Jodogahama Beach

This scenic coastal spot is located in the north of Mt. Usuki (86 meters) that juts out into Miyako Bay in the central-eastern part of Iwate Prefecture. It is one of the representative landscapes of Sanriku Fukko National Park (formerly Rikuchu Kaigan National Park). The area is full of strangely shaped rocks of gray-white quartz trachyte, and in the northeastern part there is a small peninsula with sawtooth-shaped rocks, which are given names such as Tsuruginoyama and Sai no Kawara. Japanese red pines grow on the rocks, and the white rocks and green pines stand out beautifully against the blue sea. The name Jodogahama is said to have been given by the monk Ryuko during the Tenna period (1681-1684), who exclaimed, "This is as beautiful as the Pure Land." The sandy beach is also a swimming beach, and there are hotels, inns and other facilities, and it is also a base for regular sightseeing boats. There are bus services available from Miyako Station on the JR Yamada Line and the Sanriku Railway Rias Line.

[Tadashi Kawamoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

岩手県中東部、宮古湾(みやこわん)に突き出た臼木山(うすきやま)（86メートル）の北側にある海岸景勝地。三陸復興国立公園（旧、陸中海岸国立公園）の代表的景観の一つ。一帯は灰白色の石英粗面岩の奇岩が多く、北東部には岩塊が鋸歯(きょし)状に並ぶ小半島があり、剣(つるぎ)ノ山、賽ノ河原(さいのかわら)などと名づけられている。岩塊の上にはアカマツが茂り、白い岩、マツの緑が青い海に映えて美しい。なお、浄土ヶ浜の名は、天和(てんな)年間（1681～1684）に僧竜湖(りゅうこ)が「浄土もかくや」と賛嘆して名づけたと伝えられる。砂浜は海水浴場にもなり、ホテル、旅館などの施設があり、定期遊覧船の発着基地でもある。JR山田線・三陸鉄道リアス線宮古駅からバスの便がある。

［川本忠平］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例