Tsugaru Strait

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Tsugaru Peninsula and Tsugaru Strait

Tsugaru Strait (津軽海峡 Tsugaru Kaikyō) is a channel between Honshu and Hokkaido in northern Japan connecting the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. It was named after the western part of Aomori Prefecture. The Seikan Tunnel passes under it at its narrowest point (19.5km) between Tappi Misaki on the Tsugaru Peninsula in Aomori, Honshu and Shirakami Misaki on the Matsumae Peninsula in Hokkaido.

The Tsugaru Strait has eastern and western necks, both approximately 20 km across with maximum depths of 200 and 140 m respectively.

In the past the most common way for passengers and freight to cross the Strait was on ferries, approximately a 4 hour journey. Now the Seikan Tunnel provides a convenient alternative, and approximately halves the travel time in comparison to ferrying. When Shinkansen trains can traverse the tunnel to Hakodate (scheduled for 2015) the journey time will be cut to 50 minutes.

In 1954 1,155 lives were lost in the strait, on the freightliner Toya Maru.

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