(松島湾) Matsushima Bay

One of Japan's Three Most Scenic Places, Matsushima Bay was a bit disappointing to me. The picture above? That was it. 

Budget: JPY2,340 (~USD22) from Sendai Station

• JPY840. Train, Sendai Station < > Matsushima Station.  
• JPY1,500. Boat, Matsushima roundtrip course
• *This can be a daytrip from Tokyo if you have the bullet train pass. 

Visit Date

• December 30, 2017

When to Go
Anytime during the year!

Special Notes

• A boat ride is needed to see the island. I used Marubun Matsushima Kisen. The English site has details plus discounts for online reservations. In my case, I just bought the ticket when I got there.  
• There are various course options. I chose a loop that starts and ends at Matsushima. 
• It lasts about 50 minutes and costs JPY1,500
• The boats leave every hour. 
• Access. There are a couple of boarding places for the boats, and on my case I used the one near Matsushima Kaigan Station. Google maps pin. 
• Train, Sendai Station to Matsushima-Kaigan Station.
• On my case, it was easier to go to Matsushima Station (train from Sendai is faster) and take a stroll to Matsushima-Kaigan Station.  
• Walk to the boat boarding. 
• Side trips. There are temples in the area as well as a park right next to to the port. 

Itinerary

• Definitely flexible, and you can spend time walking around while waiting for the boat. In my case, just woke up at Sendai when I wanted to, and then took the train. 
• Pictures below: