|
Matsushima, known as
one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan - Tanabata-matsuri
Festival in Sendai, crowded with more than 2 million spectators
Miyagi Prefecture is situated in the northwestern part of Japan,
facing the Pacific Ocean. With the capital of Sendai City in the
center, to the south is Abukuma-gawa River, and to the east,
Kitagami-gawa River. On the coastal side are intricate shores on the
north and moderate beaches from Matsushima on the south. Along the
western inland is a stretch of 1,000 meter-high mountains represented
by Zao. Miyagi, with these typical geographical characteristics, has
much to attract visitors. They include, but not limited to,
Matsushima, known as one of the three most beautiful sites of Japan,
Zao with rich natural environment, and a saw-toothed coast in the
Minami Sanriku Kinkazan Quasi-National Park that leads to
Rikuchu-kaigan Coast.
Throughout the prefecture are natural hot springs like Akiu-onsen,
Sakunami-onsen and Naruko-onsen. You can go around the famous hot
spring and feel the atmosphere and emotions of people that have been
carried down for generations. Also, in the castle city of Sendai,
there are historical sites such as the site of Sendai Castle and
Rin'no-ji Temple Garden. Every year, during the beginning of August
when Tanabata-matsuri Festival is held, the City hosts more than two
million spectators.
Getting there
Two hours from Tokyo Station to Sendai Station by JR Tohoku
Shinkansen.Line. An hour 10 minutes from Osaka Itami Airport to Sendai
Airport. Forty minutes from Sendai Airport to Sendai Station by bus.
-
Akiu-onsen Hot Spring
Modern hotels in the middle of greenery - a place to relax
surrounded by nature
Akiu-onsen Hot Spring is in the center of Miyagi and has
prospered along the banks of the Natori-gawa River, which flows from
Sendai Bay into the Pacific Ocean. It is an old hot spring whose
origin is in the 6th century. Though Akiu is near the center of
Sendai, over 90 percent of the town consists of mountain and forest.
There are modern hotels in the middle of the greenery, giving it a
quiet appearance.
Along Natori-gawa River, there are many beautiful spots, from
Rairai-kyo Valley with its mysterious, eye-catching crags, to
Akiu-o-taki Falls and Futakuchi Valley. Rairai-kyo Valley is near
the entrance of Akiu-onsen Hot Spring, and is beautiful in the green
of spring and when the leaves are tinted by autumn. But in winter,
when snow piles up on the five waterfalls and rocks, the scene is
like an India ink painting. Akiu-o-taki Falls is 55 meters high, and
if you go down the walkway to its basin and look up, you can feel
its vast scale. The great sound and the spray have become symbols of
Akiu-onsen Hot Spring.
If you walk 15 minutes from the Akiu-onsen-Yumoto bus stop, you will
come to the vast natural forest of Tenshukaku-Shizen-koen (Nature
Park), where you can take a walk looking at mountain streams. This
is a place where the townspeople relax, and there are facilities
like Shinrin Sports-koen (park) and a golf course.
Getting there
Sendai Station is 2 hours from Tokyo Station by the JR Tohoku
Shinkansen Line. Take the Miyagi Kotsu bus for Akiu-onsen, which
reaches Akiu-onsen-Yumoto in 50 minutes.
-
Kesen'numa
The entrance to Rikuchu-kaigan Coast National Park - a saw-toothed
coastline full of inlets and promontories
Kesen'numa is at the most northeastern point of Miyagi. It is
the southern entrance to Rikuchu-kaigan National Park, which
stretches down from the Pacific coast of Iwate to the north. The
saw-toothed coastline is full of inlets and promontories, which form
natural ports. The splendor of the coastline as a whole has made it
known as Miyagi's top of beautiful spot.
In Iwai-zaki Point there are rocks that have been worn away over the
years by rough waves. Waves crash against the rocks here, producing
spray from between the gaps. This scene of seawater being blown
against rocks has been designated a natural monument. The height of
the seawater that splashes up often reaches over 10 meters, and the
dynamism gets full marks for intensity. O-shima Island in Kesen'numa
Bay is a small island just 22 km in circumference, but from its 235
m high Mt. Kameyama you can see a magnificent view of the
Rikuchu-kaigan Coast, as well as Kingazan Islet.
Kesen'numa is also one of the big fishing ports along the Sanriku
Coast, and all sorts of fish are brought in there, including bonito,
tuna, Pacific saury and scallops. There are also farms that
cultivate oysters and seaweed. Because of this. You will therefore
find restaurants serving fresh seafood wherever you go in the town.
Getting there
Ichinoseki Station is 2 hours 45 minutes from Tokyo Station by
the JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line. From Ichinoseki Station, it takes 1
hour 35 minutes to get to Kesen'numa Station on the JR Ofunato Line.
-
Kinkazan Islet
A small island floating above the Pacific Ocean, from where you can
see the city of Sendai and the Kurikoma Mountain Range
Kinkazan is an islet about 60 km east of Sendai and 1 km to the
southeast of Oshika-hanto Peninsula. It floats above the Pacific
Ocean, and is only about 26 km in circumference. The highest point
on the island is about 445 meters above sea level. From it, you can
enjoy a beautiful panorama of the Pacific Ocean, Sendai the City of
Trees, and the Kurikoma Mountain Range in the north of Miyagi.
There are several walking courses on the island, including an
undulating course round the island and a course to the island's
summit. The climate is warm, and wild deer and monkeys live on the
island. Hiking these courses enables you to fully enjoy the island's
nature.
Also on the island is Koganeyama Shrine, which was built in the 8th
century. Its guardian god, the god of good fortune, has been
attracting worshippers for many years. This shrine forms the
starting point for the hiking course to the top of the mountain, and
people in the shrine office will give you an advice on how to enjoy
the course. There is also a hotel attached to the shrine where you
can spend the night. From its large communal bath, you can enjoy the
view of Oshika-hanto Peninsula.
Getting there
Sendai Station is 2 hours from Tokyo Station by the JR Tohoku
Shinkansen Line. From Sendai Station, it takes 1 hour to get to
Ishinomaki Station on the JR Senseki Line. Onagawa Station is 36
minutes from Ishinomaki Station on the Ishinomaki Line. Take a ferry
boat to Kinkazan from Onagawa-ko Port for 30 minutes. There is no
transport facilities on the island.
-
Matsushima
Over 260 islands floating on calm Matsushima Bay and Zuigan-ji
Temple, representing the Japanese style of architecture of the 17th
century
Matsushima is the general name for a group of some 260 islands,
large and small, that are scattered in the coastal part of
Matsushima Bay. The view of Matsushima changes from place-to-place
and from-season-to-season, and is so beautiful that it is considered
one of the three most beautiful sites in Japan.
In calm Matsushima Bay, dotted with small islands with black and red
pines on grayish white rocks, the views from the four islands of
Ogi-ga-tani, Tomi-yama, Otaka-mori, and Tamon-zan are said to be the
four grandest views in Matsushima Island. Matsushima is noted as a
place to enjoy the variety of different scenery of the islands, and
is frequented by visitors all the year round. Zuigan-ji Temple that
stands facing Matsushima Bay is a Zen temple erected in 828. The
present building was constructed in five years by Date Masamune, who
reigned over this district in 1604, and is designated as a national
treasure. The building is highly valued as one that represents the
architectural style of Japan in that period.
Getting there
Two hours to Sendai Station from Tokyo Station by JR Tohoku
Shinkansen Line, and 4 hours 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station with
a change at Tokyo Station, by JR Tokaido and Tohoku Shinkansen Line.
Twenty minutes to Matsushima-kaigan Station from Sendai Station by
JR Senseki Line.
-
Naruko Hot Spring
A giant ravine formed by torrents and a hot spring with plentiful
waters containing all sorts of minerals
Naruko Hot Spring is in the northwest of Miyagi, and consists of
Naruko Hatto Hot Springs and the neighboring Shin-yu Hot Springs. It
has been a hot spring town for over 1,000 years. Out of all the
springs in the spa, Naruko Hot Spring is especially well known for
its fine waters. Its waters are plentiful and contain all sorts of
different mineral: sulfur, which relieves hardened arteries and high
blood pressure and leaves the skin feeling smooth, and alkaline that
helps remedy skin diseases.
Naruko Valley is a large ravine formed by Ohya-gawa River, a
tributary of the Eai-gawa River that flows through Naruko Hot
Spring. The river's torrents have formed fantastically shaped rocks
and sheer cliffs. Nearby is Lake Kata-numa, a crater lake which
changes color according to the sunlight and presents a stunning view
when the leaves turn golden and orange in autumn. In winter, Naruko
Ski Resort is busy with people enjoying winter sports.
Naruko Hot Spring is also the place of origin of the traditional
Kokeshi doll, a simple wooden doll, and is also the production
center for Naruko lacquer ware, which dates back for 350 years.
Nihon Kokeshi-kan(Japan Kokeshi Center Museum) displays about 7,000
Kokeshi dolls, which are notable for their elegant features and
bright colors. Naruko lacquer ware shops sell a wide variety of
lacquer-painted goods, from affordable items such as traditional
eating utensils and modern-looking coffee cups, to high-class
lacquer ware.
Getting there
Furukawa Station is 2 hours 15 minutes from Tokyo Station by the
JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line. Naruko Onsen Station is 55 minutes from
Furukawa Station on the JR Rikuu-to Line.
-
Rikuchu-kaigan Coast
Rikuchu-kaigan Coast, dynamic northern area, moderate central area
and southern area with saw-toothed coast
The Rikuchu-kaigan Coast in the east of Iwate is a shoreline
with a variety of scenic beauty along the Pacific Ocean between Kuji
and Kesen'numa in Miyagi, and is a part of the Rikuchu Kaigan
National Park. The northern part exhibits spectacular views of
keen-cut cliffs and a row of oddly shaped rocks. It is characterized
by the dynamic Kitayama-saki Point with cliffs that rise sheer from
the surf, Unosu Cliff where columns of 200-meter tall precipices
layer with one another.
The center of the coastline offers moderate scenery with many
picturesque beauties. Jodogahama Beach gives a beautiful contrast
between long, white beaches and precipitous oddly shaped rocks as
well as fresh green pine trees. On Namiita-kaigan Beach, rough
grains of sand absorb incoming waves and outgoing waves vanish.
Miyako, your starting point to tour through the scenic beauties of
the coastline, is a port town where abundant seafood is hauled in,
and there are numerous eating houses where you can enjoy fresh
shrimps, sea urchins, crabs, etc.
The southern coastline is an irregular saw-toothed coast. It has
Goishi-kaigan Beach with a row of oddly shaped rocks and grottos,
Takada-Matsubara with white sand beaches, Hanzo with entangled rows
of marble rocks carved into unique shapes by sea erosion and Ogama
with a keen rock pillar, that stretches from them, and many other
scenic spots. Rikuzen-Takada and Ofunato are also famous fishing
ports where you can enjoy fresh seafood.
Getting there
Take JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line for 2 hours and 30 minutes from
Tokyo Station to Morioka Station, transfer to a Rapid Train of JR
Yamada Line for 2 hours from Morioka Station to Miyako Station,
transfer to Sanriku Tetsudo Kita-Rias Line for 18 minutes to Taro
Station or 1 hour 41 minutes to Kuji Station.
-
Sendai
A castle
town called "The City of Trees" Tanabata-matsuri Festival thronged
with over 2 million spectators
Sendai City, situated in the center of Miyagi Prefecture, is the
largest city in the Tohoku region(the northeastern region) and has
prospered as the capital of the Dates' fief since Date Masamune
reigned over this district and built the Aoba Castle at the
beginning of the 17th century. Now, the neighborhood of Mt. Aoba,
where you can find the ruins of the Aoba Castle, has been
transformed into a park for the people of the city to rest and
relax.
The street lined with rows of zelkova trees which extends westward
from JR Sendai Station, is Aoba-dori Street, the main street of
Sendai, which is known as "The City of Trees". The Christmas
illumination spectacular, not to mention the beauty of fresh verdure
in spring and scarlet-tinged leaves in autumn. Ichiban-dori Street,
which crosses Chuo-dori Street, running parallel to Aoba-dori Street
is a shopping area with a local market and many stores lining the
side streets. In addition, some 4,000 fancy restaurants are
clustered around Kokubun-ji Temple, located on the west side of
Ichiban-dori Street.
The Tanabata-matsuri Festival held in summer in Sendai is considered
one of the four greatest festivals in the Tohoku region, and is
crowded with over 2 million spectators every year. The
Tanabata-matsuri Festival is based on the Chinese seventh of July
legend in which the Kengyu(a cowherd), the star Altair and the
Orihime(a weaver), the star Vega appear on either side of the Milky
Way and the cross the bridge of magpie's wings to the Milky Way to
meet once a year.
Getting there
Two hours to Sendai Station from Tokyo Station by JR Tohoku
Shinkansen Line, and 4 hours 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station with
a change at Tokyo Station, by JR Tokaido and Tohoku Shinkansen Line.
-
Zao
Winter
sports paradise where you can enjoy the spectacular sight of a
cluster of ice-covered trees
Zao, on the Yamagata-Miyagi prefectural border, is a mountain
park centering around the Zao mountain range. You can enjoy the
beauty of the nature when you visit the mysterious Okama crater lake
which is also called Goshiki-numa(five-color marsh) since its water
color changes several times in a day, and Zao
Shizen-shokubutsu-en(botanical gardens), a treasure house of alpine
plants. Aboard the ropeway car, you can get a bird's eye view of the
whole of the Yamagata Basin. You can also enjoy a night view and a
starry sky from the lodge or inns.
If you prefer outdoor sports in the seasons from fresh green of
spring to the scarlet-tinged leaves of autumn, you can enjoy camping
and trekking, have a horse-riding lessons at the International Horse
Riding Club at the foot of the mountain, and take on paragliding at
Bo-daira. In winter, Zao turns into a mecca for winter sports such
as skiing and snow-boarding. Skiing while admiring a cluster of
ice-covered trees or needle-leaf trees on which water drops and snow
are solidified, is particularly exhilarating.
If you prefer staying indoors, Zao-onsen Hot Spring at the mouth of
Zao National Park is recommended. It has been well known for long
time as the best hot spring where you can enjoy an open-air bath and
sample the public hot baths, such as the large open-air bath that
can accommodate 200 people at a time. As for eating, you can taste a
Mongolian barbecue, a pheasant meat Shinzan-nabe dish, a char dish,
and boiled potatoes. If you are interested in Japanese handicrafts,
you had better visit Miyagi-Zao Kokeshi-Kan where you can try out
painting on a traditional Kokeshi doll, a simple wooden doll.
Getting there
Two hours 48 minutes to Yamagata Station from Tokyo Station by
JR Yamagata Shinkansen Line, and 5 hours 13 minutes from Shin-Osaka
Station, with a change at Tokyo Station, by JR Tokaido and Yamagata
Shinkansen Line. Fifty-five minutes to Zao-onsen from Yamagata
Station by bus.
|
Information
provided by Japan National Tourist Organization.
