Enjoy Minamisanriku without a car! Enjoy Minamisanriku to the Fullest - 2 Days 1 Night Trip - Day 1 【Minamisanriku Town

  • Miyagi
  • Sightseeing
Shokuraku Shiosai "Oyakata no whimsical rice bowl
Many people visit Minamisanriku by car, but in fact, you can fully enjoy Minamisanriku even if you visit by public transportation! In this issue, we will introduce a 2-day/2-night course that will take you to the best places to eat, learn, and visit power spots in Minamisanriku without a car. In this two-part series, we will introduce the first day of the tour!

Informant for this article

Rie Tsugi

Freelance web designer/walking instructor. She has traveled to 29 countries around the world while working with a single computer. Currently, she enjoys rediscovering Japanese culture and nature and leads a nomadic lifestyle based in Hokkaido. She also teaches walking at the Smile Walking Club for mentally handicapped children and adults. Her hobbies include bird photography, tea ceremony, and radio gymnastics.

Minamisanriku Town trip, start!

Express bus from Sendai Station to BRT Shizugawa Station (10:50)

Miyako Sendai Express Bus Center" at the west exit of Sendai Station, platform 40
You can get to Minamisanriku from Sendai Station by highway bus. It takes about 7 to 8 minutes on foot from the West Exit of JR Sendai Station to the bus stop, but it is better to leave a little extra time because there are many bus stops at Sendai Station.
Miyako Sendai Express Bus Center
Purchase a ticket at the ticket counter in the Miyako Sendai Express Bus Center. If you buy a round-trip ticket, you can save 300 yen!

Miyako Sendai Express Bus Center

Miyagi Kotsu
It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to Minamisanriku Town. It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to get to Minamisanriku Town. There are restroom breaks along the way, and the bus is equipped with charging outlets for your comfort. The drop-off station is "BRT Shizugawa Station. This station is the center of Minamisanriku Town.

Lunch at "Shiosai" in San San Shopping Arcade (13:00)

Shokuraku Shiosai
After arriving at the station, the first thing to do is to get something to eat! As soon as you get off the bus, you will see the "San San Shopping Street" with buildings made of beautiful Minamisanriku cedar. Among the 28 stores, including restaurants and general stores, we went to "Shokuraku Shiosai" this time. The menu was extensive and everything looked delicious, but I ordered "Oyakata no whimsical rice bowl," which caught my attention!
Oyakata no whimsical rice bowl
I was excited to see what was to come, and then a gorgeous bowl of seafood of various kinds arrived. I was impressed by the fresh seafood, after all, this is Minamisanriku Town! It was so delicious that I gobbled it up in no time.

Shokuraku Shiosai

Shokuraku Shiosai | Minamisanriku-cho Tourist Association Official Website

Learn about the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake

Listen to a story about the Great East Japan Earthquake at "Machiaruki Storyteller" (14:00)

Machiaruki Storyteller
After lunch, we went to the "Machiaruki Storyteller," for which we had made reservations in advance. There is an information desk in the "San San Shopping Street," where the "Machiaruki Storyteller" was waiting for us. Luggage can be left at this information desk free of charge.

We visited the old Disaster Prevention Office building, which showed the threat of the tsunami that hit the town, and walked through the Reconstruction Memorial Park with the "Machiaruki Storyteller," who gave us a very detailed one-hour talk, including photos, about the time of the earthquake, the town before and after the disaster, and how it has recovered.
Machiaruki Storyteller
It was a valuable experience to hear about the situation at that time, the horror of the tsunami, and real-life experiences that could not be understood only from the news or the Internet. I was able to learn deeply about things I did not know. The earthquake disaster inevitably fades away as we live our normal lives in remote areas. I was reminded of the importance of not forgetting about the disaster and of the importance of connecting this experience to the next one.

Machiaruki Storyteller

Minatabi, the official reservation site of the Tourist Association
I returned to the information desk, picked up my luggage, and had a cab arranged for me. We headed for today's lodging, "Shimodoso. It would take about 30 minutes on foot, but a cab would take about 5 minutes and cost 990 yen. I was a bit tired this time, so the cab was the right choice. There were bicycles available for rent, so if the weather was nice and we didn't have much luggage, bicycles would be a good idea.

Looking forward to the meal! Inn where the young master is a fisherman!

Shimomichi-sou", a guest house run by fishermen (16:00)

Shimodoso
The inn was "Shimodoso," a popular restaurant where the young master is a fisherman. Upon arrival, the young master and proprietress welcomed us with smiles. The very homey atmosphere made me feel at home. The room was clean and had a very nice atmosphere with a view of the ocean from the window.

Sunset walk (17:00)

Shizugawa Bay and fishing boats
Since we were there, we decided to go for a sunset walk before sunset. As I walked along the breakwater near the inn with my camera, the sun was just setting and I could see Shizugawa Bay and the fishing boats wrapped in the setting sun, a very soothing and beautiful sight.

Dinner with fresh, delicious seasonal foods (18:30)

Dinner at Shimomichi Villa
We were looking forward to dinner! As one would expect from a fisherman's inn, the taste and volume were surprising. Oysters, scallops, mussels, rice cooked in a pot, grilled fish, and other dishes full of the bounty of Shizugawa Bay were so delicious that we were full and very satisfied.

Bath with a view of the sea (20:30)

Bath at Shimomichi Villa
The bath is open 24 hours a day. We were very happy to be able to take a bath without worrying about the time of day. And the location is perfect, with a view of the ocean from the bath as well. After returning to my room, I relaxed and went to sleep after a tiring day.

Guest House Shimomichi-sou

Shimodoso page in "Minatabi

You can enjoy without a car! Click here to see the 2-day/1-night trip to fully enjoy Minamisanriku - Day 2

Tags related to this article
Previous post Back to list Next
related articles