The best way to discover little-known sights and make even familiar places feel brand new,

is to go exploring by bicycle.

Today we're visiting the Sanriku Coast, in northeastern Japan.

This is a jagged coastline, sheltering peaceful bays rich in marine life.

So meaty!

Sanriku was the area hardest hit by the great earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

Reconstruction continues, aided by many people who moved here to help.

I love being part of a close-knit community,
where everyone looks after each other.

I feel I was meant to live here.

Some here are reviving the old ways with an eye to improving the future.

People are rediscovering how useful horse power
can be for all kinds of things.

What can experiencing disaster tell us about life?

Come with us as we find out, on a 400-kilometer ride through Sanriku.

The city of Kuji lies on the Pacific coast in Iwate.

Outside the railway station, our cyclist is checking his bike.

Hi, everyone! I'm James.

It's a beautiful morning, and I can't wait to show you around the Sanriku Coast.

James Hobbs is from England.

For the last 30 years he's been living here in Iwate...

...where he's a professor at a medical university.

James and his family lived through the great 2011 disaster.

Alright, really looking forward to this trip.

We're going to ride some great roads, and you're going to see the two sides of the Sanriku Coast.

One, incredible natural beauty, but also, the Sanriku Coast will always be associated with the terrible events of 2011.

We're going to try and get off the beaten track, meet some people, see what their lives are like,

and see how people have moved on since the earthquake and tsunami.

Okay, ready to ride? Let's go exploring!

We'll be exploring not just the coast of Sanriku but also its mountains.

The first day takes us south along the coastline to Fudai.

On the second, we go up in the mountains to Tono.

The third day takes us back to the coast, to Ofunato, a place severely hit by the tsunami.

On the final day, we climb a mountain near Kesennuma to look back on our road.

And there we go! There's the sea!

We're right on the coast now.

A little seagull up there following me.

The water is calm but I've got the wind against me.

Look at those rocks. They're beautiful.

I wonder how many tens of thousands or millions of years it took to form those.

This 7-kilometer stretch of rocky coast was formed by an ancient upheaval on the ocean floor.

Sanriku's many unique landscapes were created like this, mountains born from the sea.

Ah, look at the scenery. It's spectacular already.

Beautiful.

James has been cycling for 20 kilometers, and is now in Noda.

When the tsunami hit this village, it was an incredible 18 meters high, and the devastation it caused was horrific.

Yeah, you see the tsunami barrier over there which unfortunately blocks the view of the sea.

But obviously it's necessary and you're going to see a lot of those on this trip.

Wow, steep.

Alright, and... come on!

Ah I made it!

This sea barrier is 14 meters tall and runs for 2.6 kilometers.

Alright, it looks like a few boats are in.

I can see a few people walking around. I guess they must be landing the morning's catch.

We'll pop down there and have a look, see what they've caught.

Wow, loads of them. Loads of them.

Look at all those. Oh boy.

Fudai has a long history as a fishing port.

Many of its 2,500 residents still work in the fishing industry.

Today, the boats have brought back a huge quantity of amberjack.

- It was a big haul. 30 tons.
- Amazing.

Do you know if it will be a big catch?

So much depends on the weather,
but the god of the Unotori Shrine brings us luck.

We worship there before going to sea.

- Where is it? Is it near here?
- Just over that mountain.

Why isn't a shrine for fishermen on the coast?

From up there it looks down over the sea,
to protect us and ensure we get good catches.

He wasn't joking when he said the shrine is in the mountains.

It certainly is.

Boy, that was a climb.

And here we go! Made it.

Unotori Shrine has a history going back over 1,200 years.

It's always been popular among fishermen, who come to pray for good fortune and safety at sea.

Even the shrine's sacred shimenawa ropes are made from fishing nets.

Have a look at the rope here.

That's interesting.

It looks like some kind of dance or performance. Shall we go and have a look?

That's interesting. They've got some pretty young guys doing this.

Excuse me, may I interrupt for a moment?

- What are you doing?
- We're practicing kagura.

Unotori Kagura is a sacred dance tradition that began here about 300 years ago.

Sasayama Hideyuki works at the Fudai Village Office.

In his spare time, he teaches Unotori Kagura.

After the left turn,
keep your right arm off your body.

Use bigger movements so the audience can see.

Your left hand can go high. Relax!

Don't bend your elbow, stretch it more.

Let's try it again.

You really seem passionate.

- Is it hard to learn kagura?
- Usually, but I loved it as a kid so it came easy.

My students find it hard, but I tell them
performing for an audience makes it worthwhile.

From its base in Fudai, the Unotori Kagura group tours villages along the entire 130-kilometer Sanriku Coast.

As well as its religious significance, Kagura has always been popular here as an entertainment that enlivens the long winter months.

Sasayama first encountered Unotori Kagura at age four,

when a group came to his village and he fell in love with the art.

He was 16 when the tsunami devastated this coast, and the kagura stages.

The number of performers fell by over half.

That motivated Sasayama to move to Fudai and devote himself to keeping this tradition alive.

Kagura is my way of thanking those
who helped after the disaster.

So the earthquake is why I do this today.

Sasayama is changing some of the old Kagura customs, with the new dancers he recruits.

17-year old Himukai Seira was born here in Fudai.

She's the first female member in the history of the village's kagura group.

How is it? Difficult?

- But I see you're smiling so you must enjoy it.
- Oh yes, it's fun.

Remembering what first attracted him to kagura, Sasayama takes special care to train the new members before going on tour.

The group performs for James, to pray for his safety on the road.

This dance, always popular with fishermen, shows the god of the sea catching a sea bream.

Ah, now I can see your face again.
That was great. Thank you!

You perform in many different towns.
How do people react?

Kagura is a bit rare now, but it was
part of everyday life before the earthquake.

Everyone is happy that it's helping to
rebuild their sense of community.

A much loved local tradition, helping to reconnect shattered communities.

James is now riding inland from Miyako up into the mountains, heading for Tono.

It's a beautiful route, right along the river.

Autumnal here.

We probably already climbed a little bit.

You can see a lot more leaves have fallen.

Oh, look up here.

We've got a field absolutely full of horses here.

Wow, so many of them! Look at that.

Loads and loads of beautiful horses, eating the grass and just chilling out.

Horses have historically always been essential to life in Tono, and it's still a leading horse breeding area.

Oh, some horses up here.

What is it? A horse farm?

Oh, look at these.

Look at these horses here.

Oh, they're beautiful.

Shall we go and have a word with the guy?

Hello!

Sorry to interrupt.

What beautiful horses!

- Are they all related?
- That's right.

Kikuchi Masamitsu's family have been horse breeders since his grandfather's time.

Hello! Oh he is gorgeous.

Look at you.

Hello.

Gorgeous.

- Such a gentle horse.
- Yes. It's easy-going, and used to people.

So cute! Sorry to interrupt your meal.

They were just born this year.

Yes. Only 3 or 4 months old.

And very cute.

- They seem very friendly.
- I handle and care for them a lot.

So they learn to trust and like people.

Yes, if you get them used to human touch
when they're babies, they grow up gentle.

Kikuchi was born and raised in this traditional Tono home,

with horses and family living under the same roof.

What do horses mean to you?

I can't imagine a life without them.
I do this work because I love horses.

- This is the only job for you.
- Yes.

They're all so calm, they're just so relaxed.

Just chilling out.

There we go. There we go.

Hello.

I've got so many friends, haven't I? Eh?

Kikuchi has told James about a man who has a unique way with horses, and James sets off to find him.

Wow, it looks really old. A really old horse-drawn carriage and a fine-looking horse pulling it.

Let's go and have a word.

- Hello!
- Oh, hello.

- What a fine horse. This cart looks really old.
- I use it to haul stuff.

Iwama Takashi was born and raised in Tono.

There we go. That's a new means to transport.

After working with them all his life, he's committed to preserving the region's horse culture.

That's a nice rhythm, the way the horse walks.

You can feel the power. I mean, this is what? This big heavy cart, two of us sitting on it, my bike.

Yeah, no problem at all. Not flustered at all.

Just pulling away without a care in the world.

I put tatami mats on the cart for comfort.

Iwama's horse is now fitted with a special device for hauling felled trees.

- You climb up here?
- Yes.

But it's so steep.

About 22 to 23 degrees, I guess.

So he responds to your voice too?

I usually just make sounds.
It's less tiring than speaking commands.

Iwama's job today is to remove trees that are growing crooked.

Regular thinning is essential to ensure healthy growth for the forest as a whole.

- Another tough slope.
- Without a horse, these climbs are exhausting.

But with a horse, even though I'm not actually
holding on I feel it's pulling me with it.

Horses have this power to connect with us.

He's found a tree that needs to be removed.

There it goes. Ah, it's caught.

It happens a lot in such dense forest.
But with the horse it's easy to pull it out.

Transporting goods by horse was common here in the past, and provided work for many in Tono.

In modern times this culture has almost died out, but Iwama is determined to save it.

I wrap the chain around it like this.

Oh, wow!

Unlike heavy forestry machinery, using horses to transport felled trees doesn't damage the soil or vegetation of the hillside.

Oops! Sorry. Go left!

He's clever.

Iwama decides James needs a try at the reins.

To go left, open the reins to the left.

- He seems to respond before I do anything.
- He can see the best way by himself.

Careful the tree doesn't trap your foot!

Good job.

That was no problem for you, was it? Excellent work. Excellent work. Thank you.

It was so smooth I couldn't tell if he was obeying
my commands or deciding himself. This horse is very smart.

Everything goes easier
if I just let the horse do it for me.

A smart horse does all the work himself.
I hold the reins as backup just in case.

Back in Iwama's home, they're warmed by a log fire.

- You put in a good day's work today.
- Thanks for your help.

It looked like the horse was having fun today.

If you want to work together for many years,
you have to take really good care of a horse.

Most people have never worked with horses
so they've no idea how strong they are.

Thanks to Iwama's efforts, people in other parts of Japan are also starting to use workhorses again.

Many old methods are still relevant today.

People are starting to rediscover how useful
horse power can be for all kinds of things.

I think we are entering an interesting era.

James is now heading down from Tono to a town on the coast.

It's cold enough to make my eyes water.

I'm not crying, just cold.

We're now entering Ofunato.

James has arranged to meet someone at the local gymnasium.

Let's have a look. Come! Here we go.

Looks like we've got a group of little Japanese warriors.

And their teacher, who doesn't look very Japanese at all.

Sasaki Isabelle, the instructor, is French.

She started karate when she was six, and moved to Japan at the age of 22.

Isabelle came to Ofunato as a volunteer after the 2011 disaster.

She liked the area so much she moved here from Tokyo in 2019.

Very cool, aren't they?

- You must be Isabelle. I'm James.
- Nice to meet you.

The kids seemed to be really putting their
hearts into it today. How do you feel?

They're all just so cute, I love them to bits.

Isabelle lives in a part of Ofunato called Okirai.

This small community of just 2,000 produces some of Sanriku's best scallops.

Isabelle also acts a guide for cycle tours, so she's the ideal person to tell us about the area.

What was it like here before the tsunami?

This area was all built-up.
Full of shops, bars and homes.

And now there's nothing left.

You're not allowed to build houses
below the height of the seawall.

It was decided to let local farmers use the land.

Those are greenhouses for strawberries.
And there'll soon be some for growing tomatoes.

This was where Okirai stood before the tsunami swept everything away.

The village was relocated to higher ground, but even after all the reconstruction work, life here has yet to fully recover.

Isabelle is taking James to a place that's important for Okirai.

This used to be a railway station building and tourist center.

Hello!

As well as the souvenir shops, the building was a popular spot for residents too.

When tourists stopped coming after the earthquake, the shops and building closed.

Isabelle revived this lost community space, adding a kitchen to provide meals and drinks.

There's always someone here to talk to.
I'd get so lonely with no one to tell my troubles to.

She knows this area better than me,
and helped us rediscover all its good points.

- So you've really become a local.
- I just listen to them and put all that knowledge together.

It's all from them really.

Is there anything you want Isabelle to do?

Our village is aging fast.
I hope she revitalizes the place.

I worry she's doing too much.
She needs young helpers.

That's so sweet of you to care.

Isabelle next takes James to meet her husband, Jun.

Hello!

This is my husband.

- Pleased to meet you. I'm James.
- Hello.

What are you doing?

I farm scallops offshore.

Oh, I love scallops.

- The tsunami must have damaged so much.
- It destroyed our fishing, wrecked the port and our boats.

We had to start again from scratch.

Didn't it make you want to give up the sea?

It's strange, but I never even considered it.
A fisherman can't just leave the sea.

After the disaster, Jun helped rebuild the fishing port.

That was when he met Isabelle, who was there in a volunteer program.

They married in 2020.

The two of them also use their fishing boat for sightseeing tours.

He's a really positive person in every way.

I think we make a good match because both of
us are a bit odd, different from most people.

You have so much energy and ability,
you could have gone anywhere, done anything.

- But you decided to settle here, in this place.
- I feel I was meant to live here.

There's so much nature here, so much more
to my taste than a busy city like Tokyo.

And I love being part of a close-knit community,
where everyone takes care of each other.

I find it very peaceful and easy to live here.

- That's great. So you're going to stay?
- That's the plan.

James is now in Kesennuma.

Ah, I can see the sea down there.

Here we go.

Down into Moune Bay. Oh, there we go. Look out on the right there.

Great view over Moune Bay.

You can see some of the, it looks like they fish for oysters down there.

Look at this, we're right up by the water's edge here.

I'm not sure whether I'm on a bike or in a boat here.

Ah, here we are. I think this is our man.

Let's go and say hello.

Good morning!

- Hatakeyama san? I'm James.
- Pleased to meet you.

Hatakeyama Makoto cultivates oysters in Moune Bay.

James has asked Hatakeyama if he can come along as he harvests his oysters.

There are no waves at all.
It's flat as a lake.

It's always calm here. A wonderful place.
Except for the odd tsunami, of course.

Are all these rafts for oysters?

The bay is mostly used for oyster cultivation.

There is some scallop farming too,
but what you can see from here is all oysters.

- We're coming to the entrance to Moune Bay.
- It's quite narrow.

The bay itself is wide inside, but the narrow
entrance keeps out the big ocean waves.

Calm waters like these are what you need to
farm oysters. They grow really well here.

It's easy to grow them really large.

It's really white.

Very meaty.

Yes, you came at the best season.

- Would you like to try one?
- I'd love to.

Oyster, the fresh oysters come. There we go.

Oh, this is so good!

The real taste of the sea.

That was superb. That was better than any five-star restaurant, I promise you.

That is as... I'm not lying. That's probably the most delicious oyster I've ever had.

That was just fantastic.

What makes these oysters so good?

The secret is in the bay's water.

- Are all these little specks plankton?
- Mostly, yes.

About 200 liters of seawater a day
passes through each oyster.

- 200 liters!
- Enough to fill an oil drum.

This bay is said to be especially fertile.

Water flowing from the forests brings
nutrient salts that the plankton feed on.

Ah, my father is here.

- Hi, I'm James. I'm touring by bicycle.
- That's some smart gear you're wearing.

Hatakeyama Shigeatsu pioneered the oyster industry here in the 1960s.

- Did you try our oysters?
- I did. They taste amazing.

- Rich and salty, a real taste of the sea.
- Thank you.

It's not just the sea, but also forests,
mountains and rivers.

Together, they create ideal conditions for plankton,
and that's why our oysters are so good.

The forests make the oysters delicious?

Yes. With good forests, you get good oysters.

So I should be saying the taste of the forest
rather than the taste of the sea?

Yes. We have a slogan when we plant trees:
"The forest is the sea's lover."

- That's fascinating.
- A good slogan, eh?

For the past 35 years, Shigeatsu has promoted tree-planting activities in the upper reaches of the river that flows into Kesennuma.

I visited oyster areas all over Japan.

I saw that the more a place was developed,
the worse its oysters were.

Hatakeyama and his family are keen observers of the local nature.

After the tsunami, they noticed some unexpected changes.

What happened here?

After the earthquake, there was a government project
to repair the broken seawalls and dikes.

But we got them to stop the plan and start
demolishing the dikes. That's what you see.

Originally a tidal flat, this area was drained for farmland in the 1940s, with a concrete barrier separating it from the river.

After the earthquake, the ground sank and became marshy,

but it didn't provide a good home for wildlife because there was no exchange of water with the river.

Makoto persuaded the city to breach the old barrier between river and wetland.

With connection restored, the wetland's water quality dramatically improved.

- It's gone back to its original state.
- And all because of the earthquake.

Yes, it's brought nature back.

The restored wetland is now home to many kinds of wildlife that thrive in brackish water.

These include the young of an endangered species of eel,

as well as other creatures that need this special kind of environment.

As the river flows down from the hills,
some water seeps out to accumulate in this wetland.

Nutrient salts enter the groundwater,
which then emerges from undersea springs.

Wetlands seem to have the function of storing
and supplying nutrient salts to the groundwater.

The experience of the earthquake and its aftermath taught Makoto much about the deep connections between sea, forests, and wetlands.

We get many ideas from the ocean,
Even when I'm up working in the forests,

I'll be inspired by thoughts of the sea.

Whatever I do, the sea is always on my mind.

Okay, shrine gate here and the mountain through there. That's where I'm heading.

But I'm not going up to worship.

I'm going to have a good hard climb and get some great views from the top.

To end his trip, James heads up to a spot from which he can look back down over the sea and forests of Sanriku.

Boy, that was a climb. It was damn hard work.

But tell you what, it was worth it.

It was worth it for this.

There. Look at that.

Real hard work but that was worth every pedal stroke.

Fabulous.

Okay, so that's the end of the journey, and what a journey it's been.

When I set off, I pretty much knew the roads I was going to be riding on,

I knew the towns I'd be going through, and I knew what the scenery was going to be like.

But I didn't know much about the history and the culture of the Sanriku Coast,

and I didn't know many people who actually lived there.

But in just four days of, well let's see, from fishermen to a French karate teacher, from working horses to local dance.

I've had some fascinating insights into people's lives, I've seen communities that have rebuilt and moved on from the tsunami.

And I've learned about how the mountains and the sea are connected, both in nature and in culture.

One of the catchphrases of Cycle Around Japan is that a journey by bicycle makes even familiar places seem brand new.

And that sums up this journey perfectly.

It's been a wonderful trip and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.

In the 13 years since the great earthquake and tsunami of 2011, as they struggled to rebuild their communities,

people here have come to a deeper understanding of Sanriku's environment, its true value and its potential for the future.