While this southernmost part of the Kitakami highlands is part of the wider economic area centered in Ishinomaki City and close to urban Sendai, it stoutly retains a way of life close to nature. If this area were a story, it would be split into three chapters. The first is the Pacific coast from Kitakami River to Onagawa. The second is the path to Kinka Island with Oshika Peninsula and the Oshika Islands. The third is the Mono district area centered around Kyu-Kitakami River and Ishinomaki’s Minato area situated in the west Kitakami highlands. This section has a lot of road walking, making over 40 kilometers of progress in a day possible, but let’s take a slower pace to absorb the 180 kilometers of this vast area.
As the MCT leaves Kahoku Area and Shinkitakami Bridge and enters Ogatsu, it mostly faithfully follows prefectural road 238 to venture deeper into Ogatsu Bay. This will be a long journey of about 36 kilometers, so many will need to stay overnight somewhere along the way. With villages in each beach area, there are some bed and breakfasts around. Meanwhile, the Ogatsu area is about 80% forest and there are houses in those flat areas along the coast, so there are fewer places suitable for camping than you might think. Those worried about a place to sleep should check with the guest house for hikers “m.s.s.books” in Ogatsu-machi. The owner is a MCT thru-hiker and should be helpful, including possibly providing rides to lodging.
Waiting after this long road walk is Michinoeki (Roadside Station) Kenjonosatu Ogatsu in the Ogatsu area, with local restaurants, coffee shops, grocery shops and more. These shops are only open during the day, so plan your arrival time accordingly.
There are two ways to Mt. Ishinage: the main route, and the detour. The main route doesn’t go further east after Michinoeki Kenjonosatu Ogatsu, instead following a logging road for a long while. Go through prefectural road 192 Ishinomaki Ogatsu Route and head for Ogatsu Pass. After entering Mt. Kenjo trailhead and going through Ogatsu Pass, take the trail up Mt. Ishinage to aim for the summit.
Near Ogatsu Pass is the highest peak in the Ogatsu area, Mt. Kenjo (519 meters), which is easy to reach from the trailhead at 350 meters and offers a view of Oshika Peninsula, Kinka Island and Minamisanriku from its spacious summit. Annodaira, the place that gave Onagawa its name, is also nearby. From Annodiara, pass down through Okushimizu Keiryu no Mori, which is a camping area, to reach Onagawa Station area.
On the other hand, the detour route to Mt. Ishinage offers a chance to enjoy an oceanside route that turns into deep forest. Cross Funado Bridge to go through Mizuhama and Bunhama before reaching Namiita Beach. Go up a road wide enough for horses, and make a wide turn right at a three-way point at 381.2 meters elevation. The ridgeline is the border between Ishinomaki City and Onagawa Town. As the peak of Mt. Ishinage grows closer, a trail going along the mountain to the right will appear. This is where the detour meets up with the regular route. Aim for the peak to finish your detour. The top of Mt. Ishinage (455 meters) is spacious and the views are good as well.
The short 15 kilometers in Onagawa Town is like a rollercoaster, with Mt. Ishinage (455 meters) on one side, Mt. Dairokuten on the other side, and Onagawa city center in the middle. Even strong-legged hikers who try to pass through Onagawa Station at a brisk pace may find that they end up spending more time than intended, as the area hosts a sightseeing wharf, shopping area Seapal Pier Onagawa, supermarket Onmaeya, and Yuppopo, a hot springs inside Onagawa Station. Better plan to spend some time here. After Onagawa town center is the hike to the top of Mt. Dairokuten. There are spacious grassy areas on the ridges where the trees have been cut down, and lots of spots offering nice views of the area as a result. Enjoy well lit hiking offering better views than Mt. Ishinage.
Follow along Mangokuura Bay to reenter Ishinomaki City, gazing at the lovely bay as you walk before entering the road toward Kinka Island, traveling south to reach Ayukawa. Ayukawa is the southernmost village area in Oshika Peninsula, where the ferry to Kinka Island departs.
There are four passes on the route towards Kinka Island. The first pass is Kazakoshi Pass, which has the Kazakoshi Tunnel going through it. The MCT takes the tunnel. The second pass is Okoshi Pass which starts at Oginohama Elementary School going along a natural path beside a river. This part is less than 2 kilometers long but has lovely valley scenery.
Enter Kozumihama to see the third pass, Kozumihama Pass, a natural path with beautiful cedar forest. The Kinka Island pilgrimage route was also an everyday use road for residents, so it was built to be easy to walk. The last pass to Kinka Island, Ishi Pass, has a lower elevation at 70 meters and the area along the pass is paved.
Kinka Island
Koganeyama Shrine is historically known as one of the three sacred spots in northern Japan, and Kinka Island was said to have produced gold in the Edo period. In 1979, Kinka Island was designated as part of Minamisanriku-Kinkazan Quasi-National Park along with Oshika islands Ajishima Island and Tashirojima Island and Minamisanriku Town’s coastline. Then, in 2015 it was designated as part of Sanriku Fukko National Park.
The ferry to Kinka Island only runs on Sundays, already a tough proposition for thru-hikers who will have lost track of days of the week. One possible good idea is coming back to pray at Kinka Island’s shrine to give thanks after walking the entire MCT. Considering that if you “come to pray here three years in a row, you’ll never worry about money,” it might be best to make a visit happen.
Return to Ayukawa Port and take the Ajishima line to Ajishima Island, Tashirojima Island, and then Ishinomaki city proper. As you approach Ishinomaki’s mainland from the ferry, you’ll see low mountains-like bumps, which is where the city lies stretched out over flat plains. Alight at the Kyu-Kitakami River and its surrounding drainage basin, the Senboku Plain.
The Ajishima Line ferry from Tashirojima Island stops at Ishinomaki Port Kadonowaki and the Chuo ferry terminal. To follow the MCT course, get off at the Chuo ferry terminal and go along Kyu-Kitakami river. Meanwhile, get off at Kadonowaki to visit the Minamihama area. This area was catastrophically damaged in the 2011 tsunami and has Ishinomaki Minamihama Tsunami Memorial Park and Tsunami Monument Kadonowaki Elementary School. The MCT travels up Kyu-Kitakami River, or former Kitakami River, where the Kitakami River originally flowed. From the Edo period to the Meiji period, the Kitakami River was vital to water transport and Ishinomaki Minato at the river mouth was a maritime transport hub. The trade from these two vectors put together made Ishinomaki extraordinarily prosperous, with many traces of that legacy to see in Ishinomaki, but the MCT route mainly passes through a cycling road and the Kitakami Canal, so there’s limited chance to see more of Ishinomaki’s culture and way of life.
A small park along Kyu-Kitakami River contains the origin of Ishinomaki’s name, Makiishi Rock. From Kyu-Kitakami River, enter the Kitakami Canal and from the canal continue along the embankment of Jogawa River. The 125 kilometers of walking in Ishinomaki City will end on a road without any clear border indicating you’ve entered Higashi-Matsushima City.
Cross the Jogawa River and you’re in the Yamoto area of Higashi-Matsushima Town. Move out of the residential area and to the southern portion of Kitakami Canal and it’s 6.5 kilometers of straight walking next to the JASDF Matsushima Air Base. Cross Hamaichi Bridge, and the open area shown as Toba (樋場) on the map is where the town along the Nobiru Port Site was once planned to be built.
The Nobiru Port was a major Meiji-period project that was meant to connect the main transportation and trading network of the time between Kitakami River, Shiogama Port and Abukuma River. If the port had been successfully completed, it would have been the first international port before Yokohama, but damage from a typhoon brought the project to a deadlock. As trade via the train lines started, Nobiru Port became a site of unachieved dreams. Look for the brick bridge abutment at Naruse River, which was part of the project.
Go under Naruse-Ohashi bridge, turn right, and then go up to cross the bridge. The flat and sometimes monotonous Senboku Plain ends here, and the Matsushima Hills begin.