9 Days Michinoku Coastal Trail Experience

9 Days Michinoku Coastal Trail Experience

Tour Code: JP-TOMCT09

Join in Date: 26 May – 3 June 2023, 27 Oct – 4 Nov 2023

Michinoku Coastal Trail Walk is a historic walk along the east coast of Japan’s Tōhoku region, decorated with beautiful coastlines, strange rocks and trees and views of the Pacific Ocean.

The trail is 1,025 km long and runs from Aomori to Fukushima prefectures.

We choose the walk at the best time of year for travelling, when the autumn leaves are beautiful or when the spring time for the beautiful fresh green foliage.

By using a private car and train, the course offers an efficient way to get around the highlights.

As well as the beauty of nature, you can also experience the hardships of the people affected by the 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the spirit of the people who rose from the disaster.

Above all, for those who love seafood, this tour is an absolute must!

Basic Itinerary

Day 01 Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) – Hachinohe
Day 02 Tanezaki Coast Walk – Nedarihama Nature Trail Walk – Kurosaki (Total walking : Approx. 5.5 hours.)
Day 03 Kitayamazaki Walk – Excursion on a Sappa boat – Tanohata Village (Total walking : Approx. 5 hours.)
Day 04 Experience the blessings and threats of the Sanriku coast – Scenic Ride to the Blue Cave – Miyako (Total walking : Approx. 2 hours.)
Day 05 Todogasaki Walk – Whale and Sea Science Museum – Kamaishi (Total walking : Approx. 4 hours.)
Day 06 Senjojiki Walk – Fisherman’s Small Boat Cruise – Ofunato (Total walking : Approx. 2.5 hours.)
Day 07 Experience the horror of the tsunami and the Tohoku people’s progress through the disaster – Kesennuma City (Total walking : Approx. 3 hours.)
Day 08 Experience the beauty of Kesennuma Oshima and rias coast – Minamisanriku (Total walking : Approx. 3 hours.)
Day 09 Sendai – Haneda Airport/ Narita Airport

Note: itineraries are subject to change due to weather and natural conditions.

Day 01 Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) – Hachinohe
Meeting and greeting by your guide in the morning at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). Your guide who is a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter will take care of you throughout your trip.

After meeting at the lobby, proceed to Tokyo Station for Shinkansen to Hachinohe Station with bento lunch and your guide will explain the itinerary of the trip.

On arrival at Hachinohe Station, transfer by private car to explore Lake Towada and Oirase Gorge (enjoy the autumn leaves during Oct or green foliage during May).

After dinner, enjoy “Michinoku Matsuriya” – a show that recreates the excitement of Tohoku’s festivals.

【Guide】 English-Speaking Guide
【Meal】 Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Hoshino Resort Aomoriya or similar
【Activity】 Entrance fee for Michinoku Matsuriya
【Transportation】Tokyo Monorail, JR East (including Shinkansen Ticket), Private Car

Day 02 Tanezaki Coast Walk – Nedarihama Nature Trail Walk – Kurosaki (Total walking : Approx. 5.5 hours.)
The first day of the trail started calmly. The Hachinohe area is the head-and-end point of the Michinoku Coastal Trail. In the morning, you will walk the trail course around the Tanezaki Coast, which is said to be a treasure trove of spectacular scenery. The course is varied with rocky reef areas, sandy beaches, pine forests and green natural grasslands.

In the afternoon, board the Sanriku Railway, a local train that runs along the Pacific Ocean side. The Pacific Ocean seen from the top of the 30-metre Osawa Bridge is a stunning panorama. After arriving at the station, you will change to a private car and drive to the Nedarihama Nature Trail, the starting point of the afternoon’s trail. The walk along the coast rifts is an exhilarating experience, with the Pacific Ocean on your left and the sheer cliffs on your right. There is also a hand-dug tunnel, which makes for an adventurous walk.

After climbing 750 steep steps, you will reach the accommodation via Kurosaki Observatory.

【Guides】 English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guides
【Meal】. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Kurosakiso or similar
【Activity】 –
【Transportations】Sanriku Railway, Private Car

Day 03 Kitayamazaki Walk – Excursion on a Sappa boat – Tanohata Village (Total walking : Approx. 5 hours.)
A day of adventure on the 200 m cliffs from the forest to the sea. A powerful course rich in thrills and adventure!
The day starts with a 9-kilometre-long forest boardwalk which offers beautiful views of the blue Pacific Ocean and the cliffs. After admiring the spectacular view from the Kitayamazaki Observatory, take a private car down to the harbour. where you will see the Tsukuehama Banya complex, which are the lodgings for fishermen.

Enjoy a 60-minute excursion on a small fishing boat (sappa boat) where you will be skilfully slip through 200m-high cliffs and passage holes from the sea. Fishermen piloting the sappa boat will guide you around the area and tell you stories about the disaster.

Continue a visit to the remains of the disaster before heading to your accommodation. For dinner, enjoy French cuisine with local ingredients at a local restaurant.

【Guides】 English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guides
【Meal】Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Hotel Ragaso or similar
【Activity】 Excursion on a Sappa Boat
【Transportations】Private Car

Day 04 Experience the blessings and threats of the Sanriku coast – Scenic Ride to the Blue Cave – Miyako (Total walking : Approx. 2 hours.)
A day of experiencing the blessings and threats of the Sanriku coast.
Today’s visits include scenic spots and a hotel damaged by the tsunami, making it an interesting route to experience both the beauty and severity of nature.

The first stop is the Unosu Cliffs. From the observatory, you can see five rows of 200 m high cliffs like a folding screen. The sea below is marine blue. The view is of white lapping waves, which fascinates the traveller. Afterwards, take a private car to Sannou Park. Enjoy the sea breeze and the natural beauty of the Sanriku coast. Afterwards, you will see the tsunami-devastated buildings.

After lunch, board a small fishing boat called a sappa boat for a scenic ride to the Blue Cave. Watch the sun’s rays refracting off the cave which makes it appear blue and shiny. After the cruise, walk to Tategasaki Observatory and Ryujinzaki Observatory to admire the spectacular view, before heading to your accommodation, Jodogahama Park Hotel.

【Guides】 English-Speaking Guide Japanese-Speaking Local Guides
【Meal】 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Jodogahama Park Hotel or similar
【Activity】Scenic Ride to the Blue Cave
【Transportations】Private Car

Day 05 Todogasaki Walk – Whale and Sea Science Museum – Kamaishi (Total walking : Approx. 4 hours.)
A course with spectacular coastal scenery leading to the easternmost tip of Honshu.
In the morning, walk the 10 km trekking course from Yona – Tanesashi Beach – Todogasaki – Aneyoshi and enjoy the spectacular scenery. The main attraction of this course is Todogasaki.

Todogasaki is the easternmost point of Honshu, and the Pacific Ocean seen from there is an endless blue sea with nothing in the way to block the view. The horizon can be seen far beyond, and you can feel that the earth is round.

Lunch is served at the Miyako City Omoe Fisheries Experience Exchange Centre ‘Enyaa Dot’. Try fresh local seafood such as natural wakame ramen and the grilled fish set meal.

After lunch, drive to the Whale and Sea Science Museum to learn about the Sanriku Sea and the rich natural environment that nurtures the sea through whales.

Today’s accommodation is at a hotel in Kamaishi City. For dinner, enjoy a “Izakaya Experience” in Kamaishi City.

【Guide】 English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guide
【Meal】 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Hotel Folkloro Sanrikukamaishi or similar
【Activity】 Entrance fee for Whale and Sea Science Museum
【Transportation】Private Car

Day 06 Senjojiki Walk – Fisherman’s Small Boat Cruise – Ofunato (Total walking : Approx. 2.5 hours.)
A day to experience the history of the earth and the spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

Depart from the hotel in Kamaishi City by private car to the starting point of today’s trail, a short one-hour morning walk. The trail passes through the red torii gates before arrive at Senjojiki. The view of the strange world of granite rocks and the magnificent Pacific Ocean is a spectacular sight in itself, where you can feel the history of the earth. This is one of the most popular spots in the Sanriku Geopark that you should definitely stop by.

After enjoy your seafood lunch prepared by the landlady at the Ohakozaki no Yado, located in a small fishing village, board a fisherman’s small boat to cruise around the sights of the bay and an offshore aquaculture farm. Learn how the abundant seafood from the Sanriku coast is carefully cultivated from the fishermen.

【Guide】 English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guide
【Meal】 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 Ofunato Onsen or similar
【Activity】 Fisherman’s Small Boat Cruise(Including Fishing Experience at the Offshore Aquaculture Farm)
【Transportation】Private Car

Day 07 Experience the horror of the tsunami and the Tohoku people’s progress through the disaster – Kesennuma City (Total walking : Approx. 3 hours.)
A day to experience the horror of the tsunami and the Tohoku people’s progress through the disaster.
In the morning, you will travel by private vehicle to Fumonji Temple to see the amazing skills of the carpenters in the Kesennuma area. Here you can also see many Buddhist statues that were dedicated after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Afterwards, you will visit the Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum. The museum tells the facts of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami through images and photographs of what was actually damaged by the tsunami, as well as lessons on how not to repeat the sadness of that time. Afterwards, the tour will take you to Ogama, where you will walk along the seaside promenade while admiring the strange rocks and spectacular views.

After lunch, the tour continues to Mt Anbasan. Anba, a 239-metre-high mountain with a panoramic view of Kesennuma Bay and the city. After visiting the Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake Kesennuma City Memorial Museum, the tour continues to the hotel.

【Guide】English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guide
【Meal】Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】Kesennuma Plaza Hotel or similar
【Activity】Entrance fee for Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum, Ruins of the Great East Japan Earthquake Kesennuma City Memorial Museum
【Transportation】Private Car

Day 08 Experience the beauty of Kesennuma Oshima and rias coast – Minamisanriku (Total walking : Approx. 3 hours.)
Kesennuma Oshima is one of the largest inhabited islands in the Tohoku region, located in Kesennuma Bay, and its main attractions are its lush nature and beautiful sea.

In the morning, you will climb mountains, walk along beaches and boardwalks on this beautiful island to appreciate its beauty. After lunch, you will visit Tidal Blossom Rock – a limestone rock pit where the tide blows up every time a wave hits the rock. When the waves are rough at low tide, the tide blows up dynamically, reminding visitors of the wonders of nature’s workings.

Afterwards, we will visit the Minami Sanriku Reconstruction Memorial Park – place to pass on the memories and lessons of the disaster to the next generation. You will also see the “Nakabashi Bridge”, a symbol of the recovery, and a real moai statue from Easter Island, sent by the Chilean government to pray for the recovery of the area.

【Guide】 English-Speaking Guide, Japanese-Speaking Local Guide
【Meal】 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】Hotel Kanyo or similar
【Activity】-
【Transportation】Private Car

Day 09 Sendai – Haneda Airport/ Narita Airport
The final day on The Michinoku Coastal Trail starts with sightseeing in Matsushima.
Matsushima is one of Japan’s representative scenic spots, one of the ‘Three Views of Japan’. The beauty of the exquisite combination of the blue of the sea and the green of the pine trees has struck a chord with the Japanese people since ancient times. In Matsushima, you will visit Zuigan-ji Temple (the family temple of the Date family) and enjoy a sightseeing boat to Shiogama to see the beauty of the islands.

You will also visit the market at Shiogama Port, one of the largest fishing ports in Japan and is known for its large catch of fresh tuna. Why not buy first-class tuna and other seafood here as souvenirs? For lunch, enjoy the famous dish ‘gyutan’ (beef tongue) in Sendai, before continue the drive to the airport in Sendai/ Tokyo. On the way, you will enjoy refreshments and shopping at the Hanyu PA, a recreation of an Edo period town on the motorway. On arrival at the airport, enjoy some last minute shopping or have an early dinner before your flight home.

【Guide】 English-Speaking Guide
【Meal】 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ※not include drink fee
【Hotel】 –
【Activity】 Matsushima Bay Cruise(from Matsushima to Shiogama)
【Transportation】Private Car

9 Days Michinoku Coastal Trail Experience

Tour Code: JP-TOMCT09

Join in Date: 26 May – 3 June 2023, 27 Oct – 4 Nov 2023

Price subject to changes without prior notice. Price may differs for different dates.

Contact us for customisation!

Land Price Per Person in SGD:  $ 5980
Group Size: Min 6

LAND Price includes

  • Accommodation for all nights in 3–4-star hotels
  • English-speaking through guide everyday (National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter)
  • Japanese-speaking local guides based in the community (Days 2-8)
  • All meals ※not include drink fee
  • All transportation including private car transfers, bullet trains and local trains
  • All entrance fees and activities

Price excludes

  • All airfare + taxes
  • Other transport not mentioned
  • All other meals not mentioned
  • All other entrance fees or tour not mentioned
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal expenses for snacks, gifts etc.

NOTE: We have not secured the hotel rooms and cannot guarantee the availability of the hotels mentioned. The prices for hotels and activities are subject to changes

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