What to know
Ishinomaki (石巻) is a large port city east of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture. The city has a number of interesting attractions, and is known for being the hometown of prominent manga artist Ishinomori Shotaro.
During the 2011 tsunami, Ishinomaki suffered the greatest loss of life and property of any municipality, as the waves inundated much of the low-lying waterfront districts. From Hiyoriyama Park, perched on a hill near the city center, visitors can look out over the affected areas. A memorial park with extensive green space and a museum opened in 2021 in the coastal district.
Direct JR trains connect Sendai with Ishinomaki about twice per hour. Local trains on the JR Senseki Line take 80–90 minutes, while less frequent rapid trains on the JR Senseki-Tohoku Line take about one hour. Both cost 900 yen one way and are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR East Pass, and JR East South Hokkaido Pass. Local trains depart from the Senseki Line platforms in Sendai Station's basement, while rapid trains leave from the Tohoku Line platforms above ground.
Miyagi Kotsu (Miyako) runs 1–2 buses per hour between Sendai and Ishinomaki stations. The one-way trip takes about 75 minutes and costs 900 yen.
How to get to and around the Sanriku Coast
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October to March)
- Closed
- Mondays (or next day if Monday is a national holiday or the 11th of each month, Jun 12, Sep 1 or Nov 5) and from Dec 29 to Jan 3
- Admission
- free
- English name
- Original name
- Ishinomaki
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.