Cycle around Matsukawaura in Soma, Sept. 6, 2018. (相馬の 松川浦 を サイクリング 2018年9月6日)

(Matsukawaura Big Bridge at Soma City, Sept. 6, 2018. 松川浦大橋 相馬 9/6/2018)
As it was a rare fine day today in recent rainy windy days, I went on cycling around Matsukawaura Lagoon starting from the city center of Soma. Photo above was Matsukawaura Big Bridge located in the northernmost part of the lagoon, which was restored last year from damage by the earthquake and tsunami disasters 7 years ago. The photo was taken from a seaside park just beside the bridge. It was only about 500m long, but the bridge has been a landmark of the region. When I visited the bridge in 2012 it was the time the repair work had just began and was closed.
雨や風の日が続く中、本日は晴で相馬市中心部から松川浦の周りをチャリで走りました。写真は松川浦の北部にある松川浦大橋で、去年やっと大震災の修理を終えて再開通しました。写真は、脇にある公園から撮ったものです。500mほどの橋ですが、地域のランドマークになっています。2012年に橋を訪れたときは、修復工事が始まったばかりで通行止めでした。(2015年も未だでした。)

(Matsukawaura Big Bridge at Soma City, Sept. 6, 2018. 松川浦大橋 相馬 9/6/2018)
This was a view on the bridge.
橋の上から見ると、このようになります。

On the way, I first stopped at a huge mega solar plant in Isobe district, only a part of which was shown in the photo above. The solar plant extended over a large field area with a road in the center, located close to the southernmost end of Matsukawaura Lagoon. The plant was the largest of this kind in Fukushima Pref. generating maximum electricity of 52.5MW. Wow!
走り始めてから最初に出会ったのは、磯部地区にある巨大な太陽光発電所です。中央の道路をはさみ、両側に広大に広がっていて、写真はごく一部です。松川浦の最南端に位置し、福島県で最大の52.5MWの出力です。

Then I pedaled toward north along the recovered seaside road called Osu-Matsukawa Route. The road reopened in this April with most of the road protected by continuous secure seawall resulting in no ocean view as shown in the picture above.
そのあと,今年再開通した海岸沿いの大洲松川線に沿い北に向かいました。写真のように、防潮堤が連続して海が見えません。

(Osu-Matsukawa Route at Soma City, Sept. 6, 2018. 大洲松川線 相馬 9/6/2018)
But there was a part of the road with great ocean view as shown above!
しかしこのあと、一部海が見えました(写真)。

(Matsukawaura fishing port at Soma City, Sept. 6, 2018. 松川浦漁港 相馬 9/6/2018)
As I passed the Matsukawaura Big Bridge, mentioned in the beginning, and turning to left I arrived at Matsukawaura fishing port as shown above. The port was fully recovered compared to when I visited in 2012 and 2015.
松川浦大橋を渡り左へ行くと、直ぐに松川浦漁港です。2012年や2015年のときから、完全に復活しています。

Then I came to Haragama-Obama seaside beach as shown above which just reopened during this summer season. The site was one of the only four seaside beaches in Fukushima that could reopen to date in Hamadori region since the Great East Japan earthquake disaster.
そのあと、今年の夏に再開した原釜尾浜海浴場です。震災後、浜通りで再開した海水浴場は未だ4箇所ですが,その1つです。

A new three-story watchtower was built at the center of the beach as shown above.
3階建ての新しい監視塔が、中央に建っています。

Right next to the beach there was a memorial as shown above inscribed with all the victims’ names in Soma City.
そのすぐ隣に、相馬市東日本大震災慰霊碑が建っています。その向こうに見えるのが、海水浴場です。
The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。

Somanomaoi Parade and horse racing (1st day of the festival), July 25, 2015, (相馬野馬追 お繰り出しと宵乗り競馬、2015年7月25日)
本日は、新地町から南へ、相馬市、南相馬市と進みました。伝統のお祭りの、相馬野馬追の行列に会い、また神社を訪ねました。
The exact route and locations are shown in the map below. The map can be scaled up and down with a click and scroll.
ルートと場所は、下の地図を参照ください。地図は、クリックとスクロールで、拡大・縮小が可能です。


(Before: as of November 22, 2012)

(After: as of July 25, 2015)
At first, I visited a building on the edge of the seashore at Matsukawaura, Soma City. The building had been severely hit by tsunami on March 11, 2011. It seemed totally recovered from the pictures (before and after) above, though the angle of the shot and the weather are not the same.
最初は、相馬市松川浦の岸際に立つ水産会社のビルを訪ねました。このビルは、津波被害を受けましたが、完全に直っていました。2012と2015年の写真を比べると、わかります。

(Somanomaoi parade, Soma City, July 25, 2015, 相馬野馬追、お繰り出し、相馬市、2015/7/25)
Then I moved to the central part of Soma City near Somanakamura Shrine. I happened to meet the Somanomaoi parade as shown above. This is the first day of Somanomaoi Festival which is the National Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
次に、相馬市の中心にある、相馬中村神社を訪ねました。近くまで来ると、ちょうど、写真のように、相馬野馬追のお繰り出しの行列に会いました。祭りは、国の重要無形民俗文化財になっています。

The horse parade came from Somanakamura Shrine which is designated as National Important Cultural Property. The picture above shows front building of the shrine which was built in 1634.
行列は、相馬中村神社から出発しました。相馬中村神社は、1634年に建てられ、国の重文です。

(Suzumigaoka-Hachiman Shrine, Soma City, July 25. 2015, 涼ヶ岡八幡神社、重文、相馬市、2015/7/25)
There is another shrine of National Important Cultural Property in Soma City. This is called Suzumigaoka-Hachiman Shrine which was built in 1695. The front building called haiden is shown above. There are seven old buildings in the precincts all of which were designated as National Important Cultural Properties.
相馬市内には、もう1箇所、国の重文指定の神社があります。涼ヶ岡(すずみがおか)八幡神社で、1695に建てられたものです。境内には、合わせて7つの重文の建物があります。

Around the precincts of the shrine, there was chorus of min-min cicadas. I found one on the red lantern as shown above.
境内のまわりは、ミンミンゼミの大合唱でした。写真のように、赤い燈籠の上でも鳴いています。

(Yoinori horse racing, Somanomaoi Festival, Minamisoma City, July 25. 2015, 宵乗り競馬、相馬野馬追祭、南相馬市、2015/7/25)
I finally arrived at Hibarigahara Ground in Minamisoma City. This is the base ground for Somanomaoi Festival. Today, the first horse racing was performed here with neither amor nor family flags as shown above.
最後は、南相馬市にある、雲雀が原(ひばりがはら)祭場地に着きました。ここは、相馬野馬追祭りの、拠点になっています。本日は、甲冑も指旗も無い、宵乗り競馬が行われました。
You can also watch a very short video above just to feel the atmosphere.
上の超短編のビデオで、雰囲気がわかります。
【2012年11月22日】 相馬市 に入り、 松川浦 へ( Nov. 22, 2012: To Matsukawaura at Soma City )
Today I left Ryozen of Date City and pedaled toward Soma City which is located in the northernmost part of Hamadori, Fukushima Pref. The routes were national road Route 115 and Pref. road Route 38. As shown in the GPS log below, it was mainly steep downhill ride. I took best care of safe ride.


霊山 から約5kmで写真の 相馬市 に入りました。ここから、延々と20Kmの下りが続く。この付近は、 除染工事 が活発でした。
In about 5km ride from Ryozen, I entered Soma City. Then, 20km long downhill followed. Many decontamination works were going on.

相馬市街に入り、写真はJR 常磐線 の 相馬駅です 。和風の造りで趣があります。
After entering the center of Soma City, I found Soma Station of JR Joban Line. The station building looked elegant by its Japanese style.




相馬市内の海岸沿いにある景勝地の 松川浦 を訪ねました。写真を4枚紹介します。最初が、歓迎の看板。次の2枚が、 松川浦 の風景。最後は、造船所で新規建造中の様子です。
Then I visited Matsukawaura which was a scenic area along the bay in Soma City. Five pictures are shown above. The first one is a welcome sign board. The next two pictures show views of Matsukawaura Coast. The last picture shows a new ship being built in a shipyard.


松川浦 には、2011年3月の津波被害の復旧中や爪痕も残っていました。上の写真は、まだ工事中で一般車立入禁止の 松川浦大橋 の入口です。下の写真は、その近くにある鉄骨が曲がったままの水産工場です。
There still remained sites under repair or damages of the tsunami disaster on March 2011. The first picture shows Matsukawaura-ohashi Bridge still under repair and says no unauthorized vehicle. The second picture shows seafood plant remain with its iron frames been destructed.
但し、既に営業再開の旅館や店舗は数多く、急速に復興中でした。
However, many inns and stores had already started business thus recovery was very fast.

今夜の宿は、写真の 旅館岬荘 。高台にあり、部屋の窓から、松川浦の景色がよく見えます。民宿並の値段でした。
Today I stayed at Misakiso Inn shown in the picture above. Since the inn stood in the height, a good view of Matsukawaura could be seen from the room. The price was reasonable such as private lodging.