Kumano Nada

On the southeast coast of the Kii Peninsula, from Cape Daio on the Shima Peninsula in Mie Prefecture to Cape Shionomisaki in Wakayama Prefecture, is a coastline of about 150 kilometers facing the Pacific Ocean. About 25 kilometers from Kinomoto in Kumano City to the mouth of the Kumano River is a straight, raised coastline covered in gravel known as Shichirimihama, and the rest of the area is a typical ria coastline with many inlets and outlets. The Japan Current flows north along the coastline, giving it a warm climate, and the area is known as the rainiest area in Japan due to the summer monsoons. The ria coastline is a treasure trove of fish, and fishing has been developed here since ancient times, with many deep-sea fishing bases such as Kiinagashima and Owase. Blessed with beautiful natural scenery, with Ise-Shima National Park to the north and Yoshino-Kumano National Park to the south, and designated as a Kumano Sea Recreation City centered around Kii-Nagashima, it is also a large-scale tourist destination.

[Tatsuo Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

紀伊半島南東岸、三重県志摩(しま)半島大王(だいおう)崎から和歌山県潮岬(しおのみさき)までの間、太平洋に臨む約150キロメートルの海岸。熊野市木本(きのもと)から熊野川河口までの約25キロメートルが七里御浜(しちりみはま)とよばれる砂礫(されき)に覆われた直線状の隆起海岸であるほかは、出入りの多い典型的なリアス式海岸が続く。沿岸は日本海流が北上し、気候は温暖、また夏の季節風を受けてわが国の最多雨地としても知られる。リアス式の湾岸は魚類の宝庫で、古くから漁業が発達し、紀伊長島(ながしま)、尾鷲(おわせ)など遠洋漁業の基地も多い。美しい自然景観に恵まれ、北に伊勢(いせ)志摩、南に吉野熊野の両国立公園があり、紀伊長島を中心に熊野灘レクリエーション都市指定を受けており、規模の大きい観光対象地でもある。なお帆船時代は海の難所であった。

［伊藤達雄］

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