On Miyatojima, Higashimatsushima brings together a variety of themes: a New Year ritual dating back more than 200 years, historic sites and distinctive landscapes. Local oysters and nori udon add to the mix. Culture, nature and cuisine each offer a different focus to help you plan your visit. Boats on the Sagakei route run irregularly, and Smoke Art in the sky can only be seen at the right time.

Cultural Heritage and Remembrance

Tsukihama’s Enzu no Wari is a New Year ritual on Miyatojima to drive away birds. It has been practiced for more than 200 years and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Another form of cultural heritage is the Satohama Shell Mound (里浜貝塚), also on Miyatojima: it has been designated a national historic site in Japan since February 1995. Together, a continuing custom and a site registered as a historic site represent distinct aspects of cultural heritage.

The Higashimatsushima Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum presents records of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the city’s recovery. Ohtakamori Yakushido offers another perspective on architectural heritage. It stands midway up the slope of Ohtakamori and is designated a nationally registered tangible cultural property. The building was completed in 1915; it was registered on June 29, 2022. These dates mark separate milestones: the completion of construction and its later registration.

Miyatojima’s Landscapes and Visitor Information

Ohtakamori is 105.8 meters high and lies in the center of Miyatojima. Sagakei, at the island’s southeastern tip in Oku-Matsushima, offers a different kind of landscape. The gorge is considered one of Japan’s three great gorges. Small sightseeing boats on the Sagakei route run irregularly, bringing visitors close to the sea and the rock faces. The two landscapes are clearly distinct: Ohtakamori is in the center of the island, while Sagakei offers views of the gorge, sea and rock faces.

Aomina is at 5 Kawahara in Miyato, Higashimatsushima. It is a tourist center for Oku-Matsushima and the starting and ending point of the Miyagi Olle Oku-Matsushima Trail. If you include this trail in your plans, Aomina can serve as a reference point for both the start and finish. If you’re planning a trip on the Sagakei route, check the schedule in advance, as the boats run irregularly.

Training Flights and Local Cuisine

The Blue Impulse aerobatic team is based at Matsushima Air Base in Higashimatsushima. Training flights take place regularly over the city; if the timing is right, so-called Smoke Art may be visible in the sky. Whether the smoke patterns appear therefore depends on the timing. You can consider this possible spectacle an addition to the more consistent cultural and landscape attractions, rather than a fixed part of a visit that can be planned in advance.

The local cuisine also offers different ways to sample regional products. Higashimatsushima oysters are grilled at oyster huts and served in restaurants as hot pot, fried dishes and other preparations. Chanko Haginoi offers a specific nori specialty: the restaurant serves nori udon made with nori from Ōmagahama, which was presented to the Imperial Household. Restaurant details may change; check them before visiting. When planning your meals, you can choose from various oyster preparations as well as a named nori udon dish.

Discover more destinations: Kami District, Shiogama, Ōsaki, Miyagi District, Kurihara, Shiroishi, Miya, Shichigahama

For the full travel overview: Miyagi Prefecture.