Earthquake and Tsunami Memorial and Hiyoriyama
#LANDSCAPE #NATORI
Hiyoriyama is a memorial monument and place of remembrance for a town that was swept away by the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake. It has become a place to remember the town as it was – and to renew residents’ desire to rebuild.
Feel 3.11
OVERVIEW
The Yuriage District of Natori was a small port area of 7,000 residents. An 8.4-m tsunami generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake completely destroyed most of the town. Following the disaster, many people visited Hiyoriyama, which was the only remaining high ground on the empty space that Yuriage had become; this spot became a place of remembrance.
Now, a memorial monument has been built near Hiyoriyama. Representing the desire to rebuild, the monument depicts a tall “seedling tower” that sprouts upward from a “memorial seed.”
TIPS
The seedling tower is about a 10-minute walk from Yuriage Port Morning Market. Take the time to visit both.
DETAIL
ADDRESS 5-1, Yuriage, Natori
PARKING Yes
PERIOD Year-round
Reccommend
Local Tours
Using local guides, we provide many tours that let you discover and experience
the wonders of Japan lying hidden in the “everyday” of the nearby area.
TOUR.01
Local Japanese Cooking Class near Sendai International Airport｜Learn to cook Japanese cuisine using local ingredients and go shopping!
TOUR.02
Back-alley Bar Hopping in Sendai｜Who's up for a drink tonight?
TOUR.03
Oyster Paradise Matsushima｜Immerse yourself in the culture and flavours of Japan's most scenic bay!
NATORI city
Natori River runs to the north of Natori; the Pacific Ocean lies to the east; Sendai Airport sits to the south; and Yuriage Harbor, which has prospered since the Edo period, is situated at the estuary of the Natori River. Natori has many historic resources—such as Tohoku’s largest keyhole-shaped burial mound, Raijinyama Kofun, and Natorikumano-sanja: three shrines that have stood since the Heian period. As a fishing harbor and the entrance to Tohoku, Natori is an area where food, history, and many enjoyable experiences await.
Key Person
The streets may have changed, but the people and food are still full of energy!
Aaru Sendai-Yanagiya Co., Ltd.／Hiromasa Yaginuma
Natori is an attractive town where nature, history, and modernity come together, and, for four consecutive years since 2011, it won first place in Toyo Keizai’s quality-of-life rankings for the Hokkaido and Tohoku region. The number of tourists who visit the Yuriage Port Morning Market, where I have my store, is increasing every year, and the face-to-face relationships in the community have endured the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The Michinoku Coastal Trail is scheduled to soon be opened to walking and cycling, so, although not many remnants of the disaster are left in Yuriage district, this path connects with the road from Iwanuma, and I hope that that will lead to disaster tourism where people can compare the damage and recovery in the coastal areas. I also want to make use of the city’s historical heritage, such as the Natori Kumano Sanja shrines, for inbound tourism.
Specialty Products
Oenanthe javanica
Ark shell
Sasa Kamaboko
（Fish cake）
Sasaki sake brewery
Whitebait
Yuriage Harbor’s blood clams are its foremost pride. The clams are said to be the best in Japan; they are even transported to Tsukiji and receive high praise from all over the country. In recent years, seri Japanese parsley and myoga-take, traditional vegetables, have been gaining in popularity. Seri hotpot, in which even the white roots of the seri are eaten, is a top specialty cuisine of Miyagi Prefecture, and some people visit Miyagi in the winter just for a taste of it.
Natural Environment
Goshazan・Toyama
Teizan canal
Andon Matsu
Carnation
Enjoy a walk through the flora and fauna of Goshazan or the Andon-matsu, rows of black pines that Date Masamune was said to have brought in during the Edo period. Natori is an area that lush nature surrounds. Since 1940, Natori boasts the largest production of cultivated carnations in Tohoku, and the flowers can be seen blooming riotously in greenhouses all year round.
Historical Person
Fujiwara no Sanetaka
? - 998
Fujiwara no Sanetaka was a court noble of the mid-Heian period. Skilled in waka poetry, he was known as a young noble who was endowed with great beauty.
Area Access
From Sendai Station
15min
【TRAIN】 From Sendai Station approx. 15 minutes to Natori Station on the JR Tohoku Honsen Line or Sendai Airport Access Line
From Sendai Airport
20min
【TRAIN】 From Sendai Airport approx. 20 minutes on the Sendai Airport Access Line
