for the Hiroshima Carp baseball team, swimming and marathon events, and monthly morning markets held at Aburatsu port and in front of Nichinan City Hall. Temples and shrines : A shrine built in a cave on a cliff on the coast. According to myth, the main deity of the shrine is the father of the first emperor of Japan, Emperor Jinmu. Visitors pray at the shrine for success in matchmaking and safe childbirth. Below the cliff there is a huge rock shaped like a turtle. It is said that one's wishes will be granted if one can throw a stone into the depression in the center. Points of interest : The main gate of the castle was restored with 100-year-old Obi cedar in 1978. In the castle, the samurai's mansion, the storehouse, and the white-walled merchant building still remain. The castle town produced 51,000 koku of rice. Because of its many cultural and historic landmarks, it is called the "Little Kyoto" of Kyūshū. It is part of the Japan National Trust to preserve traditional architecture. : A replica of the original palace reconstructed using 100-year-old Obi cedar. : A restored canal district in Aburatsu known as the location for the movie Otoko wa tsurai yo. The canal is 900 meters long and was built at the beginning of the Edo period in 1685. The main purpose of its construction was to transport Obi cedar safely down to the port from inland logging areas. : A mountain looking out over the port of Aburatsu. Locally, it is called the watchtower mountain, and in the Second World War it became an air raid watchtower. It was also used as a weather forecasting mountain by fleets of ships based at Aburatsu Port during the days of the Obi clan. The ships used the summit of the harbor as a marker and made their way into Aburatsu Port. Other points of interest include: : Transport Rail JR Kyūshū provides rail transport through the city via the Nichinan Line. The city's central station is , but and provide access to their respective districts. Road National Route 220 is the main transportation artery, passing through the center of the city. National Routes 222 and 448 also provide automobile access through the city. Educational facilities There are seven kindergartens, 14 elementary schools, 11 junior high schools, and three high schools located within the city. Sister cities Naha,