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- This is Shiwa of Shimanto Town（ここは 四万十町 志和です）[観光看板 英語]
This is Shiwa of Shimanto Town（ここは 四万十町 志和です）[観光看板 英語]
This is Shiwa of Shimanto Town
Shiwa is the gateway to the east of Shimanto Town， Takaoka County.
According to one account， it is said that the name “Shiwa” came from the many sunken rocks known as shi in the bay underneath the ocean’s surface. One of the Niida Goninshu of the Kouno Family， Norishige Kumon-Ochi gave Shiwa its name and made it the home base for the Shiwa Clan (Shiwa Izumi Governor Norishige).
After becoming the base for the Shiwa Clan， it later prospered as a base of a marine thoroughfare. Goods such as rice， charcoal， firewood， and fish gathered in the Niida region were taken to Shiwa to be shipped by boat to Kochi from Shiwa Cove in order to avoid the precipitous Kure slopes.
The Shiwa region was made up of Otsurutsu， Kotsurutsu， Shiwamine， and Yotsuji in the center of Shiwa Village and Koyaiga and Ooyaiga， which make up the current Nakatosa Town area.
Ocean Rock Fishing 磯釣り
There are many rocks in Shiwa which are possible to reach by boat， so Shiwa has become a popular location for enthusiasts of ocean rock fishing. Anglers are ferried across to ocean rocks where they cast their fishing rods， aiming for fish such as mejina (known locally as gure fish)， barred knifejaw， spotted knifejaw， among others. It is not just limited to rock fishing; you can also go jig fishing.
Kurohaemaru Tosen Ferry Service 090-7629-2285
Kurohaemaru’s Blog: http://blog.livedoor.jp/kurohaemaru/
Scuba Diving スキューバダイビング
Here with the Pacific Ocean right before your eyes， you can go for a walk underwater with many different schools of fish， from colorful， tropical fish to larger fish as well. Not limited to licensed divers， beginners accompanied by an instructor can also have a diving experience.
Shimanto Dive 080-5663-9581
Shimanto Dive’s Website: https://shimantodive.com
Shimanto Pork 四万十ポーク
The brand-name Shimanto Komebuta (“rice-fed pork” in Japanese) is raised in the middle of nature， surrounded by ocean and mountains. Adding the brand-name Niida Rice into the feed sweetens the pork fat， making it a very popular meat. Mugibuta (“barley-fed pork”) and Imobuta (“yam-fed pork”) are among other special pork varieties raised in other regions of Shimanto.
Watanabe Livestock (Ltd.) 0880-24-0843
Shiwayakushi-ji Temple Festival 薬師寺大祭
People from near and far come to pray to the honzon， or principle Buddhist deity， on display at the Shiwayakushi-ji Temple Festival every year on January 8th (according to the old Japanese calendar) in order to ward off evil or to pray for a variety of other wishes. There is a small festival held on the night before， with the glow of bamboo garden lanterns lighting up the entrance to the temple.
Shiwayakushi-ji Temple 0880-24-0385
Shiwa Bon Odori Dance Festival 志和盆踊り
There is a bon odori dance festival and fireworks display held every year on August 13th on the old elementary school grounds. In addition to the bon odori dance， there are also many night stalls and performances to get excited about. There are many people every year who look forward to viewing the huge rings of fireworks up close on their way back home after obon， the traditional Buddhist celebration honoring the dead.
Shiwa Bon Odori Dance Festival Planning Committee
Shiwa Furusato Festival 志和ふるさとまつり
This is an event hosted by local volunteers held during winter every year. The Japanese spiny lobster soup (with half of the lobster’s body left in the soup) is so popular that there are long， snaking lines of people waiting to get it. You can also grill and eat seafood and vegetables purchased at the venue right on the beach.
Shiwa Furusato Festival Planning Committee
Yellow Crane Orchid 岩石蘭
This yellow flower， a wild， terrestrial orchid， blooms half-covered in shade in early summer. The pseudobulb is very hard， so it won’t rot and will remain even after many years. This is how it got its name as a rock orchid (ganzekiran) in Japanese. Due to being dug up， it has become a rare species and is currently under protection in the region.
Orchidaceae family， Phaius flavus
Shiwa Joint Council for Regional Revitalization
Shiwa Waterfalls 志和滝
As you ascend up the ravine from Shiwa Village， there are three waterfalls lined up in a row: Todoro-no-taki， Medaki， and Odaki. At Todoro-no-taki， there is a legend of the Princess Mukugenomiya (Princess Oman)， a giant serpent， and a hidden blade at the Todoro Waterfall basin. Although there are many different iterations of this story， one tells the tale of the beautiful Princess Oman who gets turned into a giant serpent and then resides in the deep pool at the base of the Todoro Waterfall. The story believes that a renowned blade—the hidden blade—protected a young samurai from the serpent and still remains as a treasure at the Shiwa Tenman-gu Shrine.
Shiwa Joint Council for Regional Revitalization
Specialty Goods 特産品
Agricultural goods that represent Shiwa， such as the seafood product， Japanese spiny lobster (fishing season from Sept. 16～Apr. 30)， ginger， garlic chives， and tobacco are predominantly produced here.
Nakaen Store 0880-24-0401
Further Inquiry: Shimanto Town Office. 0880-22-3281
にぎわい創出課
〒786-8501 高知県高岡郡四万十町琴平町16番17号
TEL：0880-22-3281 Fax：0880-22-5040