Whale and Sea Science Museum

Funakoshi Peninsula

It is a peninsula that juts out between Funakoshi Bay and Yamada Bay, and the cliffs run from the middle of Mt. Kasurodake (504m above sea level) all the way to the sea, forming the 300m high reddish-brown cliff ``Akahira Kongo''. To the southeast of the Funakoshi Peninsula is an uninhabited island with a circumference of 2 km.The southeast of the island is the northern limit of tabu trees (a natural monument of the prefecture), and to the south is a granite sea shelf called Senjojiki.

Shijuhachizaka Observation Deck

It was named ``Shijuhachizaka'' because it was said to be a difficult place for transportation in the past and had many winding slopes. Today, with the opening of National Route 45, the road has been improved and it has become the southern gateway to Yamada Town, and the observation deck has become a place for tourists and others to rest during their drive. Because it faces the Pacific Ocean, the observation deck offers a panoramic view of the varied coastline and rounded horizon. It is located along National Route 45, 33 km from Miyako and 20 km from Kamaishi, halfway between the two, and is one of Yamada's eight scenic spots.

Tabu no Oshima

Funakoshi Oshima is located at the southern tip of the Funakoshi Peninsula and is commonly known as ``Tab no Oshima.'' The island, which has a circumference of 2km, is thickly covered with subtropical plants called cypress trees due to the influence of the warm Kuroshio Current. Tabunoki is an evergreen tree of the Lauraceae family that grows naturally in warm coastal areas, and the island is the northern limit of its natural distribution in Japan. In addition, the eastern part of the island is home to Senjojiki, a sea-eroded shelf carved out of granite by the violent waves of the Oyashio Current, and is known as a breeding ground for petrels. There is a shrine hidden from the open sea in a dense cedar grove, and the island's sandy beaches and sea have been worshiped as sacred places since ancient times. Boasting some of the clearest and most beautiful seawater on the Rikuchu Coast, pretty flowers bloom on the sea ledges and rocky areas that continue to be eroded. It was designated as a natural monument of Iwate Prefecture on April 5, 1951. There are no regular cruise ships that take you to the island, so we recommend viewing it from the Shijuhachizaka Observation Deck. It is one of Yamada's eight views.