The Michinoku Coastal Trail
The Michinoku Coastal Trail is a 1,000-kilometer hiking route along the Pacific Ocean coast between Aomori Prefecture in the north and Fukushima Prefecture further south. The scenic views along the extensive and heavily indented coastline are reason enough to explore the trail, but the real treat is getting to know each area’s local culture and experiencing how people live in harmony with the blessings of nature around them.
Attractions include the Kitakami River—the largest river in northern Japan—rolling hills, tranquil forests, and the delightful seaside districts of Kitakami, Kahoku, and Ogatsu.
The Ishinomaki section of the trail takes travelers through a region of Miyagi Prefecture that has come through the tragic earthquake and tsunami disaster of 2011 with an even stronger sense of community and progress toward a brighter future.