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On a current journey to Japan, an area advised me, “Tokyo isn’t Japan…to know Japan, you must exit and discover.” And should you’ve adopted this weblog for some time, you realize that getting off the overwhelmed observe and exploring a hidden area places me in my blissful place. It’s my favourite technique to journey. Once I heard about Japan’s Tohoku area and the brand new Michinoku Coastal Path– I used to be intrigued as a result of I really like discovering new long-distance hikes. Immediately, this little-known area in Japan was on my radar.
My journey to Tohoku was initially about mountaineering a portion of the Michinoku Coastal Path. Nevertheless, I quickly found that Tohoku’s rugged coast supplied far more than a mountaineering journey. It was a land of resilient individuals, unimaginable seafood, and distinctive cultural experiences that I had by no means encountered earlier than. The area’s intimate really feel and the heat of its individuals made it a very distinctive vacation spot.
Japan’s Most Lovely Shoreline That You’ve By no means Heard Of
Paradise discovered can be paradise misplaced in tourism. Overtourism can occur shortly, and it reaches a tipping level, and out of the blue, you’ve got too many individuals all going to the identical locations. Guaranteeing steadiness is essential. That’s why Japanese tourism hopes to create extra steadiness by increase tourism choices in lesser-visited areas like Tohoku. This is among the causes they created the Michinoku Coastal Path, which initially drew me there. I suppose which means it’s working.
Tohoku, a area recognized among the many Japanese however usually neglected by worldwide vacationers, is a hidden gem ready to be found. With its gorgeous Rias Coast, the one rugged shoreline in Japan, it affords probably the most lovely shoreline within the nation, as acknowledged by Japan’s Tourism Board. This distinctive magnificence is a testomony to the area’s attract.
Whereas Tokyo and Kyoto often is the go-to spots for a lot of guests, Tohoku is a treasure trove ready to be explored by those that search journey and pure magnificence.
Heading to Japan? Learn my cultural ideas for visiting Japan: What each first-time traveler ought to know
Tohoku Map
Since this text focuses on journey to the Tohoku East Coast, I’m specializing in the Miyagi, Iwate, and Aomori Prefectures. The coastal cities in these prefectures had been reachable by native trains and buses. This shoreline is named the Sanriku Coast – a dramatic, rocky shoreline with numerous bays, cliffs, and coves that stretches for over 300 kilometers alongside the Pacific Coast of the Tohoku Area.
What Makes Tohoku Journey Distinctive
Tohoku’s rugged shoreline and low variety of vacationers are two of the issues that make touring there so nice. The third merchandise, although, is a bit distinctive. Home and worldwide guests go there as a result of the area suffered certainly one of Japan’s most vital pure disasters.
The March 11, 2011, Nice East Japan Earthquake and the following tsunami left a profound mark on the tranquil Tohoku area. Towering waves—some as excessive as 130 ft—surged as much as six miles inland, claiming roughly 20,000 lives and devastating communities. The aftermath of this tragedy required years of effort to clear the rubble and start therapeutic.
Rebuilding Tohoku After the Tsunami
Over a decade later, they rebuilt (generally relocated) the cities, created new warning methods, and constructed extra huge tsunami partitions. The Michinoku Coastal Path (MCT) is among the newest websites/experiences they made to assist the area rebuild emotionally, carry tourism again to the area, and, in flip, add to the financial system of a distressed space. A 1,000 km mountaineering path means revitalization of your complete shoreline, new accommodations, eating places, tourism experiences, and a rebuilt rail line to maneuver individuals alongside the coast.
I used to be shocked to study that even the visiting Japanese vacationers are desirous about studying how the Tohoku area has been rebuilt. They rent tour guides to stroll them by means of sections of the path alongside the Rias Coast and educate them concerning the tsunami. They use it as a studying expertise in order that the youthful technology is aware of what they need to and shouldn’t do throughout a catastrophe.
As I hiked alongside the MCT, I heard tales of adults and kids alike who perished as a result of they had been following incorrect directions from others – although they seemingly knew higher and will have saved themselves. This was laborious to listen to – but additionally not stunning.
Japan is taken into account a collective society. They worth group concord, shared tasks, and prioritizing the well-being of the group over particular person needs. There’s a hesitation to behave independently. This worth is deeply embedded in Japanese society, influencing conduct, decision-making, and responses to crises. On this case, it price individuals their lives.
Tendenko – A New Cultural Philosophy
The area is now being taught Tendenko. Tendenko is a Japanese idea that emphasizes particular person survival throughout disasters. It teaches that in moments of disaster, individuals ought to deal with saving themselves with out worrying about others, trusting that everybody will do the identical. This idea has gained prominence within the area’s post-disaster tradition, influencing conduct and responses to crises. It’s laborious to alter a tradition, however all over the place I went alongside the coast, I heard about Tendenko. It’s taught in faculties and talked about in properties, and also you’ll additionally find out about it should you go to the area.
Tohoku Tsunami Memorials
A number of memorials commemorating the lives misplaced, the aftermath, and the rebuilding course of are dotted alongside the coast. It brings your complete catastrophe and the impression on the communities to life. You’d be amiss should you visited the world and didn’t go to one of many a number of memorials to study extra and join with this space extra deeply. They’re lovely and transferring.
I like to recommend the Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum in Rikuzentakata Metropolis. The constructing and grounds are somber however lovely, and the museum and employees had been phenomenal. See a chronological exhibit of artifacts and images documenting the catastrophe, and listen to guides discuss their private expertise on that fateful day. It additionally consists of a big outside house the place you possibly can stroll and ruminate on the ability of nature. It is usually the house to the Miracle Lone Pine Tree – an homage to the one surviving tree of your complete Takata Pine Forest. It serves as a logo of hope for your complete area.
The area has additionally chosen to honor the reminiscence of the day by leaving a number of buildings as they had been – mangled, twisted, and in rubble. As well as, as you journey across the space, you’ll additionally see excessive water traces marked on buildings. These markings function a grim reminder of the catastrophe’s scale and the intense water ranges reached.
Discovering a Journey Connection in Catastrophe
I do know this may increasingly not look like a typical place to journey to – however that’s why I cherished it. In actual fact – I felt nearer to the Tohoku area than every other in Japan as I traveled up the coast. I had heard concerning the tsunami in 2011. Nonetheless, I didn’t absolutely perceive it till I noticed and skilled the area myself. It was academic and transferring, drawing me nearer to Japan basically.
That is no completely different than different widespread journey locations -Hiroshima, Katrina Excursions, the ruins of Pompeii, and Chornobyl. That is all thought of Catastrophe tourism – a subsection of Darkish tourism (Killing Fields in Cambodia, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Brazil slum tourism, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and many others). If it’s not for you, I perceive. I deal with it as a technique to study extra concerning the individuals and tradition and take what I study from it, which impacts how I take a look at and join with the world as a complete.
Examine my 7 days of mountaineering and journey on the Michinoku Coastal Path and find out about what you possibly can anticipate type this new lengthy distance hike!
Tohoku Coast Experiences To not Miss
Not the whole lot in Tohoku is concerning the catastrophe – it’s only a small however significant a part of the area. There are nice conventional journey adventures and cultural experiences available alongside the coast! As I hiked a number of the greatest components of the Michinoku Coastal Path, we additionally had an opportunity to expertise different actions alongside the Tohoku coast.
Tohoku journey supplies one thing for anybody who enjoys the outside
Jodogahama Kayaking
Jodogahama Seashore is a must-stop in your Tohoku coastal travels. It’s a part of the Sanriku Fukko (reconstruction) Nationwide Park, which was created after the Nice East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami as a approach to assist revitalize the area.
Cease on the Jodogahama customer heart, stroll the pathways alongside the seashore, and revel in this scenic space. It’s best recognized for its uncommon white rock formations and jagged volcanic rocks jutting out of the turquoise waters. The white pebble seashore is widespread for locals to sunbathe and swim. I went kayaking in order that I might get a better take a look at the rock formations. You possibly can simply hire kayaks and SUPs and even go on a coastal boat journey from the seashore. And, after all – there’s loads of mountaineering across the seashore and customer heart. In actual fact, the MCT path goes proper alongside the seashore!
Deal with your self and keep on the completely positioned, luxurious Jodogahama Park Resort. Perched on high of the cliff above Miyako Bay, you may get an unimaginable view of the rocks and the seashore under. The lodging are conventional and smooth, the meals is scrumptious, and the onsen is the cherry on high! This was my favourite resort throughout my time on the Tohoku Coast!
Eat at L’Oreole Tanohata
Chef Katsuyasu Ito, a French-trained chef who went to culinary college in Tokyo, is bringing effective eating to the Tohoku Coast at L’Oreole Tanohata. Situated proper on the Michinoku Coastal Path, the superbly designed restaurant with all wooden accents is perched on the coast, giving it unimaginable views and a rugged really feel.
Watching Chef Ito create our multi-course lunch was like watching an artist at work. I really like open kitchens, and I had a lot enjoyable watching the cooking and plating of every intricate regionally sourced dish. Chef Ito needs to teach guests and locals concerning the abundance of unimaginable meals that comes from this area. The whole lot he makes is regionally sourced. He additionally works with the native college lunch program, educating children on the area’s components.
“If I need to be wealthy and make cash, then I’d construct a restaurant in one of many huge cities. However that’s not the rationale why I need to prepare dinner. I need to assist the group and convey individuals right here.”
Most of his friends come from out of city and keep to benefit from the wealthy bounty of the Tohoku Coast. One of many chef’s targets is to guard the smaller communities in Japan as a result of, as he famous, everybody normally leaves and strikes to huge cities.
Like a “three-star restaurant” in a small European village, you possibly can get pleasure from a meal that makes probably the most of native assets, together with the view from the window!
L’Oreole Tanohata
Glamping on the Tanesashi Coast
Go to sleep beneath the celebrities and get up to crashing waves. The Tanesashi Pure Garden is a uncommon coastal grassland the place lush inexperienced grass grows naturally proper as much as the sting of the Pacific Ocean. This mix of vibrant inexperienced fields and the deep blue sea creates a wide ranging, virtually surreal panorama. The garden is dotted with tents within the evenings as persons are allowed to camp there.
You possibly can expertise tenting amongst different outside fanatics whereas additionally having fun with a little bit of pampering! Glamping experiences are additionally supplied right here, full with a cushty, heat cot and bedding and a chef who makes dinner and breakfast for you on the garden!
Study extra about reserving your tent right here.
Ebiking in Rikuzentakata Metropolis
This metropolis was rebuilt after the tsunami and pushed again from the coast. Nevertheless, they didn’t simply push it again; they created it on greater floor. Primarily, they created a disaster-resistant city by elevating the peak of the land they constructed on and transferring the residences to greater floor. Town and area had been one of many hardest hit alongside the coast.
Lease a bicycle or take part in a motorcycle tour that may be organized on the Rikuzentakata Bussan Middle linked to the Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum. It’s a good way to get round this bike-friendly area. The tour will take you round a number of the tsunami destruction, however you’ll additionally cycle out into the countryside by means of quiet rice fields and out to the scenic coast.
Kessenuma Brewers Desk Sake Tasting Dinner
Get pleasure from a singular pairing dinner the place friends can study concerning the sake, native seasonal meals, and seafood. Style dishes made with seafood caught in Kesennuma. Every dish is accompanied by a number of native sake from Otokoyama Honten, an area sake brewery, for a pairing distinctive to Kesennuma. You possibly can determine to have the tasting dinner or the dinner solely with an added tour of the sake brewery.
Tohoku Coast Excursions
Suppose I’ve swayed you to contemplate visiting the Tohoku coast, and you’re in search of somebody to do all the planning for you. In that case, you’ll need to take a look at a few of these excursions within the area.
Ottsworld Small Group Mountain climbing Tour
I’ve put many of those experiences into my small group tour that takes you alongside the highlights of the Michinoku Coastal Path. Meet locals, study concerning the tsunami, and actively discover the attractive Tohoku shoreline.
Oku Japan Self-Guided Mountain climbing Tour
This primarily covers the northern a part of the Tohoku coast and sticks primarily to mountaineering the Michinoku Coastal Path. Nevertheless, it consists of most of the areas I coated above. They’ve curated the very best components of this path, permitting you to stroll by means of probably the most memorable areas earlier than persevering with onto the following part by way of prepare, bus, and taxi.
Oku 7 Day Self Guided Mountain climbing Tour
Ottsworld Low cost –get 5% off any Oku Japan tour with code OTTSWORLD5
Tohoku Emotion Practice Tour
If mountaineering isn’t your jam, take a look at this each day prepare tour alongside the Sanriku Coast. TOHOKU EMOTION runs on the Hachinohe Line (Hachinohe Station to Kuji Station), which runs proper alongside the coast. The prepare slows down on the most scenic spots in order that passengers can absolutely recognize the surroundings. However better of all, this can be a foodie prepare. This restaurant prepare options an open kitchen the place you possibly can even watch the meals being ready. Get pleasure from a menu that includes native Tohoku meals whereas having fun with the coastal views.
Reserve a spot on Tohoku Emotion Practice Tour
Methods to Get to Tohoku
The simplest technique to get to varied components of Tohoku is by prepare. The Shinkansen (bullet prepare) is my advisable approach of touring from Tokyo. You may get a regional rail go that gives limitless journey within the Tohoku area on designated trains. The JR East Move consists of Tokyo, the Tohoku area, and surrounding areas.
The JR East Move affords limitless rides on JR buses and trains touring on the JR traces Tohoku, together with the Tohoku Shinkansen.
Take a look at your choices for the JR East Move or Complete Japan passes should you plan to journey to different areas.
Sendai metropolis in Miyagi prefecture is taken into account the foremost gateway to the Tohoku area. It affords simple connections to coastal cities by way of prepare or bus. It takes lower than 2 hours to get from Tokyo to Sendai. When you attain a serious metropolis like Sendai, you should utilize native trains or buses to entry smaller coastal cities alongside the shoreline.
The Most Highly effective Wave in Tohoku
One of the impactful cultural experiences I skilled in Tohoku was the ‘Tokhoku wave.’ This wave has completely nothing to do with the tsunami; it’s a easy wave goodbye. In Tohoku, it’s a cultural certainty that the resort employees will come exterior and wave goodbye to you. Not solely the accommodations however the tour guides, customer heart workers, restaurant homeowners, and generally the cooks – everybody within the hospitality area will come out and bid you goodbye like I’ve by no means skilled earlier than.
This gesture is crammed with gratitude and heat, usually carried out with such enthusiasm that it turns into a jubilant, two-handed movement. What stood out most was its exceptional persistence—it continues till you’re totally out of view!
The Tohoku wave will most actually draw you even nearer to this area. The wave looks like a surge of pleasure carried by means of the air, embodying appreciation, a heat farewell, an invite to return, and a deep respect for others. It’s an prolonged goodbye of tsunami proportions. You possibly can’t assist however really feel the jubilance and gratitude they’re providing you with. You possibly can’t assist however need to come again and expertise the Tohoku coast once more.
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