Yuriage Earthquake Disaster Information Group:
Kataribe Disaster Storytelling
#EXPERIENCE #NATORI
Take a guided tour to hear first-hand experiences about what the affected areas looked like after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
3.11 Stories
OVERVIEW
Even on a global scale, the damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake was unprecedented. Learning about the state of the affected areas immediately after the disaster can help to prevent future disasters.
Disaster storytellers—most of whom are residents of the area—are active in Yuriage. They use original materials and photo panels to give you a sense of the disaster’s toll as they take you around Yuriage. Their real-life stories truly move the heart. Some guides even use augmented reality and tablets.
DETAIL
OPEN
Summer (April–September)
09:30–17:00
Winter (November–March)
10:00–16:00
CLOSE Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
PHONE （Natori Tourism Association）022-396-3426
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
