Tohoku has a total of 12 inhabited islands, and eight of those islands in Miyagi Prefecture are part of the Michinoku Coastal Trail route: Oshima Island in Kesennuma City, Ajishima Island, Tashirojima Island, and Kinkasan Island in Ishinomaki City, Sabusawajima Island, Nonoshima Island and Katsurashima Island in Shiogama City, and Miyato Island in Higashi-Matsushima City. Many people ask about how to get to islands only accessible by boat, so in this article, we’ll talk about how to get to the Urato Islands in Shiogama and Tashirojima Island and Ajishima Island, and Kinkasan Island in Ishinomaki. we’ll also give some advice about planning your island hike and what to keep in mind to be a considerate visitor.

※ One factor to keep in mind shared by all these islands is you will sometimes have to change your schedule because boats may stop running or change the ports they visit because of that day’s ocean conditions. It’s a good idea to check the ferry company website or service counter to see whether boats are running.

※ Hikers, note that you are NOT allowed to camp anywhere on the islands besides the Manga Island campground at Tashirojima Island. Please respect these islands and the people who live there and do not camp anywhere else.

Tashirojima Island, Manga Island
This campground has 8 tent sites.
(In 2024, this campground is open from April 25 to October 31, with reservations available Wednesdays through Sundays. Reservation required.)
See this PDF for more details.

Urato Islands

The Urato Island route is the following enjoyable combination of hiking and boat rides.
【Hiking Map Book 9-4】

Marine Gate Shiogama  ⇔ (Regular boatline)⇔Katsurashima Island ⇔(Free ferryboat)⇔Nonoshima Island ⇔(Free ferryboat) ⇔Sabusawajima Island ⇔(Charter boat, reservation required) ⇔Aomina, Miyato, Higashi-matsushima City

・See the Shiogama City website for details about the ferry leaving Marine Gate Shiogama and the ferryboats.
・The free ferryboats only come when you call them on the phone at the departure area, so there is no set schedule.

※The ferryboats between Katsurashima Island and Nonoshima Island don’t run on Sundays and holidays between November and March, and are also off during New Year’s from December 19 to January 3rd.
・There are lodging facilities (pensions and minshukus) on Katsurashima Island and Sabusawajima Island, so if you have the chance, stay overnight and take your time on the islands.
・There are no eateries or stores on the islands, so please bring a snack and lunch.

Booking boats between the Urato Islands and Miyato, Higashi-Matsushima

This boat line is run specially for the Michinoku Coastal Trail, and is not a regularly scheduled line. Hikers need to make a reservation at least 5 days in advance.

・Please note you might not be able to reserve a boat ride on your preferred day/time because rides are provided by local fishermen using their boats.
・You can decide what time to reserve your boat ride by looking at the route on the official paper maps and considering how long that should take considering your normal walking pace. The Urato Islands are at the longest a 4 km long walk per island, and the route is mostly flat.

・Season: Between April 1st and October 31st
・Departure times: Departing Miyato at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 12:00 PM and departing Sabusawajima Island at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
・Cost: Adults 3000 yen per person, and children (middle schooler age and younger) 1000 yen per person
※Only one person needs to make a reservation for the boat to run.
※Cash only, please. Please pay the boat captain when you board.
※Depending on the weather, sometimes boats won’t be able to sail that day.
・Reservations can be made by phone or E-mail, and must be made “at least five days in advance”.
Please provide the following information:  1. Your name 2. Your cell phone number 3. Boarding date and time 4. Boarding location 5. Number of people in your group
Reservation contact: Michinoku Coastal Trail Natori Trail Center
Tel: 022-398-6181 E-mail: info@m-tc.org
Taking reservations between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM (except Tuesdays and New Year’s holiday)

Also see the Michinoku Trail Club website page about this boat line.

Tashirojima Island and Ajishima Island

The Tashirojima Island and Ajishima Island route is a series of boat rides and island hiking.
【Hiking Map Book 8-6,7】

Ishinomaki Chuo Port⇔Tashirojima Island Odomari Port ⇔ Hiking⇔Tashirojima Island Nitoda Port⇔Ajishima Line (regularly scheduled line) ⇔ Ajishima Island Aji Port⇔Hiking⇔Ajishima Island Futawatashi Port⇔Ajishima Line (regularly scheduled line) to Ayukawa Port or Ishinomaki Chuo Port  

Take the Ajishima Line to get to Tashirojima Island and Ajishima Island.
The Ajishima Line website (Japanese) not only has the boat schedule but news on whether boats are currently running and what to know before your ride, so make sure to check it in advance.
※Note that the Ajishima Line schedule at the end of Hiking Map Book No. 8 is just an example for reference. Please check the Ajishima Line website to see the current schedule.

・Boats can change the ports they visit because of that day’s ocean/tidal conditions, so it’s a good idea to monitor the boat line website and other sources. If the boats end up coming to a port only on one side of an island then you might need to go back along the same route, so plan your schedule carefully.
・During major holidays, like during Golden Week, boats to Tashirojima Island can run out of spots because of all the tourists. Plan breathing room into your schedule accordingly.
※Please note, depending on the boat your will not be able to bring dangerous substances like fuel onboard at all.
・There are lodging facilities on both Ajishima Island and Tashirojima Island. Take your time and enjoy the islands, and book a stay!

Kinkasan Island

Hiking the MCT route on Kinkasan Island takes two and a half to three hours. Meanwhile, the regular boat line to the island is mainly meant for shrine visitors, and it leaves only an hour and a half on the island before departing again.
This is why the Kinkasan section is known as being a really hard part of the course to get to, but I still highly recommend this section. This island has not only the miraculously powerful Koganeyama Shrine, but deer and monkeys, huge and unusually shaped trees, and lots of lovely natural scenery to enjoy.
【Hiking Map Book 8-5】

In no particular order, here are a couple of options for getting to Kinkasan Island and having enough time to hike.

・Increased number of boats running during the New Year’s, festivals and other holidays
During festivals and other holidays, more boats go to Kinkasan Island from both Ayukawa Port and Onagawa Port, take a boat over early in the morning and you’ll have more time to hike. See details on the websites for each boat line.

・Take special schedule days from Onagawa Port
The normal schedule for Sundays is only an hour and a half, but there are also days (marked 臨時便 on the calendar) with a special schedule that allows for about three hours on the island. Check the Ushio Planning Company website for details (Japanese).

・Stay overnight at Koganeyama Shrine
For a special experience spending lots of time on Kinkasan Island, use the specially scheduled boat from Onagawa Port or the Sea Taxi from Ayukawa Port and spend the night at Koganeyama Shrine. Staying at the shrine includes dinner, breakfast and the morning prayer for 12000 yen.

・Take a boat from Ayukawa Port
Normally, there’s only the regularly scheduled Sunday line, but there are also specially scheduled sea taxis. Normally, sea taxis also only allow for about an hour and a half, but we’ve heard from hikers that have used a combination of multiple sea taxis to get more time on the island. Please ask each company directly for more information about sea taxis.

Sea Taxi Dream (Sea Dream Kinkasan Ferry Corporation): 0120-14-1055
Pleasure Boat Nabechan: 090-7074-7717 (Direct phone # for captain)
Sea Taxi Kuroshio (Kinkasan Tourism Corporation): 0120-489-918   
Kinkasan Route Business Cooperative Association: 0225-44-1850

There’s also a good clear overview of the boats available to Kinkasan Island on the Ishinomaki Tourism Association website (English available).

・Use a combination of the regularly scheduled boats from both Ayukawa Port and Onagawa ort
This is an unusual choice that I don’t necessarily recommend over other options, but there are hikers who have used this method so I will still introduce it here as a possibility.
Taking the regularly scheduled boat from Ayukawa Port departing at 10:50 and then taking the regularly scheduled boat back to Onagawa Port at 1:30 PM would allow for two hours and forty minutes to hike. You would need to consult with both ferry companies about fares.

Kinkasan Island is wonderful for its rich nature and scenery, but it’s also a spiritual island with historical Koganeyama Shrine. As you hike the MCT route, think about the ascetics who came to practice here, at one of the three most sacred places in Northern Japan.
This island is both spiritually important and part of a national park, so please only take pictures and memories back with you.

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This has been an overview of island hiking on the MCT.

While these islands do provide a challenge time and scheduling-wise, the various boat rides make for a different, special journey and you can enjoy a relaxed mood/atmosphere unique to these islands. This route has the ocean right there with you, as is fitting for the Michinoku Coastal Trail. Please come give this area a try.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Natori Trail Center.

Michinoku Coastal Trail Natori Trail Center
Tel: 022-398-6181 E-mail: info@m-tc.org

(Thanks to Anna Thomas, our volunteer translator.)