exist as a separate town. Geography The town center was located at the base of a rocky peninsula which juts out into the Pacific Ocean, a small extension of the north–south running mountains in the area. Most of the underlying rock is granite, though there is significant marble as well. These hard rock mountains make the land an abundance of sharp hills and valleys, and also give the area many small bays. There is some farmland, but the hills make large open fields impossible. Like much of Japan, Karakuwa is prone to earthquakes. Large earthquakes with centers in the ocean from those off western Hokkaido to those off to Oshika peninsula to the south have been felt in the area. Tsunami can also be a danger; in recent times, large waves hit the area after a local earthquake in 1896, and after the Chilean earthquake of 1960. The peninsula area of the former town, from the town center to the south-east is about long, and about wide. The town extended another up the coastline to include the Koharagi area, and along the coast facing Oshima island. There are a few small streams along the peninsula, the largest stretching inland towards Sasanagane-yama, which lies another kilometer (0.6 miles) beyond the streams source at the widest point in Karakuwa. Economy The local economy has some mixed farming, including a few apple orchards, but due to the rocky granite and marble coastline, which favours small ports over farmland, the focus is on commercial deep-sea fishing. There is also some commercial activity in processing the catch, and the rugged beauty of the coastline encourages significant tourism. Education There are three elementary schools and two junior high schools in former Karakuwa. Nakai (中井小学校 -shōgakkō) and Karakuwa Elementary in the south feed Karakuwa Junior High, and in the north Koharagi Elementary students go to Koharagi Junior High. There were no high schools in the town; students must go to Kesennuma, Rikuzentakata or farther to continue their education. Transportation Route 45, to Sendai via Kesennuma, major highway Route 26, to Kesennuma, older, winding highway Route 239, connects Route 45 and 26 along the east coast of the Karakuwa peninsula JR East Kesennuma Line (rail), to Maeyachi Station in Ishinomaki with connections to Sendai from Kesennuma Station in Kesennuma JR East Ōfunato Line (rail), to Ichinoseki Station in Ichinoseki and Sakari Station in Ōfunato from Shishiori-Karakuwa Station or