[Miyagi Prefecture - Yamagata Prefecture] The only road that directly connects Sendai City and Yamagata City is the Forest Road Futakuchi Line. It's a pretty rough road, but it offers spectacular views!

The roads connecting Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture are generally the Yamagata Expressway/Tohoku Expressway/Sakata Line, National Route 48 , and Sasaya Pass Forest Road Futakuchi Line, which is closed in winter ?

I actually took the spectacular "Futakuchi Forest Road"

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The only road directly connecting Sendai City and Yamagata City

Futakuchi Forest Road is the only road that connects Sendai City and Yamagata City without passing through any other cities or towns . Its total length is 19.0 kilometers (9.0 km on the Yamagata side, 10.0 km on the Miyagi side), and its highest point is 934 meters above sea level.

Construction of the entire line was completed in 1973, but it was originally a highway dating back to the Edo period

The road is usually open from early August to early November , and the closing period changes depending on the snowfall and snowmelt conditions of the year.

In the past, the Mogami Kaido or Futakuchi Kaido , and flourished as a key transportation and trade route between Miyagi and Yamagata. Construction on the entire line was completed in 1973, but the road was often closed for long periods of time due to damage to the road surface caused by heavy rain and melting snow, as well as the collapse of slopes.

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Let's go! My first trip to the "Futakuchi Forest Road"

Looking at the Google Map above, you might think that this is the shortest route, as it connects Yamagata City and Sendai City in a straight line, but the forest road passes through the Futakuchi Gorge, so it's barely wide enough for one car to pass, and you have to go through several sharp curves. It's also a mountain pass, so you're constantly on the edge of cliffs.

As I mentioned before, this route is not recommended for those who are not familiar with driving , so please be careful when passing through.

This time we will enter the forest road Futakuchi Line from the Yamagata city side

If you drive through Yamagata City, Yamadera Station, and along Yamagata Prefectural Route 62 (Sendai-Yamadera Line) towards Futakuchi Gorge, you will pass through the residential area of ​​Yamadera

Once you pass through a residential road that is wide enough for one car to pass, you will see a gate. From here, the forest road becomes Futakuchi Line, and as the sign indicates, the legal speed limit is 20km.

Until the late 1990s, the road was a gravel forest road, but since the 2000s, the road on both the Yamagata and Miyagi sides has been paved with concrete

After passing through the gate, you can see the autumn leaves of the mountains just a few minutes later. (As of October 27, 2023) However, the road is very narrow, so please be careful not to get distracted while driving

*By the way, all of the photos in this article were taken by my partner in the passenger seat

It takes about 20 minutes from the Yamagata side. If you continue up the steep curves and slopes, you will arrive near the top

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Near the summit on the Yamagata side

Look at this view! It's a breathtaking view that will take your breath away! I was truly amazed

It's worth taking the Futakuchi Line forest road just to see this view. Passing through the vivid autumn foliage of the steep mountains, you arrive at the Yamagata Basin. You'll be speechless. (As of October 27, 2023)

However, there is no parking space here either, so you have to drive slowly within the legal speed limit of 20km. After this, there is another gate near the top of the Yamagata River

This gate is located on the border between Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. From here, you will enter Miyagi prefecture and head down a slope

If you go down the pass, you will find an observation deck on the Miyagi side.

The view from the Miyagi side passes through steep mountains and stretches from Akiu to the Kannon Temple in Nakayama

The leaves have not yet turned red like they do on the Yamagata side, but the scenery here is just as impressive

On the Miyagi side, there is a sign that says "Observation Deck," but there is no parking space nearby, so please be careful of oncoming and following vehicles when enjoying the view.

From here, the road descends through the mountains shown in the photo and leads to Akiu Otaki Falls

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Forest Road Futakuchi Line, Miyagi Prefecture side

Once you enter Miyagi Prefecture, you will start to see signs like the one in the photo here and there

Shiraito Falls, Iwashi Rock, Hikage Iwashi, and Anetaki Falls, but all of these can be seen from hiking trails and walking paths, so if you are heading there to enjoy the scenery, be sure to be properly prepared for hiking.

"Iwashi Parking Lot" along the forest road Futakuchi Line , so it is a good idea to use this.

Banji Parking Lot

Once you reach Iwaji Parking Lot, head straight towards Akiu

Along the way, after passing through the Sendai City Akiu Visitor Center, which also handles camping and mountain climbing reception, the forest road Futakuchi Line changes into Futakuchi Kaido and becomes a two-lane road

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Futakuchi Valley

The Futakuchi Gorge, where the Futakuchi Line forest road is located, is a gorge that stretches upstream of the Natori River in the western part of Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, with a total length of 8 kilometers.The upper reaches belong to Zao National Park, and the middle and lower reaches belong to the Futakuchi Gorge Prefectural Natural Park

Downstream is Akiu Onsen, a popular natural scenic spot near Sendai, and one of the most popular spots in the prefecture for strolls during the autumn foliage season

Famous sights include Akiu Otaki Falls, one of Japan's 100 best waterfalls, and the huge rock cliff of Banji Rock

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summary

This time, I drove on the "Futakuchi Forest Road" for the first time in my life

On the map, Yamagata City and Sendai City appear to be directly connected, and as I mentioned before, I thought "this might actually be the shortest route," but don't underestimate it; it takes roughly 50 minutes from the gate on the Yamagata City side to the gate on the Sendai City side, and if you consider the drive from Yamagata Station and from Akiu to Sendai Station, it's probably just under two hours

I think so

However, the scenery is outstanding. I wouldn't recommend this to drivers who aren't very confident in their driving skills, but it might be a good idea to drive through the Futakuchi Forest Road and take National Route 48 on the way back

At this time, the only closure date for 2023 is scheduled to be from early November, so we recommend it to those who have the time

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Forest Road Futakuchi Line Information

Safety measures

Contact Information

• Forestry Promotion Division, Forestry Infrastructure Development Team
• 3-8-1 Honmachi, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
• Phone number: 022-211-2913
• Fax number: 022-211-2919

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