Michinoku Coast Trail, Japan

Japan's Michinoku Coast Trail (Michinoku Shiokase Toreiru) goes 1000 kms along the coast of the Tohoku region in the north east of the island of Honshu. It was conceived as a way of encouraging visitors to return to Tohoku after the 2011 Great Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami. I was excited about a coastal walk that would be completely different from the South West Coast Path.

I chose to walk southwards to have the sea on my left after having recently walked a very long way with it on my right, and to start at the colder end of the route as winter approached. I wasn't going to manage a strictly continuous walk due to there not being much accommodation available and I hoped the nearby train lines would help with logistics. There turned out to be many things I hadn't expected: the getting dark by mid afternoon, all the concrete, the hideous rows of tetrapods blighting the coastline, the absence of other walkers, but what really threw a spanner in the works was the widespread panic about bears all over Japan.

4 November I had a very nice introduction to the MCT. It was a beautiful day (cold at first) and the route was close to the sea almost all the way. I took the train from Hon-Hachinohe to Same. From Same station I walked to Kabushima shrine, the official start of the trail on a hill that was originally an island, and I was so early it wasn't yet open, but when it opened I couldn't actually go inside; they just got the merch out and hung some lanterns.

Leaving the city the trail initially passed fishing cottages with me producing several ohayo gozaimas to fishermen, then sandy beaches and rocky interludes. A good lookout. The water was lovely and blue. Cormorants on rocks. Sea stacks, some with tiny pine trees. I walked along Osuka beach on softish sand. There was a stretch in pine forest on a hillside at the water's edge, with a cave and one of several small shrines, a view of a striking rounded rock, and a large area of grass where I had a break at a picnic shelter with a pagoda style roof.

Another lookout on a hill and more pine forest. A nice beach before Okuki,

several small fishing ports, a lookout where I could see a line of headlands to the south, a memorial to the 1933 tsunami and then I had to walk along a road. I was still close to the water, often flanked by pine trees, and went through some villages. Although I saw plenty of vending machines I never saw an open shop.

I reached Hashikami station and waited for the little and infrequent train back to Hon-Hachinohe, my first encounter with a ワンマン(one man) train. 20 kms

5 November Having spent ages working out today's travel logistics I got up super early to get the train to Hashikami, and all the trains were cancelled in that direction. After making a lot of enquiries I found a bus to Hashikami (the town, five kilometres from the station) which made it possible to do a shortened walk up Mt Hashikami, the next stage of the MCT.

From the bus stop I walked out of the town past houses and small fields with a detour to see a huge chestnut tree and another significant tree. I could see a line of low mountains ahead covered in multi coloured autumnal forest. At the Mt Hashikami trail head I went into forest, climbing on a leaf covered trail, deciduous trees lower down then pine trees as well. A few boulders. There were warning signs about bears and every walker had bear bells. The trail followed a stream with rapids and came to a lookout with a wonderful view over the coastal plain: sprawling Hachinohe, ports and a couple of lighthouses, forest and to the north mountains around Hakodate on Hokkaido. I climbed another kilometre to the summit (739 m) with similar views and a small shrine.

I descended on a different trail, at first in the open so I was walking with a view over the coastline, then back into the forest on a gravel road. This was really lovely, the road was covered with leaves and pine branchlets of all colours and the trees were shades of yellow, orange and red. I continued onto a sealed road which was also full of colour and I didn't see a car or another person in the two hours of walking, even though this was the official route and I had passed about twenty walkers on the other trail. The route detoured back onto a narrow trail to check out the former site of a five storey golden pagoda (no pagoda) and a tiny shrine where people had left jars of the sake I like and a very picturesque bend in a stream. I emerged by a larger shrine with the usual trimmings and a gardener there asked me if I had been up the mountain.

From there I had to rush back to Hashikami to get the bus so I wouldn't have to hang around in the dark. The sun was setting as I stood at the bus stop. 22 kms

6 November I got the train to Hashikami station and continued along the coast past small concrete harbours with fishing boats and going through little villages. Random (to me) shrines and tori gates. Lots of breakwaters made of concrete tetrapods, my introduction to these things that are everywhere along the coast. Several cemeteries. Cormorants and gulls on the breakwaters out to sea. I walked along a road then I went up onto the sea wall and down to a beachside path to Taneichi where I dropped off my pack at my hotel.

I crossed heavily concreted Taneichi seaside park, long sandy beach and at one end a rock with a large hole in the middle, and went up through forest. I mostly walked on the road passing houses, little rice paddies and vegetable fields until I came back to the water at Shukunohe and a pretty line of fishing boats at the port. Everything is neat and tidy.

After that I had to walk by a busy road and on a minor road (meanwhile the train track occupied a lovely position alongside the water). A man said konnichiwa and asked where I was from. I went up and over a floodgate in a sea wall to get onto Uge beach, another long stretch of sand with lots of washed up timber. I was walking along by the water when I realised the tide was very high and the beach was disappearing; I climbed a ladder onto a sea wall and walked there until it abruptly ended and I had to jump off onto a mixture of pebbles and debris. A bit more sand then another ladder to climb but this time the drop from the end of the sea wall was much greater. 

I soon reached Uge station just behind the beach and watched some surfers while I waited for the train back to Taneichi. The woman at the tourist office wanted to take my photo outside the station. I went in the onsen overlooking the sea and I could see/hear the surf in my room. 22 kms

7 November I got the train to one station beyond Uge (Rikuchunakano) to avoid a few kilometres of highway and be sure of finishing in daylight. The day started with wading a narrow river which was unexpectedly hard: at the intended crossing point the river had two channels separated by a rocky bar and when I tried to cross the first channel the water (reaching the hem of my jacket) was flowing so fast at the far side that I couldn't stand, then I walked upstream and crossed where the two channels merged and the water was calm, but I had to get back to the path that led uphill away from the river and to achieve this required walking down the river in the second channel which was difficult because the water had hidden rocks and the depth kept changing. I was very pleased to get to the top of the hill for a nice coast view. 

The next hours were great, mainly in colourful deciduous forest, some stretches of pine, undulating on low cliffs close to the water. The coast was very rocky, lots of rocky spurs, chunks of rock broken off and larger rock islands with small pine trees on top. I stopped at a high rock platform, Samuraiishi,

and at Yokonuma lookout, where I met four Australians walking sections of the trail.

The trail passed a few small fishing ports (concrete) and I was supposed to get to a shrine but all I could find was a big red torii gate. There were markers on the roads showing where the water from the 2011 tsunami had reached.

After that I walked on several roads, mainly by the water around a big bay until I reached Kuji. I was very pleased to see a vending machine and then a konbini; the wind had picked up and I was getting cold. The town had a lot of tyre shops. My room had a good view over the unremarkable town and I ate at a yakitori restaurant. 26 kms

8 November I walked out of Kuji, the streets quiet, and came back to the bay passing a waterfall. The route went along the road which was right by the water (steep cliffs with forest on the other side) and there were lots of large rocks just offshore. The most important rock Tsuriganedo which had a big slit was singled out for its own viewing area.

Another waterfall. I reached Kosode village with a small port - the houses had colourful roofs and were surrounded by colourful autumn foliage - and the path climbed to a good lookout down the coast. 

After that I went into the colourful forest and walked on a narrow often steep path covered in leaves, several fallen trees to clamber over, crossing a few streams.

There are often the very distinctive big leaf magnolia leaves underfoot, rather odd because I don't see those trees. It was much warmer in the forest, but after a few kilometres I reached a point where there was a detour onto roads, still in forest. The road had window views onto the sea and there was no traffic. I went through a village, had a look at a shrine,

and descended to a large bay backed by hills at Kuki where I was in time for the midday folk song broadcast.

I went through the high sea wall and walked along the pebble beach then on the road as it was high tide. On the edge of Noda I had a vending machine coffee and the route made a big loop around the town with a view of the bay at the highest part. I reached the station and had a two hour wait for the train to Kuji; there was no cafe in the town so I bought a tempura box and sat outside until it felt too cold then sat in the station waiting room. The train was one carriage and I was alone for half the trip. 21 kms

9 November A slight earth tremor in the morning. It was a grey day. I got the train to Noda and saw a couple of shrines, then walked through parks and along the sea wall, past a memorial to the 2011 tsunami. The route went inland uphill to a winery, a line of houses along the road and persimmon trees full of fruit then a brief visit to a pebble beach and the best part of the day: a long walk in the forest on an abandoned road. There had been logging and lengths of pine were neatly arranged.

I descended to my hotel in a little village, left my bag and went on. I descended in forest to the coast road past a fish farm and walked along through Horinai village, rocks offshore. There were several high bridges across the valley, one painted red. More descent to a pebble beach full of fishing debris then back into the forest for a couple of kilometres to a village. From there I was still in the forest but on a paved road,

winding downhill and it seemed unlikely Shiraikaigan station could be in the isolated place where the map showed it, but there it was on a bridge between two tunnels. I got the train back to Horinai and walked twenty minutes to my hotel as it got dark. Outside onsen. 19 kms

Soon after the 5pm folk song there was a stronger tremor and then a tsunami alert was broadcast: there had been a 6.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast. It was all over the TV news. The alert was lifted at 8pm.

10 November Back to Horinai and the little train; sat with two Australian hikers doing bits of the trail. From the station I walked downhill to the coast, a tree-topped rock offshore and went past a fishing port before climbing in forest. The trail was narrow and winding, lovely foliage and little streams. Coming down there was much more branch debris to step over and there was so much water running down I wasn't sure if I was on the trail or in a stream until I reached some markers. Then a road into Fudai. I had a coffee, failed to find a bank and walked to white sand Fudai beach by the high flood gates which saved the town from the 2011 tsunami. It started raining and I sheltered inside a convenient michi no eki. 

I caught the midday folk song at a fishing port. The road went through a couple of tunnels and then another couple which had a nicer walking path outside. It was very windy and the sea was rough. I got to a fishing port and from there I walked below the cliffs on a paved walkway, the usual big chunks of rock separated off from the cliffs, and through a low pedestrian tunnel. At the next fishing port there was an unlocked shed for hikers which had a big display of creatures made from beach and fishing debris. A tall skinny waterfall on the cliffs. 

Next came hundreds of steps through the trees up to a lookout. At the top was a great view back along the coast towards Noda, mountains inland to the north west and the cliffs near Kuji.

It was extremely windy. I visited the lighthouse and a globe sculpture marking 40 degrees latitude at Kurosakiso, then checked in to my hotel there. Nice sea view from my room. The onsen was really hot. 14 kms

11 November Epic day. I tried to eat my Japanese breakfast and failed dismally. I went into forest and soon had a good view back over the Kurosakiso coast, the lighthouse and my hotel.

Soon after I saw a serow (Japanese goat-antelope) watching me from the bushes.

It was still really windy but in the forest I was less aware of it. The forest was beautiful and the route started out easy, but after a while I descended on a rough path to follow a stream, crossing it on sketchy bridges (or no bridges) several times.

Then a wider path uphill to the Kitayamakazi visitor centre with an observation deck giving a spectacular view down the coast: high cliffs, several natural arches, isolated rocks offshore (all the same height), headlands as far as I could see. It truly took my breath away. 

I had a coffee and some bread items and resumed the trail. First stop was another observation deck much lower down (500+ steps down) with a similar view

and from there I went a short way down to a beach where I could see the coast close up. Then a massive climb on steps (that gave the SWCP a good run for its money) into forest. The long sets of steps continued with little views over the coast, a short walk through a tunnel on the road, until I reached a pebbly beach. 

I couldn't see a way off it but it seemed I had to climb up a big rock and get down the far side on a ladder to another beach, and from that beach I went into a narrow black tunnel with my head torch on. I emerged at a beach, crossed it

and went into a second, longer, tunnel leading to another beach beneath high cliffs with ladders to help the climb up. A lovely beach with flotsam and partly sandy.

The trail led to a small cluster of fishing huts by a road and Tsukue fishing port,

but I soon had to leave the road to climb in the forest on a lot of steps to get over the top of a road tunnel. I checked out a red and white lighthouse and came down to a closed restaurant above a beautiful bay of rocks and turquoise water and reached a bigger road. Some workers were weeding the pavement by hand. 

I walked on past Aketo beach, lots of picnic facilities but deserted, and the ruins of the sea wall destroyed by the 2011 tsunami. I could see my huge white hotel on the next bay at Raga. 20 kms

12 November I walked out of Raga and uphill then along the main road going through two tunnels and back to the coast at Shimanokoshi. There were pictures of a crowded sandy beach at the turn of this century but now high floodgates dominate the shore and the rebuilt town is on an adjacent hill top. A marker showed how high the tsunami waves had been (over ten metres) and it was hard to imagine.

I went briefly into forest with a big climb, found a post office in a village with an ATM that I could use, and came down to the coast road, then a longer stretch in forest, very pretty, coming to a river bed and a beach before another huge climb. Cute little birds. I'm stressed about bears now so I played a podcast and yelled out often.

At the top I found the path to the Unosudangai cliff top and reached a whole set of lookouts: back north along the coast towards my lighthouse from yesterday,

over the cliff itself which was a 200 metre sheer drop, over a turquoise bay with an isolated rock and smaller fragments. 

I took the sealed forest road to the main road, had a vending machine coffee and walked on the main road to Iwaizumi Omoto; quiet and views of inland mountains, the highlight was a road sign warning of a steep descent with bends and the bends were much more extreme on the sign. In Iwaizumi I had a look at the floodgates across the river which the tsunami overflowed (herons and cranes on the banks). Train back to Tanohata, virtually all in tunnels, and my hotel. 22 kms

13 November There was a large group of non Japanese walkers on the train. I got off at Settai (missing a few kilometres) and settled in for a long road walk. The main road was quiet and sometimes I went on a side road passing a few houses. The road went over a high bridge with autumnal mountain views, and I turned off onto a minor road towards the coast. I was surprised to hear midday music and I couldn't think where it came from. I arrived at a grey sandy beach and walked on a road right by the water passing other small beaches, looking across to a fishing port beneath a headland. There appeared to be tunnels through some of the rocks but the connecting road had gone.

I crossed over the headland and there was a high lookout (hundreds of steps) facing an impressive pine topped cliff and with views of headlands all down the coast.

Then I walked up and over this hill in forest, all pine needles underfoot. I emerged at a sealed road which led to a cluster of lookouts, all with masses of steps, the Sanniwa rocks being the main attraction: three sea stacks, the large middle one with pine trees on top.

A small cape had more lookouts. Across the bay were a whole collection of rocks in the water,

and there were views of the cliffs and coves in the direction I had come.

When I left this area I was on the edge of Taro port, behind the sea wall which was useless when the tsunami hit. Walking into the village I saw the hotel which had been left in place after the tsunami with its lower three floors destroyed.

I got the train to Miyako. Really nice salmon roe rice bowl for dinner. 21 kms

14 November I got the train back to Ichinowatari (avoiding some inland walking) and followed a minor road down to the coast. There I was at the Nakanohama tsunami memorial park on the site of a destroyed campground; the toilet and kitchen ruins had been left. I climbed in forest to the next cliff top, again lovely colourful forest, and came to a lookout over Anegasaki rocks

with a good view of headlands back towards the north as far as I had been yesterday. My bear whistle disturbed some pigeons.

I stayed on the top but with masses of steps up and down, to more viewpoints over cliff faces

and across a bay with Hideshima Island and distinct peaks including cone shaped Mt Gassan on the horizon. I descended to a fishing village, all concrete as usual, and had another steep climb to lookouts over blowholes that were not performing today. The cliffs are full of caves.

I went down to a beach and immediately back into forest for a long walk alongside a stream, hopping across several times. At the most inland point I came across a man doing repairs to a bridge and we were both extremely surprised to see each other; we had a brief chat and I went on to the next bay. There was an enormous sea wall with just a few houses behind it completely cut off from the harbour and water. It looked bizarre. More forest and a lookout over two tiny bays, and I was near Takonohama where there was a rather large cemetery along the sea front. 

I stayed by the water's edge to the Jodogahama michi no eki where I was surprised to see four tour buses and lots of people. This is one of the most famous sites along the coast: a line of wind sculpted whitish rocks, different sizes, just offshore from a white pebble beach.

I walked around the small peninsula stopping at the viewpoints (nobody else was doing this) and continued to Miyako. Not so scenic apart from mountains on the horizon. 20 kms

15 November I walked out of Miyako, very quiet on a Saturday morning, crossing the Hei River which marks the point where the Tohoku coastline becomes a series of peninsulas, each one posing its own logistical problems for a winter walker, which meant that from here on my version of the MCT would be disjointed. This is the rias coast whose topography makes tsunamis especially damaging.

I stopped when I saw a big shop to see if they had bear bells; the shop wasn't yet open but the assistant said they had one set left, so I had a coffee at a nearby 7/11 and returned when the shop opened. Out of Miyako I went a long way on top of the sea wall with nice views across the bay to the mountainous Omoe peninsula where I was headed, and mountains to the south also.

I walked a bit inside the wall passing small scale fishing activity. A few stretches of sandy beach.

I crossed the Tsugaruishi River on top of the flood gates and started walking along a minor road on the peninsula right by the water. Small beaches, fishing ports, a few jagged rocks, ducks, cormorants. The forested hills came down to the water.

I reached my goal, Shirahama village, quickly so I went on into the forest towards Mt Gassan. I passed a small shrine, descended, then climbed to a very colourful stretch along a ridge;

below I saw a pretty beach flanked by cliffs that I thought I could get to but it turned out I couldn't quite get down there.

Having had a taste of the peninsula I turned back and walked to Tsugaruishi station for the train back to Miyako. Sashimi for dinner. 22 kms

16 November After a lot of thought I had concluded that the Omoe peninsula coast path was too remote to do alone so I would just make a quick visit by bus; at the bus stop in Miyako I bumped into two Australians I'd met before who were going to do the walk I'd dismissed as unwise; they had found bus connections that worked if we walked northwards so I decided to brave it too. They said this was a popular walk for the Japanese and on a Sunday I might find it too busy for comfort. Haha. I only saw two people on the trail and I never saw the Australians again after they got off the bus although we were doing the same walk and intended getting the same bus back to Miyako.

I stayed on the bus to Ishihama fishing village and the sea view with rocks and headlands was great. It was a really beautiful day. Turquoise water and no clouds. A serow ran across the road in front of a car. At the next village I saw four deer standing beside a house. I was on roads for a while with views of the tip of the Funakoshi Peninsula until Aneyoshi campsite by a little beach.

At the Togodasaki trailhead I was pleased to see two cars - walkers! I went up into forest, especially colourful, and undulated to Cape Togodasaki with window views onto the water. I saw a runner and a photographer. There was a lighthouse at the cape and a plaque on a boulder to mark the most eastern point of Honshu.

The area was a rock platform about 30 metres high and the only view was of the sea; I wandered around and saw some coastline southwards.

I returned into the forest and very soon I was walking around a narrow inlet deeply incised into rocks - stunning.

More forest then I came to an even more stunning bay with the most turquoise water, mountains behind and a pebble beach.

I crossed the beach, climbed steeply and was walking in a tunnel of yellow, very vibrant. I was worried when I saw lots of bear poo, and more so when the trail became darker going into pines. My bell made plenty of noise. There were several dry streams to cross and the forest was quite rocky. Then I started getting more sea views again and I walked down a corkscrew path to a bay.

There was a tunnel and I came out at Omoe fishing port which was larger than the others I've seen. Big rocks were incorporated into the concrete. I had a vending machine coffee and a woman came over to chat; she was very concerned about something, which turned out to be that she wanted to know where I was sleeping tonight. I walked uphill to Omoe village and got the bus back to Miyako. 19 kms

17 November I went by train to Yamada and surprised the hotel woman when I said I was going to walk 20 kilometres before checking in. Yamada was very spread out and it took several kilometres to walk out of the town. I crossed a river behind high floodgates. At the edge of the Funakoshi peninsula I visited the whales and sea museum: lots of stuff about whales but the most interesting thing was a video showing the impact of the tsunami on the museum building and exhibits.

Then I walked along a small road to Oura with views of Yamada Bay. Another village with a sea wall completely separating the village from the harbour. It was starting to rain lightly. I turned off the MCT to walk across the peninsula at a narrow point and when the rain got heavier I stopped to shelter under the eaves of a house. Suddenly I noticed a woman sitting there on a bench, curious about what I was doing so I tried to explain. I walked on and just before the coast, where there was a high sea wall so I couldn't see the water, I turned into forest. I was climbing on a gravel road that didn't see much use and when I reached the top, the admiring point, I had a view over forested mountains. 

I descended with views over the next bay towards Otsuchi to another port where I went up and over the sea wall to walk inside it. After that I finally saw the rainbow I had been waiting for although the rain had finished. I reached the next village (a woman stopped to chat) and leaving there I was able to walk on top of their sea wall. The whale museum was right there, the peninsula was so narrow. I went to Iwatefunakoshi station and got the train back to Yamada; the tiny train was packed and I talked briefly with the people sitting nearby. 20 kms

18 November There was a tremor in the night from an earthquake off the coast in my area. I took the train to Namiitakaigan a little south of yesterday's finish. The beach there had a strip of sand by the water with a high bank of pebbles behind. Around the next bend was a much nicer sandy beach at Kirikiri. It was freezing cold (as a man passing said to me).

I walked on into forest on a small peninsula; it was a sealed road covered in leaves, really pretty. I climbed a few kilometres to Sakiyama lookout, it had a raised platform but even there the view was obscured by trees; I was looking across to the Funakoshi peninsula with an island in the foreground and there was a white rock island below the lookout.

The road continued with partial views to the next peninsula south and along one stretch the hillside had been cleared and I could see all of Kirikiri with its beach. I reached the highest point at Mt Sujiyama and as I stood there I thought it started snowing lightly.

I came down through pines to a large fishing port where I had light hail for a few minutes and walked through the port. There was a tiny island with a shrine and an ugly red lighthouse. The port area was pretty with mountain ranges behind.

Then I went up onto the sea wall (catching the unusually jazzy midday music) and finally walked along a road to the edge of Otsuchi where I found a konbini that had a seating area and had a coffee and donuts to get warm. This town was different, having lots of little restaurants, and I had ramen at a place by the station, then got the train back to Yamada. 14 kms

19 November Zero degrees in the morning. Train back to Otsuchi and I crossed the river inside the floodgates then walked out onto a small forested promontory. Descending from the high point the road was by the water. I passed a cluster of houses behind a high sea wall and went through a tunnel. I was able to avoid the urban area of Unosumai by walking on top of the sea wall and crossing the river on top of the floodgates. There's a pattern here: peninsula, wide river with floodgates, peninsula. I came to sandy Nebama beach which I walked along; mountains in the background. 

I walked on a road by the water on the Hakozaki peninsula past fishing ports to Hakozakicho fishing village; the houses were on the hillside so they had an outlook above the sea wall. Then I went up the hill by the houses and tiny vegetable patches to leave the MCT to cut across the peninsula, through a tunnel and into pine forest.

I got back to the water at another port and had a vending machine coffee sitting there in the lovely water/ mountain setting.

The route continued on the road with nice views across the bay to the Kamaishi peninsula, caves in the rocks, several headlands and all covered with colourful trees. I passed some smaller (activity-less) ports and reached Rioishi village. There was a shrine with a fresh coat of red paint but derelict inside, and a couple of dressed statues commemorating a fish festival.

I got the train to Kamaishi and my hotel opposite the Nippon Steel factory. 14 kms

20 November I did my own thing today because I didn't want to go in the spooky forest with the bears. I walked out of Kamaishi first along the river (saw a crane) and then climbing a winding road. The city is really squashed in between the mountains. At the end of the road I saw a huge white Buddha statue on an adjacent hill at the Kamaishi Daikannon temple so I detoured over there. There was a stupa with Buddha relics and the 48 m high statue which I walked up inside on a spiral staircase passing a prayer hall and hall of disciples carved from camphor. The view of the bay from high up with many headlands was the best part.

I went through the Heita port area and onto a quiet road I had picked on the map. There was a tunnel and then I was on the edge of pine forest; the road barely existed and eventually I saw it was closed to vehicles. The huge magnolia leaves are still on the ground everywhere. I came to a sort of pass and was glad to start descending and reach buildings again. I emerged at a park with a beautiful golden leafed maple tree.

I've been seeing some pheasants. From there I went on the MCT to Heita and (with help) found the bus back to Kamaishi. 14 kms

21 November I decided to hop south to a stretch with good coast scenery so I got the train to Ofunato (train had to stop to let some deer cross the line) and then the bus to Hosoura on the Massaki peninsula where the Goishi coast is a highlight of the MCT. I was not disappointed. 

I walked out of Hosoura (a port with big fishing boats), through a village, past a port and sea wall and uphill on a forest road through pine trees. A man was picking his persimmons with a long stick. I came to the turn off for Anatoshiiso and went almost to sea level to see this amazing rock with three arches.

I came back up and went onto a forest track, descending to a pebbly beach in a little bay then straight back up on a lot of steps.

The coast was again scattered with interesting rocks. I went through a small port then several more steep ups and downs on steps, the offshore rocks were impressive and I liked it when they lined up well.

Several small bays flanked by cliffs. Another rock with an arch, then a tiny gorge. There were also good views of headlands across Ofunato Bay. 

The next major attraction was Ranboya gorge, formed by a huge sheet of rock (Kaminariiwa) which had sliced off from the main cliff leaving a narrow channel in between.

As I stood there a Japanese tour group turned up. I went into the Goishi gift shop to get a snack and when I asked if there was coffee they brought some down to me from the restaurant (took a long time to make it!). There were more little bays with rocks, nice turquoise water, and I reached Cape Goishi with a small lighthouse. At the cape there was another massive freestanding sheet of rock. 

The coastline up the west coast of the peninsula had some offshore rocks but was less dramatic. I passed pebbly Goishi beach and then followed a quiet road through a series of villages. I checked out a vending machine that had ten flavours of chiffon cake and nothing else. The road was along a ridge with water views. Eventually I came to a port which I walked through, more villages and, for a complete change, a large farmed valley with small square fields. At Otomo I caught the bus back to Ofunato and then the train to Kamaishi. It had become very cold. 16 kms

22 November Back to Ofunato (my last trip on the little train) and then Otomo. I walked through the valley along the road, climbed a bit and went down to Mutsugaura fishing village where there was golden sandy Ohno beach and a lot of concrete. And a marker for the half way point of the MCT. I went into another long narrow valley with small rice paddies and turned off into pine forest. Soon I came to a small pebbly bay between cliffs and the MCT went up and over to the next bay which was all concrete.

I wandered along the cliff top until I reached Cape Kurosaki, a rocky gorge below and large offshore rocks, small shrine. I could see someone fishing on the rocks. The coast up the other side was nice, lots of rocky spurs, but the view was marred by dead pine trees. Nearby was an onsen with an outdoor terrace where I had a snack looking at the great view and catching the midday music.

I walked past a larger shrine and up to Hirotacho village where I had a nice view over rocks in the water, one with a lighthouse.

There was a public announcement and I asked someone walking past what it was about; I couldn't understand exactly what he said but it seemed to be something very good in connection with the sea that people should take advantage of. It's nice to walk through the villages and see the veggie patches and niwakitrees. The road went into pine forest and near a logging area where I watched a tree come down. I walked through large Hirota port. Then the peninsula became so narrow that I could see the water on both sides from the ridge I walked along.

I was on a busier road for a while then a side road with lovely water views, back to the busy road which went through a long tunnel, and onto a quiet road by houses. The area ahead north of Rikuzentakata is very mountainous. Finally I was back in the flat valley where I started today and I got the bus from Nishishita to Ofunato; the sun was setting and there was nowhere to escape the cold near the bus stop. 22 kms

I had dinner at a busy sushi restaurant: a bowl with sashimi and grilled fish then a serving of fresh oysters, possibly the best ever. (Ofunato Bay is an important area for oyster farming.)

23 November I walked out of the valley again and towards a port but I had to walk inside the sea wall which wasn't much fun. Finally on the outskirts of Rikuzentakata I could go up onto the next sea wall and walk along the top, meanwhile I could also have walked along the beach. This used to be a celebrated white sand beach backed by a forest of 70,000 pine trees but the tsunami put an end to that. There were several ruins near the sea wall: a six storey housing block that flooded to the fifth floor and a former michi no eki, and further along was the collapsed youth hostel beside the artificially supported miracle pine tree (the only tree to survive, although not for long).

The whole area is now a wetland with newly planted trees and I saw lots of cranes. I spent a long time in the tsunami memorial museum including watching videos that showed the tsunami destroying many of the towns I've been to.

I crossed the wide Kesen River by the floodgates and walked through Osabe village. A pair of serow on the road startled me. From the village I had sea views then I came down to Osabe fishing port. Saw two eagles enjoying a thermal. The bay looked great, the water completely calm and tiers of mountains behind. Beyond the port was the sight of a plant covered rock and a clear view across the bay to the long Takata sea wall. The next fishing port was also scenic with its own plant topped rock. And a tiny beach.

From there I walked through pine forest then along a busier road with some water views and took a quick detour to another bay with the forest view facing where I walked yesterday. I got the bus back from Karakuwaosawa. 16 kms

24 November There was a Japanese hiker with a big pack at the bus stop in Ofunato, walking the Goishi part of the MCT. I took the bus to Karakuwaosawa and settled in for a long road walk on the east side of the Karakuwa peninsula which turned out well. I was mostly on a ridge walking through villages with water views as far as the lighthouse I saw two days ago and across to Hirota, or going through fishing ports. Many of the houses are larger and have elaborate curved tiled roofs. And often the houses have what look like turnips hanging from a line. I stopped for a vending machine coffee between villages where there was also a tiny building, a coin laundry. I came to Karakuwa town and had a coffee and snack at the 7/11 and left the main road to go through the town, seeing a preserved trunk of an 800 year old tree outside a shrine. At the end of the town I went off the MCT to cross the peninsula and picked it up again on the west side.

I started with Kosaba port where they seemed to be building a sea wall and also concreting the hillside as is quite common. I went out to the next bay for a view of islands. It was a grey day. I saw a striped snake scuttle under leaves at the side of the road. The next bay was completely concreted on all sides. I could see Oshima Island, its white bridge and its central wooded peak. The little road was very pleasant, right by the water as I went in and out of bays, some with a lot of fishing platforms in the water.

No chance of bears on that road. I detoured to a shrine on a hillside that had some connection with horses and came to a bigger road, leaving the MCT.

Then I had a problem: about four kilometres from my destination (Hachimanohashi bus stop in Kesennuma) the road was closed for roadworks. A workman standing guard there said I definitely could not go through. My options were limited as there was no feasible route apart from returning on the road I had walked all day, and the guy kept yelling at me. Another man was there sitting in his car, I'm not clear why, and he offered to take me to the bus stop, which was incredibly kind and it was a long trip with long tunnels. 21 kms

25 November I returned to Hachiman and followed the approved route into Kesennuma. I went on a hilly road to Mt Anbasan with a view over the city and Oshima and there I chatted with a Japanese woman walking this section of the trail. I descended steeply in forest and got to a clearing where a man was practising his golf. Our bear bells made a symphony. I descended more to the city and dropped off my pack at my hotel in an older area. I walked to the redeveloped waterfront and out of the city; I crossed the river where it was still narrow and it was all concreted. Mostly I was able to walk close to the water. I went under a huge suspension bridge across the river as it entered Kesennuma Bay. Eventually I climbed up onto the shiny white bridge leading to Oshima and had nice views of the Karakuwa peninsula with its bays. 

On Oshima I soon went onto a forest trail to climb Mt Kameyama, first in pine then deciduous. I was using my whistle and I surprised a serow. I reached the minor peak with very little view and there was a sign saying the path to the main peak was closed. Faced again with a lack of options I decided to continue up the mountain and when I reached the top I could see what the problem was: there were masses of workmen and machinery building some sort of raised walkway and the area was a mess of unmade trail. I gave them a surprise I guess but I went on to the lookout for a misty view over Karakuwa peninsula, the middle part of Oshima with two sandy beaches, the Oshima strait and Kesennuma.

Descending there were lots more workmen, and even when I reached the paved road they were working on it so there were no cars. It must have been obvious I had walked through where I shouldn't have but they let me go. Some smiled, some ignored me.

At the visitor centre (huge with nobody around) I went in a cafe and had an ice cream with fresh yuzu. Then I got the bus back to Kesennuma, no other passengers. I had swordfish gyoza, sashimi (including swordfish) and chikuwa (fish cakes) for dinner. 20 kms

26 November I returned to Oshima to walk the southern half of the island. Very close to the visitor centre I was walking on a concrete path by the sea wall when a serow appeared on the path, looked confused and left.

I headed south walking on the sea wall where I could but it was disjointed and I often ended up on the road. My first proper rain.

When I got to the southern point I walked out to Cape Tatsumaisaki on a forest path and it was a wonderful spot: a small lighthouse, big rocks off the end of the cape, little rocky bays and a view as far south as the Onagawa peninsula.

Nearby I descended to the water's edge and there was a slit in the cliff with water coming through to where I was standing.

Back on top I stayed on the forest path passing a curving pebbly beach and tree covered rocks then walked on the road a bit.

I came back to the pine forest (the path was lined by a thick undergrowth of bamboo)

and went down to a couple of tiny bays with seemingly abandoned fishing boats; one bay was concreted but the other wasn't. On my way back up a serow suddenly appeared and looked at me rather aggressively so I rushed away. 

I reached Kodanohama beach, the first of the beaches I saw from the peak yesterday, and managed to get onto the sand to walk along. It was a nice enough curve of sand and just a few tiers of concrete. Then Takatahama beach, the other one I had seen, which was possibly prettier but had a lot of concrete behind it. I detoured to an unkempt temple and arrived at the deserted visitor centre to have a bowl of ramen. I went to a tiny yakiniku restaurant for dinner. 14 kms

27 November I walked from my hotel up onto a ridge with views over Kesennuma and then went along a main road crossing several rivers out of the city, boring but fast walking. Once I left the city I was able to walk on the high sea wall for many kilometres and the sun had come out, the water was still so it was very pretty. Another eagle. I had a good view of Oshima

and there were ducks in the water all along. I am not following the MCT route any more.

I left the sea wall to visit the Kesennuma tsunami memorial museum which was in a school that had been destroyed by the tsunami but was left in the state it was after the event. I watched a video about the extreme effect of the tsunami on Kesennuma and looked at all the damage done to the school buildings, including seeing a car which had been swept into a fourth floor room

and a pile of cars crushed against one building. Outside the museum a mass of people were playing golf on a mini golf course. It seemed surreal. 

I went out on to Cape Iwaisaki, lots of low rocks and I finally saw a blowhole in action because the weather had deteriorated and the sea was rough.

The waves were crashing against the rocks impressively. There was also a statue of a sumo wrestler that had survived the tsunami.

I checked out the next headland then returned to walking on the sea wall. I passed long Oisehama beach with some paddle boarders at one end, and apart from descending to a couple of fishing ports and having to use roads to get around rocky promontories I was able to stay on the sea wall for a long time. 

At Oyakaigan I walked above the long sandy beach and went into the busy michi no eki for an ice cream, then I passed a couple of shorter beaches, more fishing ports, and went through some small villages. I got the bus back to Kesennuma from middle of nowhere Koganezawa. Beautiful sashimi for dinner. 24 kms

28 November From Koganezawa I walked along the road seeing the waves crashing. I stopped to look at old waymarking stones from a traditional route to Sendai and two guys came over to chat; they said there are bear sightings every day in the nearby mountains. I went inland to Motoyoshi which seemed older than most of the towns around here and stayed inland with nice mountain views beyond the town (good, since I couldn't go into the mountains). Then I came down into a river valley with small fields and was able to walk along the river levee (concrete). I ended up on a rather boring road as it rained while the sun was shining. Another set of inscribed waymarking stones.

I reached Utatsu and walked along past petrol stations, then I noticed a sea wall so I climbed onto it and there I had a wonderful (and unexpected) view of Isatomae Bay with many headlands to the south and a rocky coast with rocks offshore the other way.

I had also spotted my first konbini of the day, so I went there then sat on the sea wall with my coffee.

I walked several kilometres on the sea wall, the road and more sea wall above deserted fishing ports; I think it was too windy for coastal activity and in some places I could barely stand on the sea wall due to the wind, the trees were shedding debris like crazy. The views over Isatomae Bay were so good: a few rocks, blue sea and a hazy line of mountains.

Below the sea wall was an almost continuous narrow strip of sand, covered with concrete blocks in a few places. I walked until the sea wall was chained off then returned into the wind. I took the bus back from Utatsu. 25 kms

29 November Before I started researching the MCT the only place on the Tohoku coast that I had heard of was Minamisanriku so I thought this would be a fitting place to end my walk. This would also mean I had walked the whole Sanriku coast (off and on) from north to south. 

I went briefly to a fishing port in Utatsu then a mixture of crossing small peninsulas and more fishing ports. Up and down sea walls. The bay still looked great, a bit less windy but it was cold.

After a longer stretch on a road through pine forest I had my worst dog encounter outside a house: four dogs trying to leave their pen, gnashing their teeth and barking ferociously.

I reached much larger Shizukawa Bay with a big island in front of the Minamisanriku peninsula.

There was a small artificial sandy beach and nice mountain views. I walked through the port area, dominated by a salmon works and bitterly cold. There was a park with two Chilean Moai statues, one to acknowledge Japan's losses in the tsunami caused by the 1960 earthquake in Chile and the other in recognition of the 2011 tsunami.

The town had a lovely setting with a line of mountains on the horizon and the open bay. I went in the tsunami memorial museum, watched a video of the day and how the town had coped and saw the remains of the badly inundated disaster coordination centre.

Such a contrast to today's conditions. Then I returned to Kesennuma for the last time and the walk was done. 15 kms

Total walked: 506 kms; 26 days; 13401 metres elevation gain 

30 November Went to Hiraizumi, hired bike. Takkokuiwaizumi temple built into rock cliff;

Genbikei gorge, turquoise water in narrow gorge

with highlight of basket with cups of tea coming by ropeway across the gorge from a house on the town side;

Motsuji temple site with only gardens remaining, earliest of this type including irrigation stream for the lake; Chuson Ji temple on hill top with many wooden halls and gold Konjiki Do with Buddha statues all gold, and museum with huge Buddhas and sutra scrolls. Snow on the mountains. 

1,2 December Sendai: the biggest oysters; a bit of sightseeing at Zuihoden Mausoleum (reconstructed), hilltop site of former castle with great view over city, an original 17th century shrine. Cafes, sushi, sashimi.