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Kanmon Tunnels
It makes me nervous to think that I am walking in the undersea tunnel of Kanmon Straits. The Kanmon Tunnels are undersea tunnels that connect the Honshu side (Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture) and the Kyushu side (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture). Three Kanmon Tunnels penetrate under the seabed of the Kanmon Straits: the Kanmon Railway Tunnel for the Sanyo Main Line (conventional railway), the Kanmon Roadway Tunnel for the road (National Highway No. 2), and the Shin-Kanmon Tunnel for the Sanyo Shinkansen Bullet Train. The Kanmon Roadway Tunnel is also equipped with the tunnel for pedestrians. The first Kanmon Tunnel connecting Honshu and Kyushu was the Kanmon Railway Tunnel, opened in […]
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Cormorant fishing
I don’t know how the cormorants feel, but I think they probably enjoy catching fish. Rather, humans are more attentive so that the cormorants can catch fish comfortably. Cormorant fishing is a traditional fishing method that uses trained cormorants to catch river fish such as sweetfish (ayu). Cormorant fishing is called “Ukai” in Japanese. Cormorant fishing has a long history, with clay figures depicting cormorant fishing excavated from ancient tombs in Gunma Prefecture dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries. Cormorant fishing is mentioned in Japan’s oldest history books, “Kojiki” and “Nihon Shoki”, and in the Chinese history book “Suishu (Book of Sui)” (7th century), cormorant fishing in Japan […]
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Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge
Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge won the third place of “The breathtaking sights in the world I want to see before I die”! Tsunoshima, located northwest of Yamaguchi Prefecture, is a small island of the Sea of Japan. Tsunoshima Ohashi which was completed in 2000, is now a tourist attraction representing Yamaguchi Prefecture. Many people wish to visit there once to see “a bridge extends straight along the beautiful emerald green sea”. The total length of Tsunoshima Ohashi is 1780m and it is one of the longest bridge in Japan which you can go across for free of charge. Amagase Park is located on the mainland side of Tsunoshima Ohashi and this […]