japan Publishers Club, and various affiliated publishing organizations. They’ve collaborated with the Sendai and Morioka branches of East Japan Railway Company to operate the Comic Train - limited time trains covered with illustrations of popular comic characters.

The initiative began as an effort to provide happiness and joy to the manga fanatics in the three prefectures that were hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Comic Train is a part of the "Manga de Tsuna GO Tohoku" （Uniting Tohoku with Comics） project, which aims to assist with local revitalization and recovery via tourism.

The 3-car, Japanese-style train features large illustrations of popular characters, such as the protagonists of the comics One Piece, Ace of Diamond and Case Closed / Detective Conan. On July 31st 2016 （Sun）, it made a return journey between Kamaishi and Hanamaki. The 80 passengers entertained themselves by reading manga, coloring, and watching anime.

At Sea Plaza Kamaishi, a special exhibition was held during the same period as the Comic Train. The exhibition, which displays 350 reprinted manga images and 67 signed messages, attracted many anime fans.

The Relay to Tomorrow: 1000km Relay to Tokyo （The coast）

From July 24th （Sun） to August 7th （Sun）, the 1000km Relay to Tokyo, a running and cycling relay event organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Sport Benefits Corporation, took place between Aomori and Tokyo.

The slogan of the event was "Run for Tohoku, Run for Tomorrow." It was held in hopes of keeping the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami from being forgotten, as well as strengthening the ties between the locals in the afflicted areas and the participants from all over the country. Approximately 1,100 runners participated in the event.

The opening ceremony was held at the Miyako Government Building （Satsuki-cho, Miyako） in Iwate Prefecture on July 27th, 2016 （Wed）. Sydney Olympic marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi and many other spectators gathered to cheer on the runners.

The relay race had 163 sections, spanning a total of 1,280 km over 15 days. The starting line was at the Aomori Prefectural Governmental Office and the finish line was at Ueno Onshi Park （Taito-ku, Tokyo）.

Spreading the joy. Giving thanks. The Land of Hope Iwate National Sports Festival and National Sports Festival for People with Disabilities

Demonstration sport: Mallet Golf
Date: October 9th （Sun）
Venue: Tanohata Mallet Golf Course
（Iwate Prefecture, Shimohei-gun, Tanohata-mura, Aketo 158-banchi）
Contact Phone: Tanohata Board of Education Phone: 0194-34-2226
*Inquiries in Japanese only, please.

TANOHATA INFORMATION

Kitayamazaki is an 8km long stretch of coastline where the stormy waves of the Pacific Ocean crash against the cliffs, creating a spectacular view. In a national evaluation of tourist resources, it was given the best ranking, “Special A Class”, in the “Natural Resources and Coasts” category. There is an observation deck and a walking trail at the site, as well as a Hi-Vision Center located in the visitor’s center, where you can learn about the Kitayamazaki area’s history and natural scenery.

Kiraumi: A new tourist destination in Fudai

On July 15th, 2016 （Fri）, the Ministry of the Environment opened a new rest area in the park along the Fudai coast.

The bow-shaped park, which spreads out for 600 meters from north to south, is one of the few places on the Sanriku coast with a sandy beach. It used to be popular with tourists, who came to swim in the ocean. However, the campsite and rest houses were destroyed in the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Fudai has been aiming to rebuild them, just as they were before.

Local junior high students came up with a nickname for the rest area: Kiraumi, which means “sparkling ocean” in Japanese.

The new facilities include a rest house, toilet, shower, two summer houses and a parking lot. In addition, large boulders and other objects washed ashore in the disaster have been turned into exhibitions, in order to remind people of the threat of tsunamis. The rest area is intended to draw in tourists, and play a role in the revitalization of the region.

The Kaiwo Maru visits Miyako for the first time in 25 years

On July 22nd, 2016 （Fri）, Kaiwo Maru, a tall ship known as “the lady of the sea”, entered Miyako Port.
The ship, which was built as a training vessel for the Japan agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers （JMETS）, was carrying around 100 students of maritime technical schools. This was its second trip to Miyako, and its first in 25 years.

The ship is 110.09 meters long and weighs 2,556 tons. Its figurehead, known as “Konjo”, was made using 300-year-old zelkova wood from Miyako.

At the welcome ceremony, students from Miyako Fisheries High School gave a taiko drum performance. Miyako’s mayor, Masanori Yamamoto, presented the ship captain, Kanehito Watanabe, with a fishermen’s banner.

The public was able to watch the crew practice putting up the sails, and could even go aboard themselves. The ship left Miyako port on July 26th （Tue）.

Feature

Many young people are diligently helping the affected area of Sanriku move toward a full reconstruction. The section “People for Sanriku’s Future” introduces these young people and their powerful feelings.

Click the link to read about Yuki Minegishi and her research on salmon ecology at the International Coastal Research Center in Otsuchi.

• Yuki Minegishi of the International Coastal Research Center

Casualties and Damage in Iwate （as of July 31, 2016）

• Deaths: 4,672; Missing: 1,123
• Buildings destroyed （residences only, total/partial）: 26,075

Thank you for all of your support! （as of July 31, 2016）

Donations for survivors: Around 18.59 billion yen （93,626 donations）
Donations for reconstruction projects: Around 19.77855 billion yen （7,812 donations）
Iwate Learning Hope Fund donations: Around 8.5893 billion yen （18,111 donations）
※ This fund is to assist in the study and daily life of affected
children by encouraging sport and study activities.

• To make a donation to aid in Iwate's reconstruction, click here.

Contact

News from Iwate’s Reconstruction, Volume 111. August 15, 2016.
Published by the General Affairs Division, Bureau of Reconstruction, Iwate Prefecture.
Phone: 019-629-6925
Editing & Printing: SYNAPSE

*News from Iwate's Reconstruction Volume 112 will be published on September 1st.