One of the interesting offshore fishing devices used to perform net fishing in these parts since the early Edo period. From the top of this platform of logs, you drop a bag net to the ocean floor and then haul it up when a school of fish swims through. This structure was memorably described by Percival Lowell more than a century ago in his book "Noto, An Unexplored Corner of Japan" (1891). The entire book is available free for download (courtesy the Gutenberg Project) at the http://www.gutenberg.org/ site.
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On the second night, I had arranged to stay at a ryokan on the island of Notojima, but hadn't counted on two things: (a) how long it would take me to get there (particularly with all of the coastline I was trying to see, and all of the photo stops I make), and (b) the steepness of the roads on Notojima and the lack of many road signs. So it was quite late when I got there. Luckily they'd prepared a wonderful meal, including an entire crab and other wonderful sea and mountain delicacies.