[Miyagi Prefecture] 2024 Edition “Tohoku Autumn Leaves Driving Map” - 3 recommended driving courses and surrounding gourmet selections in Miyagi Prefecture!
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In this article, we will introduce three of the fall foliage drive courses that we recommend for the coming season in Miyagi Prefecture, as well as the delicious local specialties around them.
There are two routes from the northern and southern parts of the prefecture that take you to popular autumn foliage spots, and the other is a route that allows you to fully enjoy nature within Sendai City.
Naruko Gorge - Onikobe Onsen (Osaki City: National Route 47, National Route 108)
Naruko Gorge in the northern part of the prefecture , also called ``Narukokyo'' or ``Narugokyo'' in the Sendai dialect, is a 4 km long gorge located between Nakayamadaira Onsen and Naruko Onsen town on the Daiyagawa River .
National Route 47, which passes through Naruko Gorge, and National Route 108, which runs from Naruko Onsen Town to Onikobe Onsen, are famous spots for autumn leaves in Miyagi Prefecture, and are crowded with people driving through them until early November.
Naruko Gorge Rest House
Located on the upstream side of Naruko Gorge, the view of the gorge is splendid, and Ofukasawa Bridge on National Route 47, which can be seen from a nearby observation deck, is a popular spot for autumn leaves.
From here, the Naruko promenade along the valley is popular for viewing autumn leaves, and you can look up at Ofukazawa Bridge from below from the suspension bridge called Meiji Bridge.
We recommend the restaurant's ``mushroom soup,'' which is available only during the autumn leaves season, but there may be long lines and the soup may be sold out.
Naruko Gorge Rest House <Information>
- Facility name: Naruko Gorge Rest House
- Location: 13-5 Naruko Onsen Hoshinuma, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 0229-87-2050
- Business hours: 8:30-17:00
- No regular holiday
- URL: Naruko Gorge Rest House Official Website
- URL: Naruko Gorge Rest House Official Facebook
GOOGLE MAP
From Naruko Onsen to Onikobe Onsen
National Route 108 is a road that connects Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture to Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, and is an autumn leaves drive road Ugo Kaido '' and the ` `Senju Sunline
From Naruko Onsen Town to Kashiwagibara in front of Onikobe Onsen , we recommend the old road, where you can enjoy the autumn leaves and the scenery of Naruko Dam and Lake Araoko, rather than Hanabuchiyama Bypass
Naruko Dam＜Information＞
- Name: Naruko Dam
- Location: Naruko Onsen Iwabuchi, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 0229-82-2341 (Naruko Dam Management Office)
- URL: Naruko Dam Management Office Official Website (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tohoku Regional Development Bureau)
GOOGLE MAP
Naruko specialty “Chestnut Dango”
If you go to Naruko Onsen, be sure to try Kuri Dango , which is said to have been made for over 100 years at Mochidokoro Fukase
A whole chewy candied chestnut is wrapped in mochi and eaten with warm sweet and spicy mitarashi bean paste, making it a perfect Japanese sweet for the upcoming chilly season.
On rare occasions, it is sold at stores such as Fujisaki Department Store in Sendai City, but the policy is to sell it freshly made in-store, and it sells out within the same day.
Please note that you can make a reservation until the morning of the day, and once you have made a reservation, you can also purchase it at the shops of Naruko Onsen hotels and inns (please refer to the official website).
Chestnut Dango (Mochi Restaurant Fukase) <Information>
- Facility name: Mochidokoro Fukase
- Location: 24-2 Naruko Onsen Yumoto, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 0229-83-2146
- Business hours: 9:00-17:00
- Regular holiday: New Year's Day
- URL: Mochidokoro Fukase official website
- URL: Mochidokoro Fukase Official Instagram
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Shichikashuku (Shichikashuku Town, Kanda District: National Route 113, Prefectural Route 51)
Shichikashuku Town, located to the south of the Zao Mountain Range, has many famous autumn foliage spots that can be enjoyed until mid-November, including Yokogawa Valley, Lake Elder, Shichikashuku Dam, and Lake Shichikashuku
Here we will introduce National Route 113 (Michinoku Otogi Kaido), which runs through Yamagata, and Prefectural Route 51 (Minami Zao Shichikashuku Line), which branches off and heads towards Yokogawa Valley and Lake Elder Lake.
From Shichikashuku Dam to Nametsu Otaki
the seven post stations ( Kamitozawa, Shimotozawa, Watase, Seki, Nametsu, Togeda, and Yubara located up to the prefectural border with Yamagata , and as you drive, you will see the remains of these post stations one after another along the road.
The area along National Route 113 is known for its delicious soba restaurants, and it is a driving route where you can enjoy the changing nature of the four seasons: snow in the winter, cherry blossoms in the spring, greenery in the summer, and autumn leaves in the fall.
Especially at Lake Shichikashuku and Nametsu Otaki, we recommend parking at the parking lot and getting off to enjoy the autumn leaves.
Nametsu Otaki <Information>
- Name: Nametsu Otaki
- Location: Chinokubo, Shichikashuku-cho, Katta-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
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Yokogawa Valley and Lake Choja
You can enjoy the vivid colors of the autumn leaves around Yokokawa Valley along Prefectural Route 51 and around Lake Choja until mid- November .
There are many Jomon ruins around Yokogawa Valley, so we recommend visiting them and viewing the autumn leaves while immersing yourself in the history.
Both have parking lots, so you can go there by car, but since they are far from the prefectural highway, it's best to allow plenty of time when visiting.
Elder Lake (Yokogawa Valley) <Information>
- Name: Lake Elder
- Location: Elder, Shichikashuku-cho, Katta-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
GOOGLE MAP
Shichikashuku Soba Kaido
In Shichikashuku town, which has long been known as a famous soba production area, there are four soba shops that compete in taste and individuality.As they are all located along the highway that passes through the town, `` Michinoku Otogi Kaido '' is also Soba Kaido It is called.
- Soba Yoshinoya (33 Nametsu, Shichikashukucho TEL: 0224-37-2455)
- Soba no Sato Ganko (54 Shichikashuku-cho Yakinoue TEL: Not listed)
- Yamazato Soba Maruichi (13-1 Tanaka Michishita, Shichikashukucho TEL: 0224-37-3327)
- Farmer Sobaya Bashoan (5-1 Minamiurahata, Shichikashuku Town TEL: 0224-37-3223)
Each restaurant offers hand-made soba made with buckwheat flour from Shichikashuku, and if you're a soba fan, it might be fun to visit all four restaurants and compare the flavors.
There is also a soba making experience, so why not try making soba yourself?
Shichikashuku Town＜Information＞
- Name: Shichikashuku Soba Kaido (Shichikashuku Town Tourism Site)
- Location: Shichikashuku-cho, Katta-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 0224-37-2177 (Shichikashuku Town Hometown Promotion Division Commerce and Tourism Section)
- URL: Shichikashuku Town Tourism Site
- URL: Shichikashuku Town Hall Official Website
GOOGLE MAP
Futakuchi Kaido (Taihaku Ward, Sendai City: Prefectural Road No. 62)
about 30 kilometers from Taihaku Moniwa in Sendai's Taihaku the Yamagata Prefectural border , is an autumn leaves drive road that runs along the Natori River near the center of Sendai.
The section from Akiu Onsen to the Sendai City Akiu Visitor Center, where the entrance to the mountain trail and campground is located, is a comfortable drive, although the road is narrow at some points.
Rairaikyo Gorge
This gorge has a beautiful landscape of huge rocks and strangely shaped rocks created by the erosion of the Natori River.
You can only see the autumn leaves from a car driving on the prefectural road, but if you want to enjoy the gorge, Akiu Onsen Entrance intersection and take a stroll down the Nozomi Bridge to the promenade along the river.
There is a heart-shaped hollow in the rock that can be seen from Nozomi Bridge, and it lover's sacred place Nozomi Bridge ♡ Heart '' , making it a popular spot for lovers.
Rairikyo <Information>
- Name: Rairaikyo
- Location: Yumoto, Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 022-398-2323
- URL: Sendai City Hall official website
- URL: Sendai tourism information site “Sendai Travel Weather”
GOOGLE MAP
Banjiiwa
There is a 3km long line of folding screen-like rocks that rise vertically into the autumn leaves of the gorge, and you can enjoy the impressive and majestic scenery.
The path from Akiu Visitor Center to here is a narrow paved road, so please be careful when driving.
Bandiwa <Information>
- Name: Banjiiwa
- Location: Baba, Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 022-398-2323 (Taihaku Ward Office Akiu General Branch)
- Phone number: 022-273-1111 (Sendai Forest Management Office)
- URL: Tohoku Forest Management Bureau official website
- URL: Sendai tourism information site “Sendai Travel Weather”
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Saichi Ohagi (Akiu Onsen)
The tsubuan ohagi sold at Shufu-no-ten Saichi in Akiu Onsen Town
Miyakoganemochi from Miyagi Prefecture , and is filled with lightly sweet red bean paste from Hokkaido.The ohagi is very popular.
Because Saiichi is so popular that there are lines of people waiting every day before the store opens in the morning, there are many requests to sell it at other stores, so it is now only sold on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at S-PAL Sendai East Building 2F. , it sells out quickly due to low sales volume.
Because it does not use any additives, it does not have a long shelf life, so it is not sold online, so it is best to line up early in the morning and buy it to make sure you get it.
addition to Anko , Saichi also makes Ohagi made with Kinako , Sesame , and Natto (limited time only from October to May)
Housewife's Store Saichi＜Information＞
- Facility name: Shufu no store Saichi
- Location: 23 Yumoto Yakushi, Akiu-cho, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
- Phone number: 022-398-2101
- Business hours: 9:00-19:00
- Closed: 2nd and 4th Wednesday (open if it is a holiday, subject to change in August and December)
- URL: Saichi Co., Ltd. official website
GOOGLE MAP
summary
This year, due to the heavy rains in July, the JR Rikuu Higashi Line was still out of service as of October, and with substitute buses being operated, Naruko Onsen Village is concerned about traffic congestion during the fall foliage season.
When traveling in the Naruko area, we recommend that you pay close attention to traffic information and plan your drive with plenty of time.
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