Ito and Ina! Official City Mascots for Higashi Matsushima
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At a GlanceCreated by the merger of the towns Yamoto and Naruse - and immediately southwest of Ishinomaki - this area is home to the Japan Self Defense Force Matsushima air base. It's also home to Blue Impulse - they're Japan's aerobatics team. You can watch a free airshow here on some spring and summer days!
The main road through Yamoto (Route 45), is lined with all sorts of chain restaurants. Next to Yamoto station is a lovely swimming pool/gym. In the Naruse area, you can find Nobiru beach and Oku-Matsushima; an island closely connected to the mainland. You can hike there, or visit their museum displaying artifacts from the Jobon era of Japan. One of the most stunning views of Matsushima Bay is on top of Mt. Otakamori! |
Restaurants
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Menage - メナージュ
A hamburg steak restaurant next to the JSDF air base. This shop specialized in their thick handmade hamburg steaks. The juice glimmers when you cut into it, emphasizing the care the restaurant puts into each hamburg steak. You can choose from three sauces; a demiglace, italian cheese, or wa-fu. Kouryuu - 紅龍 A Chinese restaurant located near Yamato Station. It's majorly popular with the locals, known for it's delicious fried noodles and generous portion sizes. Di Tafu - ディタフ This Italian restaurant serves a variety of popular pizzas. There is terrace seating available, so if the weather is nice you can enjoy eating in the open air. |
Ramen
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Enmantei - えんまん停
A very famous ramen shop in Higashi Matsushima, featured in countless news outlets in Japan and a few internationally. It has some of the most notable seafood ramen in the prefecture, with the "big one" containing two crab claws, two whole crabs, countless mussels, and more! Ramen Kaede - ラ～メン楓 This ramen restaurant prepares a deep and rich broth for it's noodles. The chashu here is really tender, and they also offer seasoned eggs as a topping. Ramen Kozoh - ラーメン辛蔵 This ramen shop has been said to have an "Ishinomaki" flavor to it. Each bowl of ramen has a delicious topping of chashu. This restaurant has a good local reputation and as a result, you can always see many guests visiting this shop. |
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Papaiya Bakery
This charming bakery is full of sweet and savory treats to suit anyone's tastes. The house-made bread is crusty and fresh. It's only open on Wednesdays. Konarina - パン工房コナリナ Offering a wide variety of baked goods, this shop is among the most popular in the Yamato area. One of their most iconic items comes in the form of a hedgehog. |
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Kisakuen - きさく苑
Soba restaurant slightly off the E45 expressway. It's located inside an old renovated farmhouse, so the atmosphere is relaxing and peaceful. |
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Julian - ジュリアン
A dessert shop located near Yamato Station. You can buy Blue Impulse themed cookies here, along with other baked goods. |
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Miyagi Lapras PokeLid - Latios
Did you know that Miyagi's Support Pokemon is Lapras? There are 35 decorative Lapras Manhole Covers all over Miyagi! You can find Latios right outside Nobiru Station where you can see the ocean! If you're looking for Latias go check in Kakuda Town! |
Monuments
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Former Nobiru Station
The ruins of Nobiru station following the 3/11 disaster. |
Point of Interest
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JASDF Matsushima Air Base - 航空自衛隊 松島基地
From this base, the “Blue Impulse” acrobatic flight team (4th Air wing, 11th Squadron) provides everyone with stunning acrobatic tricks during the summer festivals. It's a popular event, and many residents of neighboring towns come in to watch. |
Museums
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3.11 Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum - 東松島市震災復興伝承館
This museum is a 30 minute walk from the current Nobiru station on the Senseki Line. It is in the old JR Nobiru Station. Most of this train line has been completely destroyed but you can still see some old tracks and the old station platform. Right outside is a memorial park that has been erected to symbolize the area's reconstruction. Historical Museum of Jomon Village Oku-Matsushima As the title suggests, this museum features excavated items dating back to the Jomon Period (12000BC -300BCE). You can not only look at the artifacts, but you can also participate in workshops to recreate the relics. They offer Cultural Classes here where you can learn to make Jomon Period jewelery and pottery. You can even learn how to make a fire the old Jomon way! This is a site along the Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail. |
Hiking Trails
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Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail
The Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail is one of three Olle Trails in Miyagi. Miyagi Olle Trails are sister hiking trails to the Jeju (Korea), Kyushu and Mongolia Olle Trails that were created after the Great Tohoku Earthquake to help bring tourism back to the affected areas. The Oku-Matsushima is one big loop around Miyato Island that starts at Aomina Center. Mt. Otakamori - 大高森 Widely considered best view on Miyato Island. The mountain is included as the peak point along the Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail. From the base it is an 1.2 km hike up which takes about an hour due to the steep trails. There is a patio at the top where you can rest if you want. If you make it to the top, it is well worth the wait just to see how far you've come. |
Boat Rides
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Sagakei Gorge Pleasure Boat
An hour cruise that takes you around one of Japan's Three Great Gorges! You can see these freshly cut cliffs that were carved by the ocean with foliage and pine trees sprouting from them. There's a small cave called the "Blue Grotto" which is named for the cave's interior during certain seasons. |
Beaches
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Tsukihama Public Beach - 月浜海水浴場
This beach is shaped like a crescent moon! It is located on the southern end of Miyato Island. It is car accessible but if you take the Oku-Matsushima Olle Trail, you will see this beach along the way. Restrooms, changing rooms, and a shower are available here. It's a good mid-point in the trail to take a rest. If you continue along the trail you can find Inagasaki Shrine. and even further up the trail is Inagasaki Park where you can see the entirety of Tsukihama Beach and even Matsushima Bay. On very clear days you can see Mt. Zao! |
Point of Interest
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Satohama Shell Midden - 里浜貝塚
Located in the Historical Museum of Jomon Village Oku Matsushima, and designated a National Historical Site, it features artifiacts from the Jomon Period, (12000BC to 300BC). The Satohama Shell Midden has shells that date back to the Jomon Period. |
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Blue Carp Streamers
When the anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake comes close, the people of Higashi Matsushima line the Nobiru Coast (from Nobiru Station up towards Yamato Station) with blue carp streamers representing both a hope for the future and to remember the lives of the children lost during the tsunami. The number of streamers has grown to well over two thousand, with more donated every year. |
