Horaijima Island

Small, gourd-shaped Horaijima Island, a symbol of the nearby town of Otsuchi, lies in the middle of a fertile bay 34 kilometers northeast of the Goishi Coast. The island’s rocky surface is made of white granite, a hardened magma that was produced by volcanic activity some 120 million years ago. Perched on the rocks are a bright red lighthouse and a shrine dedicated to the deity Benzaiten, to whom local fishermen pray for good fortune and safe sailing. Both structures were rebuilt after being destroyed in the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.