[Miyagi Prefecture] 5 recommended beaches in Miyagi Prefecture! This is a beach with high transparency and good water quality!

Around May every year, Miyagi Prefecture conducts water quality tests at beaches where beaches are opened within the prefecture.

Water quality tests were conducted at 15 beaches scheduled to open in 2023, and the results were announced on June 28. All beaches in Miyagi Prefecture have passed water quality tests. .

Here we will introduce beaches that are said to have particularly good water quality.

Odanohama Beach (Kesennuma City)

Kodanohama is located on the east coast of Kesennuma Oshima Island, and was selected as one of the ``100 Best Bathing Beaches'' in 2006 due to its good water quality, shallow distance, and beautiful scenery. Recognized as the second best selection in the nation.

The beautiful semi-circular sandy beach with its scenic views has long been popular, but the sand has been washed away due to land subsidence following the Great Earthquake.

However, reconstruction has since progressed, and now the sparkling white sand is back and many beachgoers are visiting.

Although the beach is shallow and faces the Pacific Ocean, the waves are calm, and there are lifeguards on duty during the season, so you can enjoy swimming safely even with small children.

Equipped with toilets, showers (for a fee), and changing rooms, the Oshima Paddle Club on the beach offers a variety of marine activities such as SUP and sea kayaking.

Odanohama Beach <Information>

• Beach name: Odanohama Beach
• Location: Nakayama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0226-28-3000 (Kesennuma City Tourism Association Oshima Branch)
• Swimming time: 9:00-16:00
• Swimming period: July 15th (Saturday) to September 3rd (Sunday), 2023
• Parking lot: 75 spaces (free)
• URL: Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization official website

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The road to Oshima is from the liner route to Tsurugame Ohashi Bridge

When the ferry was damaged in the earthquake and the island became isolated, the Kesennuma Oshima Bridge was built to connect Oshima with the mainland, and is the Tsurukame Bridge and is considered a symbol of recovery.

In the 2021 NHK TV drama series ``Okaeri Mone,' ``Turtle Island,'' , and there was a scene where she crossed a bridge in a taxi at night.

The bridge was depicted as a symbol of a new era, as the heroine, who was away from the island at the time of the earthquake and unable to return, crosses to the island at night when she could not cross by ferry.

Many fans still visit Kesennuma Oshima Ohashi Bridge and Kameyama Rest House, where the drama was filmed, on a pilgrimage to sacred places.

Kesennuma Oshima Bridge＜Information＞

• Facility name: Kesennuma Oshima Bridge
• Location: Sannohama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture - Isokusa, Kesennuma City
• Phone: 0226-22-4560 (Kesennuma City Tourism Association)
• URL: Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization official website

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Otani Beach (Kesennuma City)

Oya Beach, which was rebuilt in 2021, is an easily accessible beach located right in front of the JR Kesennuma Line BRT (Bus Rapid Transit System) and Otani Kaigan Station, which also serves as a roadside station.

It received the highest rating of AA in water quality tests, and has been selected as one of the ``100 best bathing spots'' in the past, and is expected to become more popular in the future as the beautiful sandy beach, approximately 2km long, has been restored.

By the way, all four beaches selected as one of Miyagi Prefecture's ``100 Best Beaches'' are located in Kesennuma City, and in 2023 all four beaches - Odanohama, Oisehama, Koizumi Beach, and Otani Beach We will welcome you.

Otani Beach <Information>

• Beach name: Otani Beach
• Location: Mishima, Motoyoshi-cho, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0226-44-3180 (Motoyoshi Town Tourism Association)
• Swimming time: 9:00-16:00
• Swimming period: July 15th (Saturday) to August 20th (Sunday), 2023
• Parking lot: 200 spaces (paid)
• URL: Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization official website

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Eating seafood in Kesennuma

Kesennuma is known as a seafood town, as it is home to a large number of distant sea seafood such as tuna, bonito, saury, and swordfish, and is also famous as a producer of shark fin.

Among them, the one that is especially recommended in summer is the skipjack tuna, which boasts the highest catch in Japan

Restaurants in Kesennuma serve a variety of bonito dishes, so it's a good idea to try them all while walking around, and we also recommend souvenirs made from processed bonito.

Come to Kesennuma <Information>

• Site name: Kesennuma Come Kerain (Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization)
• Location: 3rd floor, 7-13 Uoichiba-mae, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
• URL: Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization official website

Sanore Sohama Beach (Minamisanriku Town)

This beach, which received an AA rating in this year's water quality test, has outstanding clarity, and the approximately 300m long artificial sandy beach is where the name "San-Ore" comes from.

It opened as an artificial beach in 1999, and all of its sand and facilities were washed away in the Great Earthquake, but in 2017 it was restored to its former appearance as a beach with a beautiful view of Shizugawa Bay and calm waves.

There are rocks that look like Moai statues on the sea, and there is also a park (Arashima Park)

With free parking, showers, and toilets, as well as a pavilion and beach hut that can be used as a rest area and a space for eating, this beach is a place where you can have fun with your family.

Sanore Sohama Beach <Information>

• Beach name: San-Ore Sohama Beach
• Location: 1 Shizugawa Sodehama, Minamisanriku-cho, Motoyoshi-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0226-47-2550 (Minamisanriku Town Tourism Association)
• Swimming time: 9:30-17:00
• Swimming period: July 15th (Saturday) to August 20th (Sunday), 2023
• Parking lot: Approximately 400 cars
• URL: Minamisanriku tourism portal site

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Let's have fun at "Arashima Rakuten Park"!

The Rakuten Baseball team's Tohoku Smile Project donated the Minamisanriku Children's Stadium to Arashima Park, a children's playground adjacent to the beach which was reborn as Arashima Rakuten Park in 2018.

In addition to the existing play equipment such as swings and Tarzan ropes, we have also installed a ball against the wall and a baseball base, with the hope that children will play freely.

Arashima/Rakuten Park <Information>

• Facility name: Arashima Rakuten Park
• Location: Shizugawa, Minamisanriku-cho, Motoyoshi-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0226-46-1385 (Minamisanriku Town, Commerce and Tourism Division, Tourism Promotion Section)
• URL: Minamisanriku Town Hall Official Website

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Arahama Beach (Ogatsu, Ishinomaki City)

Arahama Beach was a popular beach with a beautiful view of white sand, emerald blue water, and a ria coastline, but since it was also destroyed by the earthquake, it has remained closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. .

However, in 2023, it was decided that the beach would be revived as a clean beach for the first time in 13 years, receiving a high rating of AA in a water quality test, and installing facilities such as toilets, showers, and changing rooms.

Arahama Beach <Information>

• Beach name: Arahama Beach
• Location: 50 Funakoshi Ara, Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0225-57-2111 (Ishinomaki City Ogatsu General Branch Regional Promotion Division)
• Swimming time: 9:30-15:30
• Swimming period: July 22, 2023 (Sat) - August 20, 2023 (Sun)
• Parking: Available (charges apply)
• URL: Ishinomaki City official website

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When you come to Ogatsu, go to Denpachi Sushi!

Denpachi Sushi's Ogatsudon, located in the tourist and product exchange center of ``Roadside Station Inkushijo no Sato Ogatsu,'' is popular.

the ``Recovery Gourmet F-1 Competition'' held in the disaster-stricken area , and thick scallops, also from Ogatsu, are grilled with a special sauce and placed on top of rice mixed with seaweed from Ogatsu. Masu.

In addition to this bowl, which is exquisite with the sweetness of the scallops that fills your mouth, the seafood bowl and nigiri are also made with plenty of fresh local ingredients, and are recommended for their excellent value for money.

This roadside station also has a cafe that sells its own roasted coffee, making it the perfect spot for lunch.

Denpachi Sushi＜Information＞

• Store name: Denpachi Sushi
• Location: 2-5 Shimoogatsu, Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 080-5575-9976
• Business hours: 11:00-17:00
• Closed: Tuesday
• URL: Ishinomaki Tourism Association official website

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Aji Shirahama Beach (Ajihama, Ishinomaki City)

This beach is located on Ajishima Island near the Oshika Peninsula , and boasts a white sandy beach and shallow water that shines in cobalt blue with high transparency.

Although the water quality test in 2023 did not give an A rating, last year we received an AA rating during the survey during the season, and the water quality is good, as it is located on a remote island beach close to the open ocean.

It is fully equipped with toilets, showers, and changing rooms, and the Ajishima Line is operated to get to the island.

Aji Shirahama Beach <Information>

• Beach name: Aji Shirahama Beach
• Location: 109 Ajihamakamashizaka, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0225-45-2114 (Oshika General Branch Regional Promotion Division)
• Swimming time: 9:00-15:30
• Swimming period: July 15th (Saturday) to August 20th (Sunday), 2023
• Parking: Free parking available at Ajishima Line Kadowaki Departure, paid parking available at Chuo Departure
• URL: Ishinomaki City official website
• URL: Ajishima Line official website

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Tashirojima, which is next to Ajishima, is the “cat island”

Tashirojima, located next to Ajishima, is famous as ``Cat Island'' where there is a cat shrine dedicated to the cat god.。

On the island, the cat god is said to be the god of big catches, and stray cats are so valued that they breed naturally and are said to outnumber the island's population.

In principle, it is prohibited to land on the island with dogs, which are natural enemies, and feeding cats is also prohibited.

In addition, the outdoor facility ``Manga Island'' displays cat drawings by manga artists, and there are 5 cat-designed lodges where you can enjoy camping.

Aji Shirahama Beach <Information>

• Facility name: Tashirojima
• Location: Tashirohama, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 0225-95-1111 (Ishinomaki City Reconstruction Planning Department Regional Development Division)
• URL: Ishinomaki City official website

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summary

Beaches in Miyagi Prefecture with clean water and gentle waves that are suitable for swimming are concentrated in Minamisanriku, a ria coastline in the north.

All of these beaches were devastated by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, but thanks to local residents and volunteers, they have been able to largely recover over the past 13 years.