5th Anniversary of Michinoku Coastal Trail; Walking Events Across 4 Prefectures

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:47 JST, March 20, 2024

The Environment Ministry announced on Tuesday that it will organize walking events at various location in Tohoku to celebrate the 5the anniversary of the opening of the Michinoku Coastal Trail, a scenic walking path spanning the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region.

The Michinoku Coastal Trail is a nature-rich promenade that stretches 1025 kilometers from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture to Soma in Fukushima Prefecture. It was established by the ministry to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and opened in June 2019. It has gained popularity particularly among international tourists, with approximately 120,000 visitors recorded in fiscal 2023.

The events are scheduled to take place on May 26 in Hachinohe, June 9 in Miyako in Iwate Prefecture, June 23 in Sendai and Natori in Miyagi Prefecture, and November 3 in Soma.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, in collaboration with Nippon Television Network Corporation and local media, is providing support for the events. Further details can be obtained via QR code or offictal web site (Japanese only).

Additionally, the ministry plans to hold a 5th anniversary commemoration ceremony in June in Miyako. In July, a ceremony will be held in Tokyo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the “Tokai Nature Trail,” which connects Hachioji in Tokyo and Minoh in Osaka Prefecture.