Cliffs, caves and beaches en-route Rikuchu-Kaigan Coast
Posted On February 8, 2010
One of the world’s most beautiful coastlines is the Rikuchu coast, a 180 kilometer shoreline on the northwest part of 
Japan, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is a part of the Rikuchu-Kaigan National Park and extends from the northern part of Iwate Prefucture south to Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture.
The northern part of this coastal park is adorned by high cliffs and rock formations and in the southern half is the typical Rias-type coast.
How to reach
The site is easily accessible by trains and buses. Tour buses and boats too operate to the coast, though boating is not possible in winters.
When to visit
Summers are when you should explore this coast.
Attractions of Rikuchu-Kaigan Coast
The best way to explore the coast is get on the trains on the railway line meandering along the coast. Boarding the train at Miyako would be good to start with.
Miyako city is in the Sanriku district, which is home to an active fishing industry. There are quite a few stations worth getting out at and exploring for a while. You can find some great scenery in the form of cavities and rock formations at Tanohata cliffs, up the sea by about 200 meters.
The view of the Pacific Ocean is brilliant when the train crosses the iron bridge over the Akka River. For your pleasure, the trains slow down here so you can enjoy the scene.
The final station the train takes you to is Kuji. The uni bento – a boxed lunch made by boiling seas urchin is a popular meal here, in combination with rice. Some of the other scenic sites that you will cross are the Kitayamazaki Point, the Jodogahama Beach – with white rocks over clear waters, the Namiita-kaigan Beach, the Unosu cliffs and the rock formations at Sannaoiwa.
The southern coastlines have the Goishi-kaigan Beach, the Takada-Matsubara beaches, Hanzo with unique rock formations, Oganma and the ports of Rikuzen-Takada and Ofunato, where you can have a feast of fresh seafood.
Tunnels and villages adorn the tracks all along.
The villages along the coastline have some interesting places to visit, other than being scenic beauties. Old temples, shrines and merchant houses remain intact in Marioka city. There is the Iwate Park and the Nakatsugawa River Banks. In the temple district of Kitayama is the Hoonji Temple with Budhdhist statues having different expressions.
Also deserving a tour en-route is the Ryusendo Cave, one of the three largest stalactite caves in Japan. A major attraction of this cave is the small lake at the bottom, which is about 120 meters deep.
Creating a beautiful background to small fishing districts, the saw-toothed Rikuchu-Kaigan coastline is a nothing less than a scenic wonder. Unique rock formations and cliffs dealing the beats of strong ocean waves, wonderful beaches en-route with ignite rocks, interesting places and sites to explore at almost every little villages that the coastline runs along, the sea food you can enjoy at the fishing viilages and in fact the entire site in itself is splendid.
simply amazing destination! I never knew Japan can be so beautiful to visit! Now, for this coast I need to go to Japan.
I have always known Japan, china, Hong Kong etc. for their martial arts and kung- fu and other styles of action. I can never imagine in my wildest dreams these places have any other identity of its own.
I read almost all the blogs in this site and I can definitely say today that world is not at all small!! There are millions of places still to explore!
180kms coast simply great with nature, cliffs, rock formations and many more. Deepest ocean has to be unique!
wow! This place is like specially made for pirates! Caves and lakes in that caves! Seems to be a treasure map
You have to get the best seafood in the coasts! That is so obvious. It simply rocks!
is pirates movie shooting done on this coast. It looks similar to me. Its my dream to visit the place whr pirates shooting been done.
This place can have a temple that strange! I respect all people’s belief and their integrity towards their god.