Hidden Gems of Miyagi Prefecture: What to See and Do
Today, I'd like to share with you 5 little-known places to visit on a trip to Japan's Miyagi prefecture (宮城県), in the Tohoku region. Miyagi Prefecture is still relatively unknown to foreign travelers, but it is full of amazing places to visit, such as Matsushima Bay, one of Japan’s three most scenic views. In this article, I'll focus on the off-the-beaten-track places that I particularly enjoyed when I visited Miyagi Prefecture and that I would recommend to travelers looking for things to do when spending a few days in this prefecture.
1/ Oshima, a Peaceful Islet in Matsushima Bay
Matsushima Bay is probably the best-known natural site in Miyagi Prefecture. If you go, I recommend not missing Oshima (雄島), one of the 260 small islands in Matsushima Bay. This pine tree-covered islet is close to the pier of Matsushima and is lesser-known than the neightboring Fukuurajima (福浦島). It can easily be accessed over a short bridge free of charge.
Oshima was one of the highlights of my stay in Matsushima. I found this tiny island charming, with its many little shrines and viewpoints, as well as its meditation caves, once used by monks on retreat on the island.
Red bridge to Oshima
Access: 5-10 minute walk from Matsushima-Kaigan Station (松島海岸駅).
If you are planning a trip to Matsushima, you might be interested in my detailed guide: Discover Matsushima: Complete Guide to Japan’s Scenic Bay.
2/ Ishinomaki, a Coastal Town for Manga Lovers
Ishinomaki (石巻市) is a coastal port city which I discovered because I had planned to take a ferry there to the cat island of Tashirojima, which will be my next suggestion.
I was surprised to see that the city was full of manga references, statues and street art. The reason is that it is home to a manga museum dedicated to the work of the eminent manga artist Ishinomori Shotaro (1938-1998).
Ishinomaki suffered the greatest loss of life and property in the 2011 tsunami. I found it inspiring to see how the city had managed to recover from this terrible disaster, notably through manga, and I hope Ishinomaki will attract more tourists in the future.
Access: From Sendai station, take a fast train to Ishinomaki on the Senseki-Tohoku line. The journey takes around 1 hour.
3/ Tashirojima, One of Japan’s Cat Islands
Tashirojima (田代島) is a small island off the coast of Ishinomaki in Miyagi. What makes this island so special is that it is also known as a "Cat Island"! Indeed, Tashirojima is the home of several hundred cats, which are cared for and revered by the island's inhabitants.
Cats roam freely around the island and are generally friendly to tourists. If you want to see lots of cats at once, you should go to Tashirojima Nyanko Kyowakoku Shimanoeki café (田代島 島のえき), where cats usually gather as they are fed there.
You can take a walk through the island to visit its two small fishing villages, Odomari port in the north and a larger, more developed village around Nitoda port in the south, as well as a small cat shrine (猫神社) in the centre of the island. Note that Tashirojima doesn't have many tourist facilities: there are limited accommodation options and only a few eateries.
Access: Boats to Tashirojima depart from the Ajishima Chuo ferry terminal, close to the Ishinomori Manga Museum. The pier can be reached from Ishinomaki station in a 10-15 minute walk. Most ferries run to the island of Ajishima, stopping on the way on the island of Tashirojima at Odomari and Nitoda ports. The one-way ferry journey takes around 45-60 minutes and costs 1250 yen for either port. There are 3 to 4 return trips a day.
Be aware that in the event of bad weather, the ferry may be cancelled, which unfortunately happened on the day I had planned to visit Tashirojima. So be sure to check the weather forecast and the ferry line's website in advance. The ferry timetables can be found here.
4/ Shiogama, Known for its Delicious Sushi and Impressive Shrine
Shiogama (鹽竈) is a fishing port town known for having the highest density of sushi restaurants in Japan! You can visit one of its fish markets or eat the freshest sushi in one of its restaurants. Personally, I was keen to eat at Shiogama-ko sushi, a conveyor belt sushi restaurant located near JR Shiogama station, but it was exceptionally closed that day (to make sure it's open on the day of your visit, you can check out their instagram page).
Shiogama is also known for its sake breweries and for its impressive shrine, Shiogama Jinja (鹽竈神社), head shrine of several hundred Shiogama shrines located throughout Japan. It was built in the 9th century and 15 of its buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties.
Sake Brewery near Hon-Shiogama station
Former Kamei Residence
Side entrance to Shiogama shrine
Shiogama shrine
I fell in love with the atmosphere and view of the stone staircase of 202 steps at Omotesando, the front approach to Shiogama shrine.
Main entrance to Shiogama shrine
Access: Depending on the places you would like to see in Shiogama, stop at Shiogama station, Hon-Shiogama or Higashi-Shiogama on the JR Tohoku or Senseki-Tohoku Lines (20-25 minutes from Sendai station).
5/ Arahama Elementary School, A Memorial to the 2011 Tsunami
The Arahama Elementary School (震災遺構 仙台市立荒浜小学校) was severely damaged by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011. It has been turned into a memorial that serves as a “disaster relic, passing on the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the memories of the local area to future generations”.
It was a very interesting visit showing the power and threat of tsunami but also the courage and resilience of the people who faced it. It was also an opportunity to learn more about disaster preparedness and damage mitigation in the Sendai area. Pamphlets in English are available and entrance is free of charge.
Access: From Sendai station, take the metro (Tozai Line) to Arai station and then bus 20 to the memorial bus stop (震災遺構仙台市立荒浜小学校前). All in all, it takes about 40 to 50 minutes for a one-way trip.
Miyagi Prefecture’s Hidden Gems in a Map
Tips to Know Before Visiting Miyagi Prefecture
Transports: Make Sure to Check if You Can Save Up Money With the JR East Pass
If you're planning to travel by train in the Tohoku region, it's likely that you can save money by using one of the train passes sold by JR East. Instead of buying individual shinkansen tickets, if you buy the JR East Pass for ¥30,000, you can take the shinkansen and other JR trains as much as you like for 5 days. Knowing a round-trip to Sendai alone costs ¥23,000, it is likely that you will save money if you visit several cities in the Tohoku region). I used it on my trip to Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures and saved a lot of money. For more information, visit the JR East website.
To Conclude
I hope that through this article you will have discovered new places that you would like to visit in Japan. In the future, I'll be writing in more detail about other destinations in Miyagi Prefecture, such as Sendai and Matsushima Bay, so don't forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter to be notified when they're published.
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