Matsushima
Discover Matsushima
Matsushima (松島) is a small town in Miyagi prefecture, northeastern Japan. The town faces Matsushima Bay, famous for some 260 tiny islands (島 shima) covered in pines (松 matsu) — hence the name — and ranked as one of Japan's Three Great Views. In 1689, haiku poet Matsuo Basho visited Matsushima on the trip recorded in Narrow Road to the Deep North. A well-known poem often (but, alas, falsely) attributed to Basho claims to record his reaction, signifying that nothing more could be said:
What to Experience in Matsushima
Taste of Matsushima...
Matsushima is famous for oysters grown in the bay. The oyster season starts in October. During the season, one can buy/eat oysters in all possible varieties (fresh, fried baked etc; take-out and eat-inside) along the main street starting from the railway station.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe town is only a short distance from prefectural capital Sendai. Most visitors arrive on the JR Senseki Line (仙石線) connecting Sendai and Ishinomaki. The most convenient station is Matsushima-Kaigan (松島海岸), which is 40 minutes from Sendai (¥420). During daytime hours there are usually only two departures per hour to Matsushima-Kaigan. Another hourly service runs as far as Hon-Shiogama (see below). If you buy a ticket in Sendai, be sure to have the name written in characters: the machines do not have an English option. On the other hand, Matsushima station on the JR Tohoku Main Line is further away from the shore and requires a walk of at least 20 minutes, or a short taxi ride, to reach the ferry. From Tokyo, the Shinkansen bullet train runs to Sendai for connection to the Senseki Line. The total one-way fare is ¥11,520 using the fastest, all-reserved Shinkansen service, and the journey to Matsushima-Kaigan lasts around 2 hr 45 min. There is no charge if you use the Japan Rail Pass....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Matsushima's seaside attractions are within walking distance of the train station and ferry pier, but the best views are from mountaintops not so easy to reach on foot. The most spectacular views are from Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park, a ¥660 cab ride up from the station. It is covered with cherry blossoms in the spring, but the food available there is nothing special. Other overlooks are Sōkanzan, a promontory that juts out into the bay, and Ōgitani, a hill across the coastal highway from Sokanzan. Matsushima is famous for oysters grown in the bay. The oyster season starts in October. During the season, one can buy/eat oysters in all possible varieties (fresh, fried baked etc; take-out and eat-inside) along the main street starting from the railway station.
Money & Budget
Matsushima is famous for oysters grown in the bay. The oyster season starts in October. During the season, one can buy/eat oysters in all possible varieties (fresh, fried baked etc; take-out and eat-inside) along the main street starting from the railway station.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Matsushima
rock formation
rock formation
brown wooden arch with green trees
Seagull
A picture frame with a picture of a squirrel on it
green plant on brown soil
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a row of weird-shaped trees
a path in the middle of a lush green forest
A small wooden structure in the middle of a forest
rock formation
rock formation
brown wooden arch with green trees