■　龍昌寺の国際交流

Yamada Town for English

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The location and nature of Yamada Town
Yamada is located almost in the middle of Rikuchu-kaigan, the coast of
Iwate prefecture, its northern part adjoining Miyako-city, its west
Kawaimura and Otsuchi, its south Otsuchi, and its eastern part facing the
Pacific Ocean. It covers an area of 263.40㎞2 most of which consists of
mountains, forests and fields, with very little flatland.
The east and south-east parts are typical of the Rias coast with calm and
peaceful Yamada bay and Funakoshi bay. Out at sea, the Okhotsk current
and the Japan current cross each other and that makes Sanriku fishing
grounds one of the greatest of the world, with abundant sources of fishery.
Funakoshi peninsula is in the center of Rikuchu-kaigan, national park
desigoated in 1930 and has beautiful scecery of coastal nature such as cliff
rocks, shores, and redpine trees. It is highly evaluated academically and is
called the one and only region left unexplored on Honshu.
The climate is strongly influenced by the cold Okhotsk current and the
warm Japan current that cross each other offshore and by the steep
Kitakami mountains which stand along the west. In general, the climate is
mild, with little snow in warm winter and cool summers.
Among Yamada's big festivals is the fall festival of Osugi-shrine of Yamada
Hachimangu. It starts on the night of September 15th and on finishes the
16th, the whole town becomes excited with its Hikifune festival in which a
"mikoshi"(a portable shrine) is carried around Yamada bay. You can
enjyo the spectacle ofthe "mikoshi" moving wildly, carried by seamen on
their shoulders.

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