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Every year around May, Miyagi Prefecture conducts water quality tests at beaches that are open for swimming within the prefecture
Water quality tests were conducted at 15 beaches that are scheduled to open for swimming in 2023, and the results were announced on June 28th. All beaches in Miyagi Prefecture passed the water quality tests
Here we will introduce some beaches that are considered to have particularly good water quality
Odanohama Beach (Kesennuma City)
Koda Beach is located on the east coast of Kesennuma Oshima Island, and was selected as one of the "100 Best Swimming Beaches" in 2006 due to its good water quality, shallow waters, and beautiful scenery, and was recognized as the second best beach in the country
The beautiful semicircular sandy beach has been popular for a long time, but the sand was washed away due to land subsidence caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake
However, reconstruction has since progressed, and now the beach has returned to its shining white sand, attracting many beachgoers
Although the beach is shallow and faces the Pacific Ocean, the waves are calm, and there are lifeguards on duty during the season, so even those with small children can enjoy swimming safely
The beach is fully equipped with toilets, showers (for a fee), and changing rooms, and the Oshima Paddle Club on the beach offers a variety of marine activities, including 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 hours: 9:00-16:00
Swimming period: July 15th (Sat) - September 3rd (Sun), 2023
The road to Oshima is via the regular ferry route and the Tsurukame Bridge
From Miyagi Digital Photo Library
Following the earthquake, which damaged the ferry service and isolated the island, the Kesennuma-Oshima Bridge was built to connect the island to the mainland. Itthe "Tsurukame Bridge"and has become a symbol of reconstruction.
In the 2021 NHK serial drama "Okaeri Mone," Kesennuma Oshima was depicted as "Kamejima," the island where the heroine was born and raised , and there was a scene where she crossed the bridge by taxi at night.
The bridge is portrayed as a symbol of a new era, as the heroine, who had left the island at the time of the earthquake and was unable to return, crosses to the island at night when the ferry was not available
Even now, many fans make pilgrimages to Kesennuma Oshima Bridge and Kameyama Rest House, where the drama was filmed
Kesennuma Oshima Bridge <Information>
Facility name: Kesennuma Oshima Bridge
Location: Sannohama, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture to Isokusa, Kesennuma City
Phone: 0226-22-4560 (Kesennuma City Tourism Association)
From the Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization official website
Oya Beach, which was restored in 2021, is easily accessible, located right in front of Oya Kaigan Station, which is also a roadside station and the JR Kesennuma Line BRT (Bus Rapid Transit System)
The water quality has been rated AA, the highest possible rating, and it has been selected as one of the "100 Best Swimming Beaches" in the past. With the restoration of the beautiful 2km long sandy beach, it is expected to become even more popular in the future
Incidentally,all four beaches in Miyagi Prefecture that have been selected as one of the "Top 100 Beaches for Swimming"are located within Kesennuma City, and in 2023,—Oda-no-hama, Oise-hama, Koizumi-kaigan, and Otani-kaigan—will be open for swimming.
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 hours: 9:00-16:00
Swimming period: July 15th (Sat) to August 20th (Sun), 2023
Kesennuma is known for its large catches of deep-sea seafood such as tuna, bonito, saury, and marlin, and is also famous as a producer of shark fins. In addition, oyster and scallop farming is thriving, giving it the impression of being a town of seafood.
Among them, the one I would especially recommend in the summer isbonito, which boasts the largest catch in Japan.
Kesennuma's restaurants offer a variety of bonito dishes, so it's fun to go bar-hopping and try them all, and we also recommend buying some bonito-based souvenirs
Come to Kesennuma! ＜Information＞
Site name: Kesennuma Come and Train (Kesennuma Tourism Promotion Organization)
Address: 3rd floor, 7-13 Fish Market, Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture
The beach, which received an AA rating in water quality tests this year, has exceptional clarity, and the name "San Ore" comes from the approximately 300m artificial sandy beach
Opened in 1999 as an artificial beach,it lost all its sand and facilities in the Great East Japan Earthquake, but in 2017 it was restored to its former glory, becoming a beautiful beach with calm waves and stunning views of Shizugawa Bay.
With rocks resembling Moai statues in the sea andpark (Arashima Park), it's a place you can enjoy even outside of the swimming season.
Equipped with free parking, showers and toilets, there are also gazebos and beach huts that can be used as rest areas, as well as dining spaces, making this a beach where families can have fun
From the Rakuten Baseball Team Tohoku Smile Project official website
The Minamisanriku Children's Stadium was donated to Arashima Park, a children's playground adjacent to the beach , by the Rakuten Baseball Club's Tohoku Smile Project , and in 2018 it was reborn as Arashima Rakuten Park.
In addition to the existing play equipment such as swings and Tarzan ropes, a ball wall and baseball bases have also been installed, with the hope that children will be able to play freely
Arahama Beach was a popular beach with beautiful white sand, emerald blue water, and a ria coastline, but it was also destroyed by the earthquake and has remained closed ever since, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
However, in 2023, after receiving a high AA rating in a water quality test, it was decided that the beach would be reopened as a clean swimming beach for the first time in 13 years, with the installation of facilities such as toilets, showers and changing rooms
Arahama Beach ＜Information＞
Beach name: Arahama Beach
Address: 50 Funakoshiara, Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 0225-57-2111 (Ishinomaki City Ogatsu General Branch Office, Regional Promotion Division)
Swimming hours: 9:30-15:30
Swimming period: July 22nd (Sat) - August 20th (Sun), 2023
From the official website of the Ogatsu Town Nagisadomari Promotion Council
The Ogatsu Donburi at Denpachi Sushi, located in the tourist product exchange center at the "Michi-no-Eki Suzuriue-no-Sato Ogatsu" rest stop , is very popular.
It was also entered into the "Reconstruction Gourmet F-1 Competition" held in the disaster-stricken area . The dish consists of rice mixed with wakame seaweed from Ogatsu, topped with thick, meaty scallops, also from Ogatsu, grilled with a special sauce.
In addition to this delicious bowl of rice, where the sweetness of the scallops fills your mouth, the seafood bowls and nigiri sushi are also made with plenty of fresh local ingredients, making them excellent value for money and highly recommended
This roadside station also has a cafe that roasts its own coffee, making it a great spot for lunch
Denhachi Sushi <Information>
Store name: Denhachi Sushi
Address: 2-5 Shimo-Ogatsu, Ogatsu-cho, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Located on Ajishima Island, near the Oshika Peninsula, this beachboasts a shallow, cobalt-blue sea with exceptional clarity and white sand.
Although the water quality test in 2023 did not result in an A rating, it received an AA rating in a survey conducted during the season last year, and the water quality is good, as it is a beach on a remote island close to the open ocean
The island is fully equipped with toilets, showers, and changing rooms, and the Ajishima Line operates to get to the island
Aji Shirahama Beach ＜Information＞
Beach name: Aji Shirahama Beach
Address: 109 Ajihamakamikazori-zaka, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone number: 0225-45-2114 (Oshika General Branch Office, Regional Development Division)
Swimming hours: 9:00-15:30
Swimming period: July 15th (Sat) - August 20th (Sun), 2023
Parking: Free parking available at Kadowaki Station on the Ajishima Line, paid parking available at the central station
Tashirojima, next to Ajishima, is known as the "Cat Island."
From the official Ishinomaki City website
Tashirojima, next to Ajishima, is famous as the "Cat Island" and is home to the Cat Shrine, which enshrines the cat god。
On the island, the cat god isconsidered the god of abundant catches, and because stray cats are cherished, they have naturally multiplied and are said to outnumber the island's human population.
As a general rule, it is forbidden to land on the island with dogs, which are natural enemies of the cats, and it is also prohibited to bait cats
From the official Ishinomaki City website
Additionally,the outdoor facility "Manga Island"displays cat illustrations by manga artists, and there are five lodges designed with cats where you can enjoy camping.
Aji Shirahama Beach ＜Information＞
Facility name: Tashirojima
Location: Tashirohama, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
In Miyagi Prefecture, beaches with clean water and gentle waves that are suitable for swimming are concentrated in Minami Sanriku, 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 the efforts of local residents and volunteers, they have been largely restored over the past 13 years
I'm a former Edoite (Tokyoite) who loves Morioka and the six prefectures of Tohoku, and I'm a big fan of history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and choral singing.
I'll introduce you to interesting things, delicious food, and great places in Tohoku!
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