Tohoku, Japan · Sea / Beach
A bay dotted with more than 200 pine-covered islets, ranked as one of Japan's three most scenic views.
Train — Short train from Sendai
A boat tour among the bay's more than 200 pine-covered islets.
A temple housing the mausoleum of feudal lord Date Masamune and a garden of roses and moss, next to Zuigan-ji.
A small 17th-century Buddhist pavilion on an islet connected by bridges, decorated with carvings of the Chinese zodiac and an iconic symbol of the bay.
A place devoted to oysters from the bay (best from October to March), in an all-you-can-eat grilled format; in February there is also the Matsushima Oyster Festival.
One of the bay's four great classic viewpoints, on Miyato Island, considered to offer the most spectacular views.
A kayak or SUP route among the pine-covered islands of the bay, a far more active way to see the islets than the sightseeing cruise.
A Zen temple partly carved into caves on the hillside.
Matsushima was a key stop for the poet Basho on his Oku no Hosomichi; monuments and memorial stones beside Zuigan-ji recall his passage, legend holding that he was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the bay that he could not manage a haiku.
A museum devoted to the glass artist Kyohei Fujita, a Living National Treasure, in a garden beside the bay.
A small botanical-garden island connected to the mainland by a long red-painted bridge.
Matsushima has its own genuine onsen; the ryokan Ichinobo combines natural thermal water with panoramic baths above the islets of the bay.
The night version of the sightseeing cruise, with the islets and pavilions lit; in winter it coincides with the special illumination of Matsushima Rikyu.
A market by the harbour where you can try grilled oysters and other local seafood from the bay.
Dioramas and wax figures telling the life of the feudal lord Date Masamune, very visual and easy to visit as a family.
A hut run by local fishermen where you learn to open oysters from the bay, a real trade in the area beyond simply eating them prepared.
Another of the great classic viewpoints over the bay, with a traditional cafe and good cherry blossom in spring; the name recalls the legend of a 12th-century monk who gave up his pilgrimage after losing a riddle contest to a child.
A street of kokeshi shops, souvenirs and snacks on the way to the harbour, with tabearuki stalls for eating as you walk.
On the nights of 15 and 16 August: thousands of floating lanterns in memory of ancestors are released into the bay, followed by fireworks.
A guided zazen meditation session at Entsuin temple, next to the mausoleum of Date Masamune.
A former moon-viewing pavilion, offering the best views of the bay.
An annual community race through the scenery of the bay, available only on its specific date.
A small workshop and shop for traditional painting of Tohoku kokeshi dolls, in central Matsushima.
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