At a GlanceWelcome to the northern edge of Miyagi. This is the furthest point from Sendai and the closest to Iwate prefecture.
There are two major shrines located in this area. Iraribi Park offers a fantastic view of the ocean, and there's even a restaurant to further enjoy the beautiful scenery there. Up in the northern part of the town, the Koharagi area boasts the Dairiseki Coast, a famous formation of rocks peeking up between the land and the ocean. |
Restaurants
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Karakuwa Banya Oyster Hut - かき小屋 唐桑番屋
At this restaurant, you can eat fresh oysters straight from the ocean. You can even shuck them yourself. You can also order scallops here. |
Ramen
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TTBase漁火 唐桑
A restaurant in Iraribi park. This charming eatery has stunning panoramic views of Karakuwa's ocean. The menu is expansive, so there's something to accommodate everyone's tastes. |
Cafes
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Cafe Gigi - 喫茶GIGI（ジジ）
A local favorite, famous for their juicy hand-kneaded hamburg steaks and unique parfaits. The staff here are friendly and welcoming to all, so it has a good reputation. Printemps - プランタン A cozy cafe with a warm atmosphere near the ocean. The cafe is well regarded for it's kind and accommodating staff. They offer a variety of dishes, as well as seasonal items. They specialize in incorporating local seafood into everyday meals. |
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Marusan - 食楽まるさん
This sushi restaurant presents colorful seafood on beautiful plates. Their seafood is fresh and clean, which makes it a popular stop among locals. |
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Okashino Hanako - お菓子の花子
A cute red building housing a delicious sweets shop. The roll cake is highly recommended. You can also find Hoyaboya cookies here! |
Monuments
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Oreishi
The most famous scenic spot on the 20km peninsula is Oreishi. Framed by gorgeous ocean views, the 16 Meter stone column stands sharply jutting out of the coast. Originally even taller, a chunk of the pillar was lost in the Meiji Sanriku Tsunami Disaster of 1896. However, Oreishi stands tall and strong against the waves even today. Kannokura Tsunami Stones You can see these stones on the Kesennuma Olle Hiking Trail. These stones are placed here as a result of the strong force of the tsunami waves in 2011. Dairiseki Kaigan - 大理石海岸 A well-known location in the town for it's interesting rock formations jutting out along the coast. |
Cape
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Cape Osaki
The cape has a shrine famous for matchmaking and luck for studying. Along the trails are a light house, memorials to whales who acted as messengers of the gods, and a nature preserve that is known for it's daylilies (specifically ニッコウキスゲ). |
Shrines
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Beaches
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Kukunaki Beach - 九九鳴き浜
One of Japan's 24 squeaking beaches! The sand when stepped on makes a クックッ (ku ku) sound, hence the name. Why does it squeak? The locals might tell you it's because the beach is so clean or it might be because the sand particles are so fine there's nothing to stop them. It's quite isolated, so beware of bears on the hike there! |
Hiking Spots
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Karakuwa Olle Hiking Trail
A Korean-style hike that takes hikers both along the coastline and through the neighborhoods of Karakuwa. Approximately 10-km long (depending on the route you choose), one end starts at the Karakuwa Visitors' Center by Osaki, and ends at Ogama Hanzo. You can follow the ribbons and Kanse horse statues along the route. Ogama Hanzo - 巨釜半造 Ogama Hanzo is actually two different spots that together make a geo park. The northern area is Ogama, where Oreishi, a large marble stone pillar, is located. Daring hikers can practice their bouldering skills on the rocks below, or trek south to Hanzo to enjoy a calming walk with ocean views. |
Museums
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Tsunami Museum and Tsunami Experiential Theater
In addition to a small exhibit on local nature and the effects of the earthquake tsunami disaster at the Visitor's Center, there is also a small theater with a 4D experience of the 2011 disaster (with English subtitles!). |
