Coasts · Miyagi

Matsushima Bay

松島湾まつしまわんMatsushima-wan

Some 260 pine-crowned islands in a sheltered bay

Matsushima Bay (Matsushima-wan) on the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, just north-east of Sendai, is dotted with some 260 small islands crowned with pines. One of the Three Views of Japan and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, it is also home to Zuigan-ji, the great Zen temple of the Date lords.

Special place of scenic beauty · 1952

Overview

Matsushima Bay opens off the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture, between the port of Shiogama and the Oku-Matsushima peninsula. Its sheltered waters are scattered with some 260 islands and islets of soft, white-grey rock, eroded into cliffs, arches and caves and topped with Japanese red and black pines.

Matsushima has been celebrated since the Heian period in poetry, and since the Edo period it has been counted among the Three Views of Japan with Amanohashidate and Miyajima. The poet Matsuo Bashō arrived here in 1689 on the journey recorded in 'Oku no Hosomichi' (The Narrow Road to the Deep North), describing it as the most beautiful place in Japan.

The town of Matsushima on the shore is centred on Zuigan-ji, rebuilt by the warlord Date Masamune in 1609, and on the Godaidō hall standing on an islet reached by small bridges. In 2011 the islands helped to weaken the tsunami that devastated neighbouring coasts, and damage in the town was comparatively limited.

Landscape and formation

The bay is a drowned landscape: low hills of soft Miocene sedimentary rocks – sandstone, tuff and conglomerate – were partly submerged as sea level rose after the last ice age, leaving their tops as islands. Waves continue to carve the soft rock into arches and caves, and some islands have eroded away within historical times.

Highlights

Zuigan-ji
瑞巌寺Zuigan-ji
Zen temple rebuilt by Date Masamune in 1609, with a main hall and priests' quarters designated National Treasures and cave shrines cut into the cliffs.
Godaidō
五大堂Godaidō
Small hall of 1604 on an islet by the shore, reached by red bridges with gaps between the planks.
Fukuurajima
福浦島Fukuurajima
Wooded island connected to the shore by a long vermilion bridge, with walking paths and plant life.
Four great views
松島四大観Matsushima Yondaikan
Four hilltop viewpoints around the bay – Sōkan, Reikan, Yūkan and Ikan – each showing a different face of the islands.
Entsū-in
円通院Entsū-in
Temple next to Zuigan-ji with a mausoleum for Date Masamune's grandson and a moss garden.

Ecology

The shallow bay is one of Japan's traditional oyster-growing waters, and its islands support pine forests that suffered from pine wilt disease in the late 20th century. Seabirds rest on the outer islands, and eelgrass beds shelter young fish.

Flora

Japanese red and black pine
The pines that give Matsushima ('pine islands') its name.

Fauna

Pacific oyster
カキkaki
Farmed on rafts in the bay and eaten from autumn to spring.
Black-tailed gull
ウミネコumineko
Follows the sightseeing boats across the bay.

Culture

Poets and painters have long used Matsushima as a model of perfect scenery. Bashō's passage on Matsushima in 'Oku no Hosomichi' is one of the best-known in Japanese literature. The Date lords of Sendai made the bay a religious and recreational centre, and their teahouse Kanrantei, said to have come from Fushimi Castle, still overlooks the water.

Oku no Hosomichi
おくのほそ道Oku no Hosomichi
Bashō's travel diary of 1689, which praises Matsushima as the finest scenery in Japan.
Kanrantei
観瀾亭Kanrantei
Teahouse of the Date family on the shore, traditionally said to be a gift of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

History

828
According to tradition, Ennin founds the temple Enpuku-ji, predecessor of Zuigan-ji.
1604
Date Masamune rebuilds the Godaidō.
1609
Zuigan-ji is completed under Date Masamune.
1643
Hayashi Gahō names Matsushima among the three great views of Japan.
1689
Matsuo Bashō visits Matsushima.
1952
Matsushima is designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.
2011
The Great East Japan Earthquake tsunami strikes; the islands reduce its force in the inner bay.

Through the seasons

Spring

Cherry blossom at Saigyō-modoshi-no-matsu Park overlooking the bay.

Summer

Boat cruises and the Tōrō-nagashi lantern festival in August.

Autumn

Maples at Entsū-in and Zuigan-ji; the start of oyster season.

Winter

Grilled oysters and clear views across the bay.

Routes and trails

Bay cruise
Sightseeing boats between Shiogama and Matsushima pass among the islands in about 50 minutes.
Temple walk
Zuigan-ji, Entsū-in, Godaidō, Kanrantei and Fukuurajima all lie within walking distance of Matsushima-Kaigan Station.
Ōtakamori viewpoint
Short hike on Miyato island in Oku-Matsushima to the Sōkan viewpoint, with a panorama over the bay.

Practical notes

Matsushima-Kaigan Station on the JR Senseki Line is about 40 minutes from Sendai.
Combining the boat from Shiogama with the train back makes a convenient day trip from Sendai.
Tsunami evacuation signs are posted around the waterfront.

Frequently asked questions

How many islands are in Matsushima Bay?

About 260, most of them small islets covered with pines.

How do you get to Matsushima from Sendai?

By JR Senseki Line to Matsushima-Kaigan in about 40 minutes, or by train to Shiogama and then a sightseeing boat.

Did Bashō really say 'Matsushima, ah Matsushima'?

The famous line is traditionally attributed to him, but it is not in his writings; in 'Oku no Hosomichi' he praises Matsushima in prose.

Was Matsushima damaged by the 2011 tsunami?

The tsunami reached the town, but the islands weakened it, and damage was lighter than on neighbouring coasts.