10 Great Day Trip Destinations From Sendai

Above, Sendai Station was featured in Godzilla and Gamera movies. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Years ago, I first heard of Sendai, Japan when discussing my dad's Army service during the Korean War with him. 

Before being sent to South Korea, he was stationed in Sendai as a military policeman (MP). I visited Sendai in 2006 and went to Godaido Temple at Matsushima where he posed for a photo in his MP uniform. I had a local take a photo of me at almost the same spot as my dad.

Above, Bansuitei Ikoiso Ryokan in Sendai. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While in Sendai, I stayed at a ryokan (Japanese inn).

There are many things to see and do in Sendai and the surrounding area. I took a Matsushima Bay boat cruise during my visit.

Above, a Matsushima Bay islet. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan Experience has posted an article on 10 great day trip destinations from Sendai. 

They begin it with:

Sendai is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tohoku Region. The city of Sendai itself encapsulates much of the major appeal of Japanese culture, but another great aspect is the medley of great day trips that are accessible from here! Take a look at 10 of our favorite spots that can be easily reached from Sendai for some unique adventures!

The city of Sendai, located in Miyagi Prefecture, is a destination that encapsulates Japan as a country—where a modern and sprawling cityscape is located upon the grounds of dynamic shogunate history with rich nature surrounding it. 

It is the largest city in the Tohoku Region that makes up the northern part of Honshu Island and is easily accessible from Tokyo, being only around a 2-hour Shinkansen bullet train ride from the Japanese capital. 

To read more, go here. 

5 Days Exploring Tohoku With The JR East Pass

Above, a boat tour of Matsushima Bay's islets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the best things about being a foreign visitor to Japan are the JR Rail Passes, which allows for unlimited travel during a certain amount time (for example: 5 days).

Unfortunately, travel to Japan is verboten at present due to the pandemic. Eventually, things will open up again (when, is anyone's guess). But, since we all have plenty of time to plan ahead, this is something to take into consideration.

GaijinPot has posted an article on the JR East Pass. I used it back in 2006 to travel from Tokyo to the Tohoku region to visit Sendai and Matsushima. It came in handy and I saved some money using it.

They begin their article with:

The JR East Pass for the Tohoku region provides anyone holding a non-Japanese passport, including residents of Japan, five days of unlimited travel from Tokyo around the zone of the pass for just ¥20,000.

The pass provides huge savings to non-Japanese travelers, making it easier to explore this fascinating region of Japan when travel reopens. Earlier we gave you an itinerary to explore Akita, Aomori and Iwate, the three northern prefectures of Tohoku. Now, we’ve got a great itinerary introducing Tohoku’s three southern prefectures of Fukushima, Miyagi and Yamagata.

This is a chance to explore a bit of history and culture as well as plenty of lakes, mountains and ocean scenery. So daydream now and see it for yourself later.

To read more, go here. 

Great East Japan Earthquake 10th Anniversary

Above, some of the islets in Matsushima Bay that acted as buffers against the tsunami. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is now March 11 in Japan. 

This day marks the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake (a.k.a. Tohoku Earthquake).

At 14:46 hours in Japan (2:46 PM) and 9:46 PM March 10 in Los Angeles, the earthquake struck and then the massive tsunami hit the Tohoku region.

From Wikipedia:

The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku occurred at 14:46 JST on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku.  

15,899 deaths, +2 (Overseas), 6,157 injured, 2,529 people missing

Above, my dad at Godaido Temple in 1951.

I was working patrol that night in the Burbank Hills when I received a call (or text) from my supervisor telling me about the earthquake. He knew of my interest in Japan and I had brought him a Godzilla figure from my December 2010 trip to Japan. I immediately flipped on the radio to listen to the news reports coming from Japan. Hearing how bad the quake and tsunami were, I checked with some Japanese friends to see if their families and friends were okay. 

I had visited the Tohoku region of Japan in April 2006 to visit Sendai and Matsushima. My dad was briefly stationed there before being sent to South Korea during the Korean War. He had sent a photo of himself in his military police uniform in front of the Godaido Temple at Matsushima in 1951. I had a photo of myself taken at the same spot by one of the locals. Before having the photo taken, I had showed him the photo of my dad there. He found it fascinating.

Above, yours truly at Godaido Temple in 2006.

In the days that followed, I watched the news reports to see how Sendai and Matsushima fared during the earthquake and tsunami. Of particular interest to me was if Godaido Temple survived. Others online were wondering the same thing. 

After a while, we saw a photo (below) posted in a CNN News report showing Matsushima. Barely discernable was Godaido Temple. It withstood the quake and tsunami. Matsushima was lucky, for the tiny islets that dot the bay acted as buffers against the tsunami, so the temple and coastal buildings were spared the brunt with only some flooding.

Above, Godaido Temple following the tsunami (above and left of the word "next").

Sendai had some massive flooding, particularly at the airport, but it was able to recover. The ryokan I stayed at in 2006 is still in business. 

After the initial shock over the devastation, the world responded with aid and donations. My bank's ATM had a special screen feature for making donations for Tohoku earthquake and tsunami relief. I made a donation through this.

It was a night I certainly won't forget.

Japan Today: Matsushima's Moods and Marvels

Above, one of Matsushima's islets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2006, I went up to Matsushima in the Tohoku region of Japan to see where my dad was briefly stationed during the Korean War.

He had sent my mom a photo of himself in his military police uniform in front of the Godaido temple at Matsushima's harbor. I had a local take a photo of me at roughly the same location. After this, I took a cruise that took me around the islets in Matsushima Bay.

Above, yours truly at Godaido in 2006.

Matsushima has often been compared to Carmel-By-The-Sea in California for its scenic beauty. 

Japan Today has posted an article on the moods and marvels of Matsushima.

They start it off with:

MATSUSHIMA, Miyagi - Matsushima, on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, is widely regarded as one of Japan’s three most scenic destinations, thanks to the pine-dotted islands in its broad bay. For good reason, it has been a popular travel destination for centuries (literally!). It has great natural beauty, religious and historical sites, and delightful local culture.

Cruising the bay

The “must do” activity at Matsushima is a sightseeing cruise around the bay to enjoy the scenery of the bay’s 260 islands.  Although tsunami waters found their way here in March 2011, thanks to the bay’s south-facing opening to the sea and the position of many islands at the mouth of the bay, the inundation was not as bad as at other areas of coastal Tohoku, and the area has recovered well.

To read more, go here. 

Regional Japan Rail Passes

Above, the front of the JR East Rail Pass I used in 2006.
Below, is the reverse side. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

When people, in general, hear "Japan Rail Pass", it is usually the pass usable in all of Japan.

But there are also regional rail passes available to visitors (they still have to purchase them in their home countries and bring the voucher to redeem in Japan) and Live Japan discusses four of them available from JR East.

I used a JR East 5-day rail pass to go to Tohoku in 2006 (pictured at top).

They begin with:

Japan is such an amazing destination for tourists that companies do their best to make it as easy to travel around as possible, and at an astonishingly low price. Japan rail passes and train tickets make this possible. 

Here we will introduce four different Japan train tickets which JR East, Japan’s largest train company offers. No tourist should be without!

To read more, go here. 

All Nippon Airways: ¥2,020 Flights To Tohoku

Above, Sendai Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People heading to Japan this summer can get a real bargain while there.

Flights to and from Tohoku for only ¥2,020 ($18.49)!

Time Out Tokyo reported:

This summer, the world will be travelling to Japan for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Most travellers will hit up the traditional tourist route – Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka – but those looking to get off the beaten path should head up north to the Tohoku region.  

Good thing All Nippon Airways (ANA) will be offering cheap tickets at the symbolic price of just ¥2,020 for 18 domestic flights flying to and from Aomori, Odate Noshiro (in northern Akita), Akita, Shonai (in Yamagata), Sendai and Fukushima from July to September 2020. These flights are centred around Tohoku because ANA is hoping the campaign will raise awareness and improve reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. 

Flight reservations start in spring.

To read more, go here. 

March 11

Today would have been my mom's 86th birthday. She was born a day after the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake.

And, today is the 8th anniversary of the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that hit Japan's Tohoku region that was followed by a massive tsunami. Over 20,000 people were killed.

The process of recovery and rebuilding are still in progress.

New Tohoku Campaign Launched

Above, Godaido temple at Matsushima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2006, I took a trip up Honshu to visit Sendai and Matsushima to see where my dad was briefly stationed during the Korean War.

I found the scenery in Matsushima comparable to Carmel, California.

Now, the Japan National Tourism Organization is launching a campaign to showcase the Tohoku region of Japan.

According to Breaking Travel News:

The Japan National Tourism Organisation has announced the launch of a new website and video series dedicated to the Tohoku region, the hidden gem of northern Japan. 

The organisation worked with Nathan Thornburgh and Matt Goulding, founders of travelogue and publishing house, Roads & Kingdoms, to produce a series of captivating videos which showcase the breadth and depth of the region. 

“Nathan Thornburgh and Matt Goulding’s style of journalism is extremely unique, as are the wonders of Japan’s Tohoku region,” said Keita Kadowaki, executive director of the Japan National Tourism Organisation in Los Angeles.

To read more, go here. 

Matsushima Bay: Scenic Views and Oysters

Above, three Matsushima Bay islets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most scenic places I've ever visited in Japan was Matsushima Bay in the Tohoku region of Japan.

I went there in 2006 to see where my dad was briefly during the Korean War.

Matsushima has often been compared to Carmel, California for scenic beauty and it is easy to see why.

CNN Travel has an article (with photographs) on Matsushima. But the focus is not the scenery this time, but something else: oysters. During the boat tour of Matsushima Bay we passed many oyster beds. Matsushima is a short commuter train ride from Sendai Station (Sendai Station was featured in Gamera 2 and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II).

The article begins with:

(CNN) — It's a chilly Saturday afternoon in February and temperatures are creeping just above the freezing mark -- a time of year when most seaside destinations are devoid of leisure travelers. 

But this is Matsushima, one of the fabled "Nihon Sankei" -- or "Three Views of Japan" -- and it's buzzing with tourists. 

Its fame dates back a few hundred years, to Japan's Edo period, when a Confucius scholar named Hayashi Gahō traveled the country by foot. 

In 1643 he published a book based on his journey in which called out three destinations that, in his eyes, offered incredible scenic beauty -- Amanohashidate, Miyajima and, you guessed it, Matsushima. 

It's easy to see why he deemed this little fishing town in Japan's Miyagi prefecture as worthy of inclusion. 

More than 260 tiny, pine tree-covered islands dot the waters of Matsushima Bay, creating a scene that's been the muse of dozens of Japanese poets and artists through the ages. 

More recently, in 2013 it was inducted into the France-based "Most Beautiful Bays in the World" club. 

But the winter visitors we've spotted are not just here for scenic views. They're more interested in the beautiful creatures being cultivated below the surface of the bay's blue waters: Oysters.

To read more, go here. 

JR East Introduces New 3-Day Pass To Tohoku

Above, the Zuiganji temple walk in Matsushima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

JR East has introduced a new 3-day pass for foreign tourists who are spending most of their time in Tokyo.

Japan Today reported:

TOKYO —If you’re thinking of travelling to or around Japan this summer, you’ll need to ask yourself: Should I buy one of the various all-you-can-ride passes from Japan Railways? 

The decision of whether or not to buy a JR Pass is a bit tricky. Sure, the passes can save you a ton of money if you’re making a multi-leg journey to far-flung regions of the country. If you’re going to be spending a large chunk of your trip in Tokyo, though, where it’s easiest to get around by the not-covered-by-JR-passes subway, a JR pass might not be the best option. 

But as endlessly interesting as Tokyo is, you might find yourself wanting to make one excursion outside the capital, perhaps to see the beautiful mountains of Nagano or the lush forests of the northeastern Tohoku region. If such a side-trip stirs your wanderlust, JR East’s brand-new three-day pass is just about perfect.

To read more, go here. 

Kyushu Tourism Still Struggling

Above, Kumamoto Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As it happened in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the recent quakes in Kyushu has put a damper on foreign tourism.

News On Japan reported:

Tourism continues to struggle in southwestern Japan two months after major earthquakes, with hotel guests in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures at only 60% of normal levels in late May. 

The sector is a key industry in the Kyushu region, which includes the two prefectures. Expectations are growing that the central government will come to the aid of affected businesses.

The Tohoku region of northeast Japan still hasn't seen a full recovery in foreign tourism.

To read more, go here.

Japan Planning Tohoku Tourism Campaign

Above, the statue of Date Masamune at the site of Sendai Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most picturesque areas of Japan is the Tohoku region. Matsushima is often compared to Carmel, California in scenic beauty.

Unfortunately, since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the region hasn't fully recovered as a tourist draw to this date, despite that the rest of Japan is seeing record tourism numbers.

However, the Japanese government is planning to fix that problem.

The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) reported:

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan will start a campaign to attract more foreign visitors to the Tohoku region, transport and tourism minister Keiichi Ishii told a press conference Tuesday. 

The action will be taken as the number of visitors to Tohoku has not returned to levels before the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit the region.

To read more, go here. 

Government Pledges To Boost Tohoku Tourism

Above, Matsushima Bay. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While the rest of Japan has reaped the benefits of the boom in foreign tourism, the Tohoku region has been floundering in comparison. The Japanese govenment pledges to do something about that this year.

The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) reported:

The government will gear up its promotion drive in the Tohoku region, naming 2016 as the region’s “inaugural year of tourism reconstruction” in the basic post-disaster reconstruction policy adopted at Friday’s Cabinet meeting. 

The number of international overnight visitors in the six prefectures of the Tohoku region is stagnating partly because of concerns resulting from the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Whether the government can resolve such concerns will likely be key in attracting more foreign visitors.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Observes 5th Anniversary of Great East Japan Earthquake

Above, Godaido and Matsushima after the tsunami.

It hardly seems like five years have now passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster struck the Tohoku region of Japan. I remember getting a phone call from my supervisor telling me about the quake. I had visted Japan three months earlier and brought him a Godzilla toy.

I spent the rest of my graveyard shift that night checking news reports and chatting with friends. Having been through the Northridge Earthquake in 1994, I had empathy with those in the affected areas, but the Northridge Earthquake paled in comparison to what was happening in Japan.

In the days following, I followed the news reports on the disaster. I was particularly interested in how Matsushima Bay (near Sendai) and the Godaido Hall fared. I visited there in 2007 as it was one of the areas my father was briefly stationed during the Korean War. I was relieved to see that Godaido Hall survived the tsunami. If it weren't for the 200 tiny islets in the bay blunting the force of the tsunami, it would not have survived.

The Japan Times reported:

At 2:46 p.m. Friday, millions of people observed a moment of silence across Japan as the country marked the fifth anniversary of the March 2011 quake and tsunami that devastated coastal areas of the Tohoku region, killing at least 19,304 and leaving an additional 2,561 still unaccounted for as of Thursday. 

The anniversary comes as about 174,000 evacuees from disaster-hit areas are still living outside their damaged hometowns.

To read more, go here.

10 Reasons To Visit Tohoku

Above, Matsushima Bay and the Godaido Temple. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2006, I visited Sendai and Matsushima in Tohoku to see where my dad was briefly stationed before being shipped over to Korea during the Korean War.

I especially enjoyed Matsushima Bay with its views of islets that are sprinkled throughout the bay.

There are other reasons to visit Tohoku and Inside Japan Tours has listed ten of them, one of which is Matsushima.

They begin their article with:

Tohoku, the northernmost region of Japan’s main island, encompasses six prefectures and countless fascinating destinations. It is a region of wild countryside, rustic hot spring towns and deep winters spent under a thick blanket of snow, brightened by some of the country’s most impressive festivals. To the Japanese it the home of culture and legend, and it famously inspired the poet Matsuo Basho to produce his magnum opus, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, as he made his epic journey northwards in the 17th century. 

Despite its manifold charms, Tohoku remains one of the least-visited of Japan’s eight regions, and is thus one of the best places in the country to venture off the beaten track. Foreign visitors to the region are scarce, so you will be received with more than the usual hospitality and interest – quite a novelty in a world where tourists are often tolerated rather than welcomed. 

Tohoku has so many areas of interest that it was incredibly hard to choose just ten. The following represent a handful of our favourites – you’ll have to head out there yourself to find your own!

- See more at: https://www.insidejapantours.com/blog/2015/10/13/10-reasons-to-visit-tohoku/#sthash.CgNvIHVH.dpuf

Japan Regions Court Tourists With New Guide To Specialty Shops

Above, the Bandai Bridge in Niigata. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Just as Atlanta is different from New York City and the Mid-West is different from the Deep South in the U.S., different regions in Japan differ from each other.

When tourists go to Japan, they generally visit Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and, maybe, some outlying areas of those cities.

Some local governments in different regions of Japan would like to change all that and have tourists visit their areas. They have taken a step in that direction.

According to Kyodo News:

Eighteen local governments and the Japan Center for Regional Development have put together an English brochure on their "antenna shops" in Tokyo selling local specialties in the hope that foreign tourists visiting them will be encouraged to travel to their regions. 

Accompanied by photos of local traditional foods offered at those shops, the brochure includes maps of Tokyo's posh Ginza district and other areas where the shops are located, as well as information about WiFi connections. 

More detailed information about the shops in English, Chinese and Korean can be accessed online by scanning QR codes in the brochure on smartphones.

I have gone out of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and have ventured into Kyushu in the southwest, the Tohoku region in the northeast and Niigata on the Sea of Japan side of the main island of Honshu. I enjoyed venturing out into different areas of Japan and seeing first-hand the differences each presented.

To read more, go here.

The First Blog Post Pick-ups For March

The kind folks at The Japan Daily have picked up three blog posts for sharing with their readers.

They are:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Tohoku - Where Japan's Past and Present Co-Exist

Above, the statue of Date Masamune at the ruins of Sendai Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my favorite places in Japan I visited was the coastal town of Matsushima in Tohoku.

There, many small islets dot Matsushima Bay, providing beautiful scenic views. Those small islets also helped to shield the town from the tsunami generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.

The Star Online (Malaysia) has an article on places to see in the Tohoku Region of Japan that inlcudes Matsushima and nearby Sendai.

It begins with:

This region is an intriguing mix of trainee geishas, vestiges of feudal Japan, fresh seafood and smooth saké! 

TRAVELLING north to Japan’s Tohoku region in the middle of winter might seem like the perfect opportunity to turn into a popsicle but, as I discovered, it is well worth a visit there in early January, as there is more to see than just the snow.

 To read more, go here.

The Tohoku Choo-choo!

Above, the reitred locomotive before restoration. Photo by LERK via Wikimedia.

Here's something I really wouldn't mind riding since I am a fan of steam locomotives (regarding the headline for this blog post, I couldn't resist).

The Asahi Shimbun reported:

HANAMAKI, Iwate Prefecture--A steam locomotive built in 1940 came out of retirement after 42 years on April 12, aiming to prop up local tourism and heighten interest in recovery efforts from the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011. 

Named “SL (steam locomotive) Ginga,” the locomotive-driven train runs on a 90.2-kilometer route on the JR Kamaishi Line, which connects Kamaishi, in coastal Iwate Prefecture, which was devastated by the disaster, and Hanakami in the inland. 

East Japan Railway Co. restored the C58-239 model steamer, which was retired in 1972 and preserved at a park in Morioka, at the company’s maintenance factory in Saitama.

To read more, go here. 

Zuihoden In Sendai

Above, the statue of Date Masamune at the site of Sendai Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2006, I took a shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Sendai (and nearby Matsushima) in the Tohoku region of Japan to see the area where my father was briefly stationed during the Korean War. I arrived at Sendai Station, a place prominently featured in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) and Gamera 2: Advent of Legion (1996).

While in Sendai, I did some exploring around the city. I managed to get up to the hilltop site of the former Sendai Castle, now just ruins. The site has a great view of the city and, also, has a statue of the founder of Sendai, Date Masamune (September 5, 1567 – June 27, 1636), called "the One-Eyed Dragon."

Away from the site of Sendai Castle is Zuihoden, the mausoleum of Masamune. Unfortunately, Zuihoden was closed the day I was exploring Sendai. On the other day I had available, I toured Matsushima Bay.

Laura Welch, one of my co-contributors at JapanTravel, has an interesting article on Zuihoden and it tells about Masamune and the architecture of the mausoleum. If you are at all interested in the days of the samurai during the Edo eriod of Japan, you are sure to find the article of interest.

To read the article, go here.