Breathtaking, broad vistas of seas, mountains and skies. Tohoku’s lush, natural beauty will live on in your heart.
Experience the natural beauty and history of Matsushima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.
Matsushima, scenery whose beauty is in nature itself, was awarded 3 Michelin Guide stars, second in Tohoku only after the Three Mountains of Dewa in Yamagata. The Four Views of Matsushima, The Magnificent View – Otakamori, The Beautiful View – Toyama, The Grand View – Tamonsan, and The Enchanting View – Ogidani, offer differing views of Matsushima Bay with their names representing the impressions they make on viewers. For The Magnificent View – Otakamori, there is a viewing platform at the summit, about 20 mins from the trailhead, offering a 360-degree panoramic view before your eyes. The harmony of the colors and the natural beauty of the shapes created by the many small islands spread across the expansive sea surface can be summed up in one word: Magnificent.
Northern Tohoku - Some of the largest beech forests in the world, cool, clear mountain streams, and the beach of Amitabha's Pure Land
Shirakami mountain range, straddling Aomori and Akita, has been designated as a World Natural Heritage site for its wild beech forests, untouched by human impact and among the largest in the world. If you’re walking in Shirakami for the first time, a great place to start is the Juniko Lakes walking trail. See giant beech trees and the blue-tinged enigmatic Aoike Pond as you come into contact with Shirakami’s abundant wilderness.
Oirase River, swiftly flowing through virgin forest from Lake Towada. See the many different moods of the river along the stream, in the exquisitely delicate beauty of Shiraito Falls, the big boisterous cascade of Choshi Falls, and the unusual spectacle created by Ashura Rapids as it throws up a fine mist.
Jodogahama (Pure Land) Beach – a place of scenic beauty at the center of the Sanriku Reconstruction National Park. The name of this scenic spot derives from the response of Reikyo, the 7th priest of Joan-ji Temple in Miyako to the beach in 1681, in wonder: “Just like Amitabha’s Pure Land”. The green of the red pine trees paints a superb contrast against the azure sea and the procession of giant rocks behind the calm inlet, a unique feature of the Sanriku coastline.
Enigmatic lakes and marshes with fall leaves like gorgeous brocade Some of the most beautiful scenic spots in southern Tohoku
The refreshing spectacle of new greenery is wonderful, but the beauty of Naruko Gorge at the peak of the fall leaves, the beech, maple and oak trees tinted in brilliant reds and yellows, is breathtaking. See right before you the fall leaves, as though on fire, covering the sheer precipices and Ofukazawa Bridge.
Goshikinuma Lakes – These brightly colored lakes are the star attraction of Urabandai, Fukushima. In the forest looking up to Mt. Bandai’s crater wall you’ll find an array of lakes such as the bright emerald green Bishamon Lake and Rurinuma Lake. Enjoy walking around the lakes along the walking trails with gentle slopes amid pleasant highland breezes and the chirruping of wild birds.
