Ofunato Bay - Ofunatowan

An inlet on the Sanriku coast in the southeastern part of Iwate Prefecture. It is a drowned valley formed by the extension of the Sakari River that flows into the inner part of the bay, and was formerly called Yazaki Irie. The mouth of the bay is about 1,000 meters wide, 6 kilometers deep, and has an average depth of about 20 meters, and is home to the natural and excellent Ofunato Port. In response to the damage caused by the Chilean earthquake and tsunami in 1960 (Showa 35), Japan's first deep-sea breakwater (291 meters on the south bank and 244 meters on the north bank) was constructed at the mouth of the bay (the mouth of the bay collapsed in the tsunami caused by the Tohoku Pacific Ocean Earthquake in 2011). Within the bay are the 50,000-ton wharf at Nonoda Pier, the 10,000-ton wharf at Chayamachi Pier, the Ofunato fishing port, and a fish market, and it was designated an important port in 1959. Nori and oyster farming is also carried out in the scenic Sanriku Fukko National Park (formerly Rikuchu Kaigan National Park), which is home to islands such as Sango Island and Biwa Island.

[Tadashi Kawamoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

岩手県南東部にある三陸海岸の湾入。湾奥に注ぐ盛(さかり)川の延長による溺(おぼ)れ谷で、昔は箭崎入り江(やざきいりえ)とよんだ。湾口部の幅約1000メートル、奥行約6キロメートル、水深平均約20メートルで、天然の良港大船渡港がある。1960年（昭和35）のチリ地震津波の被害を契機に、国内初の深海防波堤（南岸291メートル、北岸244メートル）が湾口部に構築された（2011年の東北地方太平洋沖地震に伴う津波で湾口部分倒壊）。湾内には野々田埠頭5万トン岸壁、茶屋町埠頭1万トン岸壁、大船渡漁港、魚市場などがあり、1959年重要港湾に指定。また珊琥(さんご)島、琵琶(びわ)島などが浮かぶ三陸復興国立公園（旧、陸中海岸国立公園）の景勝地で、ノリ・カキ養殖も行われる。

［川本忠平］

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