Take the Ofunato Line, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its opening! A refreshing excursion to Geibikei Gorge, celebrating the 100th anniversary of its designation as a scenic beauty spot.

  • Iwate
  • Experience Gifu
Geibi Gorge Boat Tour (image)

On July 26, 2025, the Ofunato Line (between Ichinoseki Station and Surisawa Station) will celebrate its 100th anniversary!

Banner at Ichinoseki Station commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Ofunato Line

The excursion starts from Ichinoseki Station, which is in a festive mood with countdown boards and banners!


1) Cafe Monte

Café Monte, directly connected to the east exit of Ichinoseki Station, is a good place to spend some time while waiting at Ichinoseki Station. You can enjoy fresh, hot dishes from the local production for local consumption menu using "Iwate Minami Beef," "Ichinoseki Golden Rice Pork," and "Iwaidori" chicken. The cafe also offers a wide variety of sweets made from Ichinoseki black rice and sesame seeds, as well as Ichinoseki fruit juices. It is open all year round, and in the evening, the recommended wines are available.
Cake set at Cafe Monte (image)

Geibikei Station

When the time comes, board the Ofunato Line at Ichinoseki Station, platform 3. The train, locally called a "mountain train," travels along winding tracks (hence the nickname "dragon rail" of the Ofunato-Line) for about 30 minutes while enjoying the peaceful view from the train windows, and you will arrive at Geibankei Station in no time. In front of Geibikei Station, there is a wisteria trellis, which is in full bloom in May. The name of the station is also the same as the color of the wisteria.
Geibikei Station

3) Geibikei Gorge

Geibikei Gorge is a 2-km-long gorge with limestone cliffs more than 50 meters high along the Sunatetsu River, a tributary of Iwate's mother river, the Kitakami River. On October 8, 1925, it was designated as a national historic site and natural monument, the first in the prefecture to be designated as a place of scenic beauty, and is one of the 100 most scenic spots in Japan. This year is the 100th anniversary of the designation, the same year as the Ofunato Line! Thanks to Geigan Sato, who was born and raised in Higashiyama, Ichinoseki City, where Geibikei Gorge is located, and who invested his own money to develop the tourist attraction, the once remote and little-known valley is now widely known to the public. The wisteria and geibisekishou, a rare plant that can only be seen in Geibisekkei, are in bloom, followed by fresh greenery, autumn leaves, and kotatsu boats, and no two days are the same. Why don't you take a relaxing boat ride and feel the magnificent nature and history with all your senses?
Summer in Geibikei (image)

4) Patisserie fuji

The famous confectionary "Shishi ga Hana" (lion's nose) is a cookie in the shape of a strange rock protruding from a large rock wall at the end of the Geibikei Gorge boating area. The package is pure Japanese style with a picture of the Geibikei boat cruise, but the inside is a Western-style confectionary, making it a long-selling product with a long history of unexpectedness and fun. The tile-shaped cookies baked with sliced almonds on top are hearty, savory, moderately sweet, and crunchy, making them very satisfying. The stylish store that stands out in the shopping street offers a wide variety of western sweets, and in summer, refreshing gelato is also recommended.
Cookies "Lion's nose" (image)
Handmade cake and ice cream (image)

5) Cafe & Guest House Kaziya

A French café where you can have lunch and stay overnight. Its roots lie in the "Kajiya Ryokan" which rented boats to Geigan Sato and helped promote Geibikei Gorge to the public. The café space has a natural and soft atmosphere with antique furniture and sunlight. The seasonal parfaits and shaved ice are so delicate and tasteful that it is a shame to eat them. Lunch is basically served on Saturdays and Sundays only from 11:30 to 15:00, and reservations can be made by phone or via DM on Instagram.
Cafe & Guest House Kaziya (image)
Cafe & Guest House Kaziya (image)

～Traveling on the Ofunato-Line

The pamphlet "Ofunato-Line Journey," created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Ofunato-Line, includes many other recommended spots in addition to the ones introduced here! If you see it at a station or along the Ofunato Line, please pick it up and take a look.
Also, on July 26, the opening day of the train, various events are scheduled to be held at Ichinoseki Station to show our appreciation to the local community. Please look forward to them!

All information is current as of June 17, 2025. *All images are for reference only. *The contents and services in this article are subject to change.

Travel on the sightseeing train "Hinabi (Yangtravel)"! Ofunato-Line Attractive Rediscovery Trip / Internet-only, from/to Tohoku

On the 100th anniversary of the Ofunato Line, you can take a ride on the "Hinabi (Sun Trip)," which does not usually run.　This is a 2-day/1-night trip.ã
For reservations, please visit

Let's combine your favorite train and lodging to save money!

You can make your own original trip!

The " JR East View Dynamic Rail Package " is a variable-price individual travel product sold exclusively through the Internet that allows you to freely select a train and accommodations and make a reservation at once. Depending on the timing and conditions of your reservation, you may be able to save even on the day of departure at the earliest! We also offer one-day trip plans! Enjoy your own unique trip according to your schedule and purpose.

Click here for details

For train + accommodation reservations in Iwate area, please visit [ JR East View Dynamic Rail Package ]
Tags related to this article
Previous post Back to list Next
related articles