Kamaishi, Iwate
Encyclopedia
is a small, historic city located on the Sanriku
ria
s coast of Iwate
, Japan
. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population
of 41,022 and a density
of 92.9 persons per km². The total area is 441.42 km². It is famous in modern times for its steel production and most recently for its promotion of eco-tourism. Fishing and shellfish production are also important economic activities.
. There are four large bays, Ootsuchi-wan in the North, Iyouishi-wan, Kamaishi-wan and Touni-wan in the South. Each of these bays are separated by large, rocky, pine covered peninsulas which jut out into the Pacific Ocean. Immediately the rocky cliffs develop into hills rising to 400 or 500 meters along the coast and 1,200 to 1,300 meters farther inland. The highest point in Kamaishi is Goyou-zan in the Southwest at 1,341.3 meters in elevation. Most of the land is mountainous allowing for little in the way of agriculture. The main rivers are the Kasshi-gawa which empties into Kamaishi Bay and the Unosumai-gawa which empties into Ootsuchi Bay. Both rivers have small floodplains that allow for development and agriculture. Kamaishi is bordered by Ōtsuchi
Town on the North, Tōno
City and Sumita
Town on the West, Ōfunato
City on the South and the Pacific Ocean
on the East.
in 1727, Kamaishi was little different from any of the other small fishing communities along the coast. However, it was not until 1857 and the construction of the first small blast furnace that any real change could be seen.
Domain constructed blast furnace
s of a foreign design in Kamaishi under the direction of their military engineer, Takatō Ōshima. Ten furnaces were built in all but some were owned by private corporations. The first of these furnaces was lit on December 1, 1857; a day honored as the start of modern iron production in Japan. Pig-iron from this furnace was sent to Mito
where Ōshima supervised the making of the first cannons in Japan.
In 1875 the newly established Meiji government bought all of the furnaces and created the Kamaishi Iron Works. They also put Ōshima and a German engineer in charge of its modernization. When the two directors could not agree on a plan the Meiji government chose the plan of the German engineer and Oshima left. The German director imported two large steam-driven blast furnaces of the latest design from Britain and set up a railway with 15 miles of track and a locomotive from Manchester
to deliver the ore. Production began in 1880 but had to be stopped soon after due to a lack of charcoal. An attempt to resume operations in 1882 by replacing charcoal with coke failed and the plant was closed.
There were cholera outbreaks in Kamaishi in July 1882 and April 1884. The first left 302 people dead and warnings about the drinking water were posted throughout the prefecture.
In 1885 a new foundry was established which used coal from Hokkaido
and iron from China
.
The 1896 Meiji-Sanriku earthquake
struck on June 15 at 7:32 pm while families were celebrating Boy's Festival on the beach. The earthquake measured magnitude 8.5 while the tsunami on the Iwate coast reached as high as 24 meters in places - the highest ever recorded in Japan. The city of Kamaishi was completely destroyed. The French Catholic missionary Henri Lispard was also swept out to sea and died when the wave struck.
. On 14 July 1945, under the command of Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth, the battleships , , and , the heavy cruisers and , and nine destroyers bombarded the Japan Ironworks and warehouses, along with nearby oil tanks and vessels, to great effect. This was the first naval bombardment of the Japanese mainland
. Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth's battleships and cruisers, joined by two Royal Navy
light cruisers, attacked again on 8 August.
.
It was once recognized by the Guinness World Records
as the world's deepest breakwater
. Kamaishi was heavily damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
. Tsunami waves as tall as 14 ft (4.3 m) surmounted the Kamaishi Breakwater. Approximately 1,250 city residents were killed or missing from the tsunami. Many news videos were broadcast of the city, which can be recognized by a large green crane in the background and water rushing against tall buildings at the edge of the city. At least 4 of the town's 69 designated evacuation sites were inundated by the tsunami.
Of the 2,900 students who attended the town's schools, only five elementary or junior high school students were killed or missing from the tsunami. Three of the town's 14 schools were inundated by the tsunami.
The decision has been taken to rebuild the breakwater at a cost of over 650 million dollars. The plan has been criticised as 'a waste of money that aims to protect an area of rapidly declining population with technology that is a proven failure.'
Sanriku
is a historical region of Japan on the northeastern side of the island of Honshu, corresponding to today's Aomori, Iwate and parts of Miyagi Prefecture...
ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
s coast of Iwate
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 41,022 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 92.9 persons per km². The total area is 441.42 km². It is famous in modern times for its steel production and most recently for its promotion of eco-tourism. Fishing and shellfish production are also important economic activities.
Geography
The spectacular, rugged coast of Kamaishi is entirely within the Rikuchu Kaigan National ParkRikuchu Kaigan National Park
is a national park in the Tohoku region of Honshū in northern Japan. The park extends for 180 kilometers from north to south along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean from northern Miyagi prefecture to northern Iwate prefecture...
. There are four large bays, Ootsuchi-wan in the North, Iyouishi-wan, Kamaishi-wan and Touni-wan in the South. Each of these bays are separated by large, rocky, pine covered peninsulas which jut out into the Pacific Ocean. Immediately the rocky cliffs develop into hills rising to 400 or 500 meters along the coast and 1,200 to 1,300 meters farther inland. The highest point in Kamaishi is Goyou-zan in the Southwest at 1,341.3 meters in elevation. Most of the land is mountainous allowing for little in the way of agriculture. The main rivers are the Kasshi-gawa which empties into Kamaishi Bay and the Unosumai-gawa which empties into Ootsuchi Bay. Both rivers have small floodplains that allow for development and agriculture. Kamaishi is bordered by Ōtsuchi
Otsuchi, Iwate
is a town located in Kamihei District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 16,727 and a density of 83.39 persons per km². The total area is 200.58 km²....
Town on the North, Tōno
Tono, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate, Japan. The city of Tōno lies near the center of Iwate Prefecture in the floodplain of the Sarugaishi River. It is known as "The City of Folklore" for its rural nature, its preservation of traditional culture and especially for the collection of folktales, Tōno...
City and Sumita
Sumita, Iwate
is a town located in Kesen District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 6,196 with a density of 18.5 persons per km². The total area is 334.83 km².-External links:*...
Town on the West, Ōfunato
Ofunato, Iwate
is a coastal city located in Iwate, Japan.It was founded on April 1, 1952.On November 15, 2001, the town of Sanriku, from Kesen District, was merged into Ōfunato....
City on the South and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the East.
History
The present city of Kamaishi was founded on May 5, 1937 and expanded in 1955 with the absorption of the four neighboring villages of Kasshi, Unosumai, Rihayashi and Touni.Pre-industrial Kamaishi
Before the discovery of magnetiteMagnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
in 1727, Kamaishi was little different from any of the other small fishing communities along the coast. However, it was not until 1857 and the construction of the first small blast furnace that any real change could be seen.
Pre-WWII Kamaishi
In the 1850s the feudal domains of Japan were engaged in an arms race to develop the first Western-style armaments, particularly large guns. The NanbuNanbu
Nanbu may refer to:* Nanbu, Aomori, Japan* Nanbu, Tottori, Japan* Nanbu, Wakayama, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan* Nanbu, Yamanashi, Japan* Nanbu County, Sichuan Province, China...
Domain constructed blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
s of a foreign design in Kamaishi under the direction of their military engineer, Takatō Ōshima. Ten furnaces were built in all but some were owned by private corporations. The first of these furnaces was lit on December 1, 1857; a day honored as the start of modern iron production in Japan. Pig-iron from this furnace was sent to Mito
Mito
Mito can refer to:a person*Anji Mito, a fictional character from the video game Guilty Geara place name:*Mito, Ibaraki, a Japanese city*Mito, Aichi, a Japanese town*Mito, Shimane, a Japanese town*Mitō, Yamaguchi, a Japanese town...
where Ōshima supervised the making of the first cannons in Japan.
In 1875 the newly established Meiji government bought all of the furnaces and created the Kamaishi Iron Works. They also put Ōshima and a German engineer in charge of its modernization. When the two directors could not agree on a plan the Meiji government chose the plan of the German engineer and Oshima left. The German director imported two large steam-driven blast furnaces of the latest design from Britain and set up a railway with 15 miles of track and a locomotive from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to deliver the ore. Production began in 1880 but had to be stopped soon after due to a lack of charcoal. An attempt to resume operations in 1882 by replacing charcoal with coke failed and the plant was closed.
There were cholera outbreaks in Kamaishi in July 1882 and April 1884. The first left 302 people dead and warnings about the drinking water were posted throughout the prefecture.
In 1885 a new foundry was established which used coal from Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
and iron from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The 1896 Meiji-Sanriku earthquake
1896 Meiji-Sanriku earthquake
The 1896 Meiji-Sanriku earthquake was highly destructive, generating one of the most devastating tsunamis in Japanese history, destroying about 9,000 homes and causing at least 22,000 deaths. This magnitude 7.2 event occurred at 19:32 on June 15, 1896...
struck on June 15 at 7:32 pm while families were celebrating Boy's Festival on the beach. The earthquake measured magnitude 8.5 while the tsunami on the Iwate coast reached as high as 24 meters in places - the highest ever recorded in Japan. The city of Kamaishi was completely destroyed. The French Catholic missionary Henri Lispard was also swept out to sea and died when the wave struck.
Kamaishi in WWII
As an important foundry town, Kamaishi played a significant role in the Japanese war effort and was targeted by the U.S. Navy during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. On 14 July 1945, under the command of Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth, the battleships , , and , the heavy cruisers and , and nine destroyers bombarded the Japan Ironworks and warehouses, along with nearby oil tanks and vessels, to great effect. This was the first naval bombardment of the Japanese mainland
Allied naval bombardments of Japan during World War II
During the last weeks of World War II, warships of the United States Navy, Britain's Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy bombarded several cities and industrial facilities in Japan. These bombardments caused heavy damage to several of the factories targeted, as well as nearby civilian areas...
. Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth's battleships and cruisers, joined by two Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
light cruisers, attacked again on 8 August.
Kamaishi after WWII
Kamaishi played its part in Japan's post-war boom, continuing its reputation as a steel town, a reputation reflected in the name of its rugby team - the Kaminashi Nippon Steel Rugby Club. In 1988 though, the steel mills closed and Kamaishi is now known more for its fishing than steel. On September 30, 2010, Foreign Policy magazine used Kamaishi as an example of Japan's relative decline in the 'Lost Decade'Lost Decade (Japan)
The is the time after the Japanese asset price bubble's collapse within the Japanese economy, which occurred gradually rather than catastrophically...
.
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The Kamaishi Tsunami Protection Breakwater, 1950 m (6,397.6 ft) long and 63 m (206.7 ft) in depth, was completed in March 2009 after three decades of construction, at a cost of $1.5 billion.It was once recognized by the Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the world's deepest breakwater
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
. Kamaishi was heavily damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. Tsunami waves as tall as 14 ft (4.3 m) surmounted the Kamaishi Breakwater. Approximately 1,250 city residents were killed or missing from the tsunami. Many news videos were broadcast of the city, which can be recognized by a large green crane in the background and water rushing against tall buildings at the edge of the city. At least 4 of the town's 69 designated evacuation sites were inundated by the tsunami.
Of the 2,900 students who attended the town's schools, only five elementary or junior high school students were killed or missing from the tsunami. Three of the town's 14 schools were inundated by the tsunami.
The decision has been taken to rebuild the breakwater at a cost of over 650 million dollars. The plan has been criticised as 'a waste of money that aims to protect an area of rapidly declining population with technology that is a proven failure.'
External links
Kamaishi official website- The 2011 tsunami pouring over Kamaishi's harbour wall (misattributed by the BBC as Miyako)
- The 2011 tsunami wave from a hillside:
- The 2011 tsunami from the Post Office building near the waterfront:
- The ruined town of Kamaishi John Snow of Channel 4 News reports on 16 March