Sanriku Fukkō National Park was established after the 2011 tsunami destroyed many parts of the Tohoku region in Japan. Stretching from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture to almost Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, this coast has some amazing geological features.

From the coast, you can see almost a double coastline. At some point in the last 100,000 years, the coastline was in one spot on the cliffs. Then, part of the cliffs fell, creating a tiered step effect.

There are several observation decks along the coast with amazing views. I was able to visit a couple. I recommend Kitayamazaki Cape and Kamaishi Dai-Kannon Temple, with a giant Buddha looking out over the coast.

One thing that I found very interesting and stopped me in my tracks was some of the signs denoting where the tsunami caused damage. Because much of this coastline is rocky, it did not have as much widespread damage as places like Miyagi Prefecture, which have much more gradual slopes into the sea. However, when you drive Route 45 (the coastal road), signs will tell you if you are driving in a part damaged by the 2011 tsunami. These are especially prevalent in the valleys that cut through the mountains that separate Morioka and the coast. These are written in Japanese and English (“Tsunami Inundation Zone”).

It is recommended that you have a car to see most of this coast. Alternatively, a train line runs up and down the coast. However, due to the lack of infrastructure, it can be challenging to get to.

If you rent a car, I recommend starting in Sendai, Morioka or Hachinohe and renting for a couple of days. It will take more than one day to do the entire coast and return the car in a timely fashion. If you want to try the train route, start in Sendai or Hachinohe, as the train routes from Morioka no longer exist.

Instead of a car, you can also try walking the coast. A few walking routes run the entire length of the coast, including through some port and fishing towns. You can find more information about those here.

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