Naiwan (Inner Bay)

Before the earthquake, the Naiwan area of Kesennuma City was the “face” of the port town. Many tourists used to visit the area to enjoy the seaside atmosphere. However, the tsunami washed away many buildings, daily life abruptly ended, and the town’s appearance changed completely. In order to ensure continuity between the city and the sea, and to restore the liveliness of the inner bay area, a reconstruction design was created based on wide-ranging discussions. The result was the Naiwan commercial complex, whose grand opening took place in July 2020. The complex has become an attractive new waterfront destination in Kesennuma, integrated with the port’s seawall and consisting of four zones. Mukaeru (to welcome), located to the side of the excursion boat dock, offers a terrace deck overlooking Kesennuma Bay where visitors can enjoy dining and shopping as they feel the sea breeze. Across the street, Yuwaeru (to link) is a fun facility with restaurants and shops of all kinds that bring tourists and the local community together. Hirakeru (to cultivate) has a fresh fish shop, a craft beer brewery, and a smoothie bar, and is a place where the traditional meets the contemporary in food culture. Umareru (to create) is an information center for the town and townsfolk, for work-related and other types of information exchange. It is a public facility with a community FM radio studio. The Naiwan area has begun to come alive here again.